Preparing for El Niño

I practice good housekeeping and always have a decent stock cupboard, it has often been very useful during winter, particularly during 2010 when suddenly overnight we were snowed in and that lasted for six weeks

Anway, I have good chocolate, varied good hobbies to occupy me. and plenty of fuel for my stove. I am grateful to be going into this during winter and not, like two of my sisters, facing this during summer in Australia

As TerriBull mentioned earlier, we started keeping a moderate stock of baked beans, tinned tomatoes and tinned soup at the time of Brexit, and we still have that sort of stock, although using it from the front and filling up as we go. We have a wood-burning stove on which we could heat soup or cook pasta and vegetables (assuming the water is still running), and have done so in a power cut.

I admire the 100 tins of sardines though, Aldom. Don't think anyone has come up with anything to beat that so far!

OK so long as they don’t go off sardines!

Aldom

Someone I know has 100 tins of sardines. It's a family joke. 😂
Makes sense though. Good source of protein.

Is that why I couldn’t find any in the supermarket last week?
I love sardines on toast- one of natures treats!

Totally irresponsible of Eagle to make that statement - and very much beyond her remit - panic buying will ensue - and we will see the results of living in a plutocracy ( of which the vile Eagle is a member)
I agree with the Weirdoagain
👍☘️

There's no such thing as someone who only speaks English. It's a mongrel language originating from many sources and has evolved through many influences over many hundreds of years. You can't get from one day to the next without using a "foreign" word.
Even the word "troll" has evolved from several sources.

We are always well stocked for food and wine, loo roll comes on a subscription so it’s just logs and peat.

"We have a gas BBQ so as long as we have enough gas we will be able to cook most foodstuffs and heat water for hot drinks."
So have we, but who's volunteering to go outside in the storms to cook? ☔

What puzzles me is, that whenever there's a crisis of any kind, there's always a shortage of toilet rolls!

Appreciate the idea of a light hearted post but I don't think unsubstantiated warnings are helpful.

We have weather in the UK, always have.

In my opinion the fools are those who are in denial. It’s not just the unknown impact of El Niño, it the uncertainty of the world at present which makes it only common sense to make sure your household is prepared. There’s no need to go overboard, just make sure over a number of weeks that you have everything you need to survive for a few days if whatever happens- my money is on supply chain disruption due to undersea internet cables being cut, but it could be anything - and if nothing happens, great, just eat the non perishable items at your leisure, it’s not as though it costs you more ultimately.

greyfur16

Appreciate the idea of a light hearted post but I don't think unsubstantiated warnings are helpful.

We have weather in the UK, always have.

I don't think Angela Eagle was issuing an 'unsubstantiated warning'.

I will have to live off the contents of my freezer.
200 Kg of stewed plums.

I guess I ought to stock up on toilet rolls…

Usedtobeblonde

I’m going to brush up on rubbing two sticks together to create a flame and then learn how to do smoke signals from the fire I have created , made possible by the amount of kindling and logs I have stockpiled, no supermarket needed.
I can of course then cook on said fire.
I will be self sufficient especially if I learn how to catch rabbits and fish.
How long is El Niño supposed to last?

Well, even if you dont master the art of starting a fire by rubbing two sticks together, the effort of trying should at least keep you plenty warm enough 😁

Casdon

In my opinion the fools are those who are in denial. It’s not just the unknown impact of El Niño, it the uncertainty of the world at present which makes it only common sense to make sure your household is prepared. There’s no need to go overboard, just make sure over a number of weeks that you have everything you need to survive for a few days if whatever happens- my money is on supply chain disruption due to undersea internet cables being cut, but it could be anything - and if nothing happens, great, just eat the non perishable items at your leisure, it’s not as though it costs you more ultimately.

👏👏👏

El Niño is said to produce extreme disruption to weather patterns, wet, cold or hot and dry. This summer may have been an easy time a very wet cold winter will affect many more. A very cold winter like 1962,63 or 47 will feel much worse.

I ‘get’ the tone of your OP, kittylester, but I guess the situation projected might turn out to be very serious, so maybe some folks are feeling the need to take the idea of stockpiling very seriously. If the wet and windy weather is comparable in its intensity to the heat of this summer, then many people will find it a real strain.
Anyway, just going off to check on the wine cellar, the champagne fridge and the caviar in the pantry…….

Well, I think it is sensible to have a few extras in because any emergency could crop up where getting out might be tricky (weather, illness), but panic buying? No. I don’t think that was what the minister was suggesting, by the way, but the way the BBC reported it might encourage some into panic buying.
On a lighthearted note, yes, plenty of wine, tea, and gin 🤣🤣

kittylester

greyfur16

Appreciate the idea of a light hearted post but I don't think unsubstantiated warnings are helpful.

We have weather in the UK, always have.

I don't think Angela Eagle was issuing an 'unsubstantiated warning'.

Do you have more imformation please? Thanks

David49

El Niño is said to produce extreme disruption to weather patterns, wet, cold or hot and dry. This summer may have been an easy time a very wet cold winter will affect many more. A very cold winter like 1962,63 or 47 will feel much worse.

I think a bigger challenge may be wellbeing/mental health....call it what you will.

TheWeirdoAgain60

What is ''El Niño''? I'm English and only speak English; no other language!

I won't be stockpiling anything; I never have and never will. I'm not thoughtless enough to empty the shelves, denying normal shoppers anything.

Then there will be all the selfish morons, like with the vaccines, etc., snatching up all the bog rolls they'll never use in 3 lifetimes! HA!

🙄

greyfur16

Appreciate the idea of a light hearted post but I don't think unsubstantiated warnings are helpful.

We have weather in the UK, always have.

Angela Eagle is acting on information from the World Metrological Organisation. It's hardly unsubstantiated. She suggests that having a few days' extra food wouldn't go amiss, (not "stockpiling" as the Telegraph and others are deliberately exaggerating).

El Niño/La Niña Update (August 2026) share.google/2g5iqUW90QgiJWFxv

*World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

"It's not just the unknown impact of El Nino, it's the uncertainty of the world at present" Those were pretty much my thoughts behind the government advice of being prepared for the unexpected and have some reserves. As others have said, just add one or two items each week, without clearing entire shelves. I think having enough bog rolls could be the least of our problems.

OldFrill

greyfur16

Appreciate the idea of a light hearted post but I don't think unsubstantiated warnings are helpful.

We have weather in the UK, always have.

Angela Eagle is acting on information from the World Metrological Organisation. It's hardly unsubstantiated. She suggests that having a few days' extra food wouldn't go amiss, (not "stockpiling" as the Telegraph and others are deliberately exaggerating).

El Niño/La Niña Update (August 2026) share.google/2g5iqUW90QgiJWFxv

I suppose unless you are really struggling, most people have a little extra available.

Well, we should always look on the bright side.
If we have a very wet winter, the reservoirs will fill and there'll be less chance of a drought/hosepipe ban/standpipes next summer 😀