What Preps are you doing this week

[PeteM]

Batteries and water.

Dropped a few packets of Duracell in the basket today at Tesco.

Also I grabbed a few 5 litre bottles of Ashwell Mountain Spring Water. I checked the plastic container, it's ok (got a thing about BPA and all that) and get this ... it's £1.05 for 5 litres. Talk about a steal. I have a couple of other containers that I can fill with tap water, but these have a Feb 2014 date and you can stock up with plenty for just a few quid.

I read that 1 gallon of water is a recommended minimum per person per day. Well that's about 5 litres then, for £1.05 and no fussing with bleach, chlorine or other stuff. Pick up one on each visit and you'll soon have loads of the stuff.

[gloomsday]

That's great! I am always worried about plastic contamination and bleaching, so it's a great option for those of us not too savvy about that kind of thing. Batteries are also a good shout, I get the Kodak ones from Poundland, and they work just fine for day-to-day things. One of my entertainment must-haves is an old Gameboy Color - Portable, excellent battery life, and great for staving off boredom!

[PreppingPingu]

Planting stuff in the allotment. The bare patch of grass is slowly turning into a growing patch now - put the first early spuds in - thats my fresh carbs for a few months sorted out! Planted 2 blueberry bushes - the good ole "super fruit" If they work I wil plant more next year. Other preps will be as other peps are doing, that is just buying one or two extra things with my weekly shop. Some basics tinned fruit (Pineapple and grapefruit) or that cheep stuff from Lidls will do fine - just an extra 4 cans - will only cost £1-£1.50 so not much to add to a weekly shop. All those extra one or two can soon mount up to reasonable stash!

Trying to balance the tinned stuff that I can't grow with the actually fruit and veg that I can grow and store myself.

[BigMacKin]

After reading some posts here I nipped out to Lidl and got some Toilet Rolls, tinned fruit, powdered milk and chocolate drink powder. Still adding to the stores whenever I can.

Prepping a lot through my thoughts as there have been tonnes of great ideas and things I had not thought about before. Got a few more lists in my head now so will be working on that. read a good article here on the use of salt for cleaning out wounds and for gargling for a sore throat/mouth problems. I totally forgot about the times my Nan used to have me gargle salted water when I had ulcers or inflamed throat - worked back then!!! Tend to rush to the phamacy/Docs when this happen but will be trying salt solution again!!

[diamond lil]

Just plugging onwards with the basics- got more veg seeds, got more porridge, dried veg, lentils, barely, honey, jam, and loads of bread flour.

[Attack Warning Red]

BigMacKin - yes, do stock up on salt. It's a valuable resource that many people seem to forget.

[Alleycat]

BigMacKin - yes, do stock up on salt. It's a valuable resource that many people seem to forget.

And you dont have to rotate cos it has no use by date

[BigMacKin]

Just plugging onwards with the basics- got more veg seeds, got more porridge, dried veg, lentils, barely, honey, jam, and loads of bread flour.

How long does dried veg, barley and flour last for and is there any particular way I should store it?

Paul

[pseudonym]

Snip> Just plugging onwards with the basics.

Same here. Todays shop netted me:

Pasta Shells 500gms x 2
Spaghetti 250gms x 4
Easy cook rice 500gms x 2
Cheese sauce x 3
Onion sauce x 3
Veg stock cubes 12 pack x 2
Beef stock cubes 12 pack x2
Chicken stock cubes 12 pack x2
Salt 1 kg x2

I am starting to make up individual storage boxes with food for a week for two. Dried goods this month.

Then I can just grab the boxes required plus Jerrycans and go knowing that I have staples for that long.

[diamond lil]

I don't know exactly Mac, but barley and oatmeal and lentils last a long time . Somebody on here will know I expect, but I have a lot of it - and although I rotate stock, with only the 2 of us here we dont go through tons. I've had it for 5 years and its still fine. I buy from Costco.
Flour I buy in 3k bags, aim for around 10 bags in stock at any given time. Pop into the freezer (inside a polybag) for a couple of days, then in the spare room which is kept cool and airy. I don't buy flour in bulk as its more mess and bother than its worth, is easier this way.
Lentils barley and any veg, plus stock cubes which I buy tons of as well, make good soup. Oatmeal makes oatcakes, flapjacks, crumble topping and porridge - and I make my own bread. I think that's enough to sustain life in an emergency