Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
That's a turnip for the books then.
In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
The rationing must be working because I got the email for my order and all the fruit and veg is being sent though I had to pick on the vine tomatoes at the ordering stage. Only thing I am not getting is Linda mccartney original vegetarian sausages which are substituted with Lincolnshire vegetarian so i will have to make do. Maybe the veg shortage is affecting things made from veg as well as veg for sale.
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
Jelly prices in Ye Olden Days.
The most amazing thing about this advert from the Co-op in what, the late 70s? is not the prices, but that you could apparently buy a whole basket of eggs
The most amazing thing about this advert from the Co-op in what, the late 70s? is not the prices, but that you could apparently buy a whole basket of eggs
"... not to be told a story, but to live inside a dream." - Hades, The Burnt City
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
Fish cakes are unavailable to send today and no others sent instead. This seems odd as there's a dozen different kinds aren't there. Is fish next to be rationed. My luxury eggs were all out of stock to order so I have got the ordinary eggs which are back in stock.
I had to get cherry tomatoes as no ordinary tomatoess even the vine ones this week to order. So annoying because shelves were probably re filled with some normal tomatoes this morning.
I had to get cherry tomatoes as no ordinary tomatoess even the vine ones this week to order. So annoying because shelves were probably re filled with some normal tomatoes this morning.
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
My eggs were swapped too (ASDA)
I had ordered 12 Large Free Range, they sent 6 Medium Free Range (refunded me the difference, but why not 12 ??)
Not noticed a shortage of fish yet but it seems so random!
I quite like salmon fishcakes but the cod ones are too bland I think....
In the past when I liked cooking more, I used to make tuna fishcakes with tuna, a bit of mash, sometimes some grated cheese. dip in flour and fry. (If I had spare toast crusts I might dry them out in a turned-off oven and pulverise, for an authentic crunchy coating, but generally too much faff.)
I had ordered 12 Large Free Range, they sent 6 Medium Free Range (refunded me the difference, but why not 12 ??)
Not noticed a shortage of fish yet but it seems so random!
I quite like salmon fishcakes but the cod ones are too bland I think....
In the past when I liked cooking more, I used to make tuna fishcakes with tuna, a bit of mash, sometimes some grated cheese. dip in flour and fry. (If I had spare toast crusts I might dry them out in a turned-off oven and pulverise, for an authentic crunchy coating, but generally too much faff.)
"... not to be told a story, but to live inside a dream." - Hades, The Burnt City
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
Panko breadcrumbs are your friend..
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
I don't know why whiting and coley aren't pushed more instead of cod. Whiting especially is a coastal fish and catches are benefiting from extra quotas following Brexit. I've eaten both and they're fine.
In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
I suppose if you are buying raw ingredients it's easier to just find replacements. With processed foods it's like a supertanker isn't it they can't just chuck some other ingredient in because it's all agreed and machines calibrated and packet labels printed.
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
Panko breadcrumbs are great 
but I sometimes go through this mad phase where I feel I should make things myself. Currently not in that phase 
Tesco today brought every single thing I ordered
but I sometimes go through this mad phase where I feel I should make things myself. Currently not in that phase Tesco today brought every single thing I ordered
"... not to be told a story, but to live inside a dream." - Hades, The Burnt City
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
Hooray for Tesco. 
I have an order for next Wednesday. Included are four cans of Asda's vindaloo curry which have been unavailable for months. I'm not holding out much hope of getting them this time either.
I have an order for next Wednesday. Included are four cans of Asda's vindaloo curry which have been unavailable for months. I'm not holding out much hope of getting them this time either.
In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
I got everything I ordered this week too. The delivery man even commented on it as though it was a surprise. Tomatoes cucumber eggs hovis loaf all of them even brought my fishcakes.
Sugar is latest thing to be expensive for some reason. This is going to cause inflation because sugar is in so many foods we wouldn't expect it's not just sugar in tea and making cakes. Cheap food in particular is held together with sugar and salt to keep it cheaper. Don't know why sugar is latest inflation culprit can't blame Ukraine wars for that can we and it was always imported anyway from outside EU so brexit should causs it either.
Sugar is latest thing to be expensive for some reason. This is going to cause inflation because sugar is in so many foods we wouldn't expect it's not just sugar in tea and making cakes. Cheap food in particular is held together with sugar and salt to keep it cheaper. Don't know why sugar is latest inflation culprit can't blame Ukraine wars for that can we and it was always imported anyway from outside EU so brexit should causs it either.
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
Sugar in the UK is mostly made from sugar beet which is grown in the UK and EU. There's a small proportion of cane sugar from assisted countries but for most cane sugar producers there is a huge protectionist tariff. The UK government should be selectively relaxing food tariffs to maximise the advantages from leaving the EU but I suspect it isn't. Whatever we buy from the EU should have worldwide zero tariffs, in particular food we cannot grow ourselves.
In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
Tesci is putting their minimum order up to 50 pounds and the fine for not ordering enough up to 5 pounds.
I will have to re plan my shopping to order less frequently. 40 pounds is already a lot for one weeks shopping so some times I have only 2 weeks instead but it means bread and milk and fruit won't last a fortnight. There are ways round it like not having shopping delivered but it does seem they are trying to discourage people from ordering online deliveries. When people are complaining on twitter the answer is well click and collect is still 25 pounds but if you need a delivery due to difficulty carrying home that isn't much of an answer.
I will have to re plan my shopping to order less frequently. 40 pounds is already a lot for one weeks shopping so some times I have only 2 weeks instead but it means bread and milk and fruit won't last a fortnight. There are ways round it like not having shopping delivered but it does seem they are trying to discourage people from ordering online deliveries. When people are complaining on twitter the answer is well click and collect is still 25 pounds but if you need a delivery due to difficulty carrying home that isn't much of an answer.
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
I can go four weeks between shops.
I buy four x four pint bottles of fresh semi-skimmed milk, keep three of them in the salad drawer in the fridge, putting the bottle in use in the fridge door. I usually run out in the fourth week and use either powdered milk or UHT. So far the fresh milk has not gone off even if it lasts the full duration.
I buy four loaves of sliced wholemeal bread plus a couple of packs of crumpets. There is just room in the salad drawer to put the crumpets beside the fresh milk. Three of the loaves go in the freezer. The fourth loaf is used first and is usually consumed in about a week. I found that if I kept the crumpets at room temperature they would go mouldy in less than a week. In the salad drawer they are almost at freezing temperature and stay fresh for several weeks.
Most of my vegetables are frozen or canned. The only leaf vegetables that I eat is the occasional iceberg lettuce. Peeling off the leaves from the outside in, it lasts for at least a week, usually longer. If I buy fresh onions or root veg I blanch and freeze them.
For fruit I buy bananas and apples, sometimes oranges. Bananas will keep in the fridge for two weeks but need to be left outside for a couple of days before eating them. The skins turn black but the fruit is still good. Apples keep fresh in the fridge for weeks so I use up the bananas first. I also get frozen and dried fruit and NFC juice.
Meat goes in the freezer.
Dairy such as spreads, yogurt and cheese will last for four or more weeks in the fridge.
Clover spread is frequently on offer so there's usually one or two in the freezer having taken advantage of this. They keep for months in the freezer but don't forget to put them in the fridge 24 hours before use.
Anything else such as condiments, snacks, alcohol, pasta, rice and canned food will keep for months.
Typical 4 week delivery used to be around £60-65 but is now usually £90-100.
I buy four x four pint bottles of fresh semi-skimmed milk, keep three of them in the salad drawer in the fridge, putting the bottle in use in the fridge door. I usually run out in the fourth week and use either powdered milk or UHT. So far the fresh milk has not gone off even if it lasts the full duration.
I buy four loaves of sliced wholemeal bread plus a couple of packs of crumpets. There is just room in the salad drawer to put the crumpets beside the fresh milk. Three of the loaves go in the freezer. The fourth loaf is used first and is usually consumed in about a week. I found that if I kept the crumpets at room temperature they would go mouldy in less than a week. In the salad drawer they are almost at freezing temperature and stay fresh for several weeks.
Most of my vegetables are frozen or canned. The only leaf vegetables that I eat is the occasional iceberg lettuce. Peeling off the leaves from the outside in, it lasts for at least a week, usually longer. If I buy fresh onions or root veg I blanch and freeze them.
For fruit I buy bananas and apples, sometimes oranges. Bananas will keep in the fridge for two weeks but need to be left outside for a couple of days before eating them. The skins turn black but the fruit is still good. Apples keep fresh in the fridge for weeks so I use up the bananas first. I also get frozen and dried fruit and NFC juice.
Meat goes in the freezer.
Dairy such as spreads, yogurt and cheese will last for four or more weeks in the fridge.
Clover spread is frequently on offer so there's usually one or two in the freezer having taken advantage of this. They keep for months in the freezer but don't forget to put them in the fridge 24 hours before use.
Anything else such as condiments, snacks, alcohol, pasta, rice and canned food will keep for months.
Typical 4 week delivery used to be around £60-65 but is now usually £90-100.
In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
Eccles has very cunning plans. I don't have a large freezer and it's still working so has seemed a waste to scrap it for a bigger one. And with the energy bills now a big freezer will cost more won't it. I do chop up any vegetables into bread bags and put one loaf in the freezer plus a bit of emergency milk in a tupperware.
There is a survey thing saying consumers are swapping fresh food for frozen but isn't clear if this was before or after the energy bills. Will not just cost more energy in the home but in the shops too. If people have a freezer anyway might as well fill it up but to sell more shops would need to buy and run extra freezers. I wouldn't be planning this if I were a supermarket. Shops have over the years phased out tinned goods and don't have many shelves for them now which caused problems in early lockdown. Tins are really the best way for storage not relying on electricity.
I think the least I deserve as a pensioner is a cup of tea made with real milk. I have tried dried milk and it won't stay milk. Have better success with long life milk but I don't like the taste as much. My milk goes off before the two weeks are up some of time (hence emergency tupperware) the filtered milk lasts longer and still tastes of real milk but it is predictably more expensive.
There is a survey thing saying consumers are swapping fresh food for frozen but isn't clear if this was before or after the energy bills. Will not just cost more energy in the home but in the shops too. If people have a freezer anyway might as well fill it up but to sell more shops would need to buy and run extra freezers. I wouldn't be planning this if I were a supermarket. Shops have over the years phased out tinned goods and don't have many shelves for them now which caused problems in early lockdown. Tins are really the best way for storage not relying on electricity.
I think the least I deserve as a pensioner is a cup of tea made with real milk. I have tried dried milk and it won't stay milk. Have better success with long life milk but I don't like the taste as much. My milk goes off before the two weeks are up some of time (hence emergency tupperware) the filtered milk lasts longer and still tastes of real milk but it is predictably more expensive.
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Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
A squeezy bottle of Hellman's Mayo was nearly FIVE POUNDS in Tesco this week, yes that's right folks, five whole poonds!
His Lordship JYM won't eat anything but Hellmans mayo
but I love him, so I buy it for him. Except that this week HEINZ mayo was on offer at only THREE poonds a bottle (just take a moment to draw breath at that 'only' in there.) So I said to J, I'm ordering the Heinz, I'll pretend it's a substitute and you never know he might even like it.
That boy has the luck of the devil! Tesco SUBBED the Heinz mayo WITH THE HELLMANs and refunded me the difference!!
A rare win. Listerine mouthwash is now £5 a bottle and you spit the stuff out.
His Lordship JYM won't eat anything but Hellmans mayo
but I love him, so I buy it for him. Except that this week HEINZ mayo was on offer at only THREE poonds a bottle (just take a moment to draw breath at that 'only' in there.) So I said to J, I'm ordering the Heinz, I'll pretend it's a substitute and you never know he might even like it.That boy has the luck of the devil! Tesco SUBBED the Heinz mayo WITH THE HELLMANs and refunded me the difference!!
A rare win. Listerine mouthwash is now £5 a bottle and you spit the stuff out.
"... not to be told a story, but to live inside a dream." - Hades, The Burnt City
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
Lucky JYM and Merry. As a food fussy I can't stand mayo, Heinz, Hellmanns or anyone else.
Merry and Mr Merry may wish to know that after a long absence Asda's canned chicken vindaloo is now back in stock. I got four cans in today's delivery. Everything ordered was there, except the driver appeared to have lost my ginger cake. It probably fell off the tray and someone else is enjoying it.
I claimed and got a refund.
Merry and Mr Merry may wish to know that after a long absence Asda's canned chicken vindaloo is now back in stock. I got four cans in today's delivery. Everything ordered was there, except the driver appeared to have lost my ginger cake. It probably fell off the tray and someone else is enjoying it.
I claimed and got a refund.In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
The supermarkets have been asked by government to explain themselves on the suspicion they put prices up to be blamed on ukraine and gas prices. Supermarkets are private companies though what can government do. Tney don't even have a universal service obligation like royal mail does when it was privatised and government can't make royal mail stick to obligations. There is no law forcing shops to sell food at loss leader prices is there. And supermarkets don't make their own food they make profit margins but prices are from farmers and companies like heiinz who aren't charities either. Even own brands are made for them by other brands which was why in covid lockdowns own brands all but disappeared brands made their own things first. So I can't see what government hopes to achieve unless the old story of being seen to be doing something.
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OurCreature
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Getting Food in the time of Corona, Brexit and War
There was an article in the Grauniad a few days ago which concluded that the supermarkets most likely were not profiteering from food sales; they have Aldi and Lidl to keep their prices down. A big supermarket that tries to maintain unduly higher prices will fail, as Waitrose is discovering.
Either that article or another one pointed out that price-maker companies like Unilever can quite often impose prices on supermarkets, and their margins in some cases are much bigger than those of the supermarkets who sell their products.
Petrol is a different story, and I have noticed that the Londis filling station, which sells BP petrol, on my way home from KW is usually 1-2p/litre cheaper than Morrisons. I got a 5p off a litre voucher from Morrisons today, but it isn't much use because Jazzy's tank is 80% full.
Either that article or another one pointed out that price-maker companies like Unilever can quite often impose prices on supermarkets, and their margins in some cases are much bigger than those of the supermarkets who sell their products.
Petrol is a different story, and I have noticed that the Londis filling station, which sells BP petrol, on my way home from KW is usually 1-2p/litre cheaper than Morrisons. I got a 5p off a litre voucher from Morrisons today, but it isn't much use because Jazzy's tank is 80% full.
Like the late Chaircat Midge, I am not always right.