Our household at the moment has lost more than 50% of it’s income due to unexpected ill health that came right of the blue. No warning, and none of the expected health risks that someone living healthily can guard against. However, we are not panicking. The main reason is that we are food secure. I can feed us for the foreseeable future out of my well stocked pantry. My stocks will last until we can find an alternative income, or until, fingers crossed, good health, returns. It is going to be a long haul, apparently.
We can survive as since 2019, when I shopped weekly, I bought a few extra things each week to store for a couple of years, and now I only shop intentionally when I see things reduced, or they are seasonal. I did this to protect us from constantly increasing prices at the time, and to stop me panicking by being proactive. I only spent a few extra pounds a week. An odd tin of beans, pack of rice or pasta, bag of sugar, bag of oats, tin of tomatoes, bag of pulses, tin of peaches, condensed milk, etc, all quickly add up to lots of meals. I don’t have lots of storage space and so some are in plastic boxes under my bed.
We all know what is happening globally at the moment. This means the cost of oil is rocketing. People are focussing on fuel and energy increases, but it will also impact food prices. Fuel is needed for transportation, tractors, the petrochemicals in fertiliser, refridgeration, irrigation, processing, packaging, and also means an increase in the cost to import food. In the UK we import over 55% of our food.
We now have a window of time to buy a few extra things each week, and store them to protect ourselves from some of these increases. I am thinking about starting with things that are imported from the region impacted, or that are imported generallly.
Doing this is one way I have beaten inflated prices since 2020, and been able to eat well on a low food budget. It wasn’t just war areas I focussed on then, but poor harvests due to weather.
Price rises probably won’t be dramatic immediately, but they will kick in as costs of production rise. Lets get this straight, I am not telling you to panic buy and fill up trollies. I know it is hard not to rush out and do that with the amount of scaremongering going on in the media. However, it would not be a good idea to use credit cards now thinking that there will be shortages later. Personally, I don’t think that there will necessarily be scarcity of food in 2026, or massive gaps on the shelves. I believe it will be more subtle than that. Maybe some certain imported items will have less shelf space and there will be less choice at the supermarket. My prediction is that food will just continue to gradually go up in price, and feel harder to afford. It is no longer a cost of living crisis but a fact of life.
Money is tight for so many of us already, but I feel we need to be strategic to reduce the financial pressure on our household later. Being prepared isn’t about fear. It is about removing stress, being proactive, taking some control, and having that backup and insulation against lack, as times get inevitably harder. It is just good household management as increased food prices will impact every home.
Even though we have no spare money at the moment, I will still buy odd items that we use regularly, and store them before they increase in price. Remember to only buy things that you like to eat, have long shelf lives, or you use regularly. I will also adapt what we eat once more, and continue to improve my preservation skills to make the most of my garden, and foraging this year. I will be proactive and not panic.
I have noticed that more and more local farmers are selling directly to the public at reasonable prices. Building links with local farmers is a goood idea. This week I am going to write a blog about the top 10 foods that I think will increase in price the most. I have been studying financial food markets, and keeping an eye on harvests, weather conditions, and how the conflict is impacting on certain foods. Are you pantry prepared?
Some other blogs that may help
Keeping a full pantry for little money
Knowing how much food to preserve
Thank you Toni 😊 I am grateful for your time and knowledge and helpful advice, I honestly would not have thought about building a small pantry something I have been slowly doing after reading about it in this group 😀 I will continue to buy small bits weekly xx
Aww well done for taking action and doing it. It is so nice to learn that I am influencing some to have better habits and improve skills. Thanks
We have a pantry but dont use it as well as we could so following…
I think it takes time and practical experience as we all use food differently. I have certainly improved over the years.
Wise suggestions, as always. I am guilty of overbuying and then forgetting I have stuff. I went through a phase of ordering from Approved Foods in large quantities, then not fancying the stuff when it went way past its BBE date because it had worked its way to the back of the cupboards. A silly waste of money. Now I’m taking your advice and being careful to check stock. Unfortunately, Approved Foods rarely has anything worth bothering with due to supermarkets being more careful with their stock. It’s mainly unhealthy snacks, but still worth checking every so often.
Yes I keep an inventory now as I initially did the same. I still forget to put things on sometimes, though.
Thank you Toni, I gave always had a good pantry , I was brought up on a farm and have the need to feel food secure, your tips and ideas have given me a few new ideas.
Aww good. Thanks for your lovely feedback x
A sensible approach Toni. I have for some years now, held a small stock of basic tinned items, dried foods and bottles of water. It is always reassuring to look at my “emergency” shelves in the cellar. How fortunate I am to have a cellar.
You are. I am glad that you have that food security
Thank you Toni for a well balanced article. I have learnt alot from you and continue to do so.
Aww thanks for your lovely feedback
Great blog Toni and such good advice. I have always kept a pantry, years of little or no money except child benefit. I stock tinned goods I know we will eat along with rice, oats, flour and stock up on our favourite coffee, honey, household goods when they are on offer.
Very sensible. Yes child benefit used to save us when it was paid weekly. Thanks for sharing.
Excellent article. I have been made redundant twice, each time with some weeks warning, so I stocked up the essentials I knew I would need. I was lucky enough to pick up some supply teaching which covered essential bills but my stores, as I called them were a lifeline. I ate a healthy diet and stayed well. My income, although much reduced, was vital. I could not afford to be ill. The situation improved thankfully, but I still have enough food and household goods to give me a feeling of security. There is no need to panic but be prepared! It’s regrettable that we rely so much on imported goods and do not grow more of our own food. The same applies to buying locally grown, seasonal foods.
Absolutely. Thanks for sharing
A súper blog as always Toni. I read with interest so that I can benefit from your experience, thank you. I look forward to reading about your recommended items to buy. I keep a well-stocked home as I become incredibly stressed when I don’t – feeling food secure is really important to me.
Me too. I think those that have had times of food shortages at sometime in their life, feel this. Thanks for your lovely feed back.
Great post Toni, thank you
Thank you
Thank you – this is a great read and has given some ideas. I must say as we have a 2 month break in council tax I have used the extra money to add to my store cupboard and a lot was for the dog. Due to size he needs quite a bit of food so have stock up on some dried and wet food as well as his joint tablets which cost about £60 every 2 months. I have also bought extra pasta, chopped tomatoes, etc. I do need to get some more olive oil as this has reduced in price from
Last year but imagine it will start creeping up again and also some more bread flour
Great plan
another great blog Toni …. I learnt a few lessons from Covid; we bought a few cans of potatoes and didnt use anywhere near as many as thought we would, always good to have tinned tomatoes, lentils and pasta. Like you, am not that worried about goods running out, more that the prices will increase.
Yes. We keep just having to adapt what we eat but don’t feel any worse off for it. The up side is that I can’t afford to snack on chocolate 😁
A very good post toni thank you,I’m a one person income part time due to health ,but I stock up where I can I keep dried fruit a variety, dried t v p as cheap and I’m vegetarian ,a selection of tins ,rice pasta,flour ,tea,sugar,iv also stocked up on household goods only buy basic needs for this but im good in most things for 6 months or more in some cases it gives a sense of security thank you next stock for my dog to have a good supply for a few months helps in tight months
Brilliant. Well done. It definitely helps reduce stress when prices rise, and you can save money to buy when things are on offer
Brilliant. Well done. It definitely helps reduce stress when prices rise, and you can save money to buy when things are on offer
I started keeping a pantry when we lived in an area with heavy snowfall. It’s wonderful to be able to stay home in bed weather
Absolutely. Very sensible.
Sorry to hear about your recent change in circumstances. Fortunately, you are a very resourceful person and as such, you have already put food aside and are very capable of living frugally. I wish you well in your endeavours and hope that your situation improves for the better soon. Thank you too for sharing your knowledge with us, as we all try to negotiate more chaos and price rises.
Aww thanks so much for your good wishes. Yes I guess that we just have to remember that everything in life is temporary.