UK - Resources for help getting food during quarantine and other supermarket related problems

[Arnie Pye]

I just hope the freezer is okay, the delivery men delivered it upside down and then rolled it to upright position when they dropped it off.

An anecdote, for what it's worth. Many years ago a friend bought a small freezer and had it delivered. It didn't work. He phoned up the supplier/manufacturer and he was told to turn it upside down for 24 hours, then turn it the right way up for 24 hours then turn it on. It worked fine after that.

So I don't think that a freezer being upside down is likely to be an issue as far as the functioning of the appliance itself is concerned.

 

[Hell..hath..no..fury...]

If it's been rolled, as in not kept top side up, then it's probably a good idea to leave it for several hours/overnight/to the turn of the century (delete depending on how bored you are and/or how big the puddle of defrosted stuff is) once it's been unpacked and is position.

Leaving it to sit in the hall for several days before unpacking it doesn't count - it's time since it was last moved that counts

Or so everyone since the dawn of time keeps telling me.

Super I was hoping with it being a chest freezer it wouldn’t be as bad, though I have no experience of chest freezers.

I guess I psychically knew I was gonna need a few days grace when I ordered those frozen meals. They’re arriving on Wednesday (it was Tues but got put back because of bank holiday)

I guess I’ll get back out of bed and get the freezer settled into wherever it’s going to live so it can settle down and ‘chill out’

 

[Hell..hath..no..fury...]

Or so everyone since the dawn of time keeps telling me.

Damn you’re old! You should be in a museum or something

 

[Invisible Woman]

I'm with @Wonko. As far as I know fridges & freezers are best left upright for 24 hours after delivery before plugging in (& after it's taken out of it's packaging if you've had to tilt it or lie it on it's side).

 

[lunarainbows]

This week a package was left outside our door with lots of tins of food, bread and fruits and vegetables. My mum only noticed in the evening. At this time we don’t need it - as we have been ok with supermarket deliveries - so my mum asked our downstairs neighbour if she wanted it, and she was happy to take it all (except 2 tins of soup).

 

[Invisible Woman]

Not sure if this is the right thread, but if not tell me & I'll shift it....

IM in foul mood. Went to local supermarket at about 10.30am. Queues around the car park, fair enough there's another up the road that he prefers but is slightly more expensive.

Gets there, parks, queues obediently. Like most stores it's got arrow and so forth indicating clearly that it's one way. Given people have to drive to it shouldn't be hard to understand. Nope. People doubled back on several occasions, passing well within 6 feet. Mainly because they forgot something (so do another lap Einstein!), or on one occasion because some selfish mare blocked one aisle by shoving her trolley one side and standing perusing the shelves blankly on the other.

To cap it all off, one woman even doubled back and came so close she brushed against him to reach by for something on the shelf. IM is a get in, get what you need & leave merchant - so he won't have been standing there dithering.

Why can't people understand a supermarket is possibly one of the riskiest places to be right now?

Anyway, I've lodged a complaint with the company as there were no staff overseeing the proceedings and ensuring customers weren't putting other people at risk - not that they should need to!

Honestly, what do these people think the point was of customers only being able to shop singly, having to queue because only so many are allowed in the shop at one time?

 

[Hell..hath..no..fury...]

Ex was saying he was talking to a security guard at Asda the other day and he said he was nearly stabbed; by a couple with a young child, trying to leave the shop without paying

 

[Andy]

In case it's of interest to anybody, we ordered a food box from Morrisons, https://www.morrisons.com/food-boxes/, this week. Order placed Tuesday morning, delivery the next day.

Contents of our meat eater box was:
Dried Spaghetti
Baked Beans
Vegetable Soup
Tomato Soup
Pitta Breads
Carrots
Onions
New Potatoes
Loaf of bread (white, yuk! It’ll be good for toast at least)
Kitchen Roll
Loo Roll
Chicken
Mince
Cheese
Butter
Milk
Bacon
Pasta Sauce
Sausages
Cabbage

Meant to feed 2 adults for a week.

We were surprised that they delivered to us as we don't have a nearby Morrisons.

They say

Our boxes contain a selection of items based on our current availability of products, therefore we are unable to specify exact contents of each box. You will however receive a variety of different foods in each box.

 

[Trish]

We were surprised that they delivered to us as we don't have a nearby Morrisons.

I gather they are using a courier company, not morrisons delivery drivers, so it's a separate system from a normal supermarket delivery.

There are lots of food companies that use delivery companies to deliver food all over the country. We sometimes use one called Natural Collection for vege/vegan food.

I see Heinz are doing a £10 box (Plus £3.75 delivery charge I think), which simply contains 8 tins of baked beans, 4 tins of spaghetti hoops, and 4 tins of tomato soup, and they say they are going to do an increasing range of boxes including baby foods.

 

[Hell..hath..no..fury...]

In case it's of interest to anybody, we ordered a food box from Morrisons, https://www.morrisons.com/food-boxes/, this week. Order placed Tuesday morning, delivery the next day.

Contents of our meat eater box was:
Dried Spaghetti
Baked Beans
Vegetable Soup
Tomato Soup
Pitta Breads
Carrots
Onions
New Potatoes
Loaf of bread (white, yuk! It’ll be good for toast at least)
Kitchen Roll
Loo Roll
Chicken
Mince
Cheese
Butter
Milk
Bacon
Pasta Sauce
Sausages
Cabbage

Meant to feed 2 adults for a week.

We were surprised that they delivered to us as we don't have a nearby Morrisons.

They say

They do seem to be very consistent with the contents, yours is very similar to mine. Though I’d rather have had pitta breads, than a cucumber (the cucumber is irking me somewhat )

The chicken I nearly lost as it was right on its use by date and I also lost 80% of the carrots (they deteriorated within a few days to spongey orange fingers of depressing doom)

 

[Wonko]

I am fighting a running battle with potatoes (if anyone remembers I couldn't get any for weeks, and then managed to get 2 bags, and the next delivery, ordered early as I had no idea if I would be able to order again, had potatoes in as well). The day after they went in the cupboard they had started sprouting, so it's potatoes with most meals, and I still haven't managed to finish even one bag yet.

Potatoes used to keep for months, not days. Not any more it seems.

They also delivered mince that expired that day, and I didn't notice until 3 days later - how does that happen when it's an in demand item?

Food prep, organisation, and storage, is more than I can handle or organise right now - not helped by the simple maths of it - my freezer was full, when I pull stuff out to cook it this frees up some space but not nearly as much as the containerised batch cooked food takes up when its put back in the freezer.

So I'm constantly trying to juggle, with no free hands.

But, I do have food, it's just some of the meals are a little odd, and a lot of work.

 

[Hell..hath..no..fury...]

The day after they went in the cupboard they had started sprouting, so it's potatoes with most meals, and I still haven't managed to finish even one bag yet.

Potatoes used to keep for months, not days. Not any more it seems

Yes exactly the same thing happened to me, so I’ve been on a spud diet too Jacket potatoes, boiled potatoes, fritters made with leftover boiled potatoes, and for the overly sprouty/slightly spongey ones I turned into mashed potato to use on a homemade fish pie.

 

[JemPD]

Oh my god, I’ve done it. I have no idea how but I actually made the call. That was excruciating. It’ll take 24 hours to kick in. He asked if I can get to a shop myself, if I have anyone at all to help etc. I’m so relieved this is one of the few supermarkets I’ve had a long term account with.

Very important to say you have zero help, at all in any form. He said he had to turn a lady down who was starving because she had someone popping in once every 3 weeks.

Thanks so much for the heads up @meg22

Talk about timing. My chest freezer has just arrived too. Downstairs. May not be as essential now. Though saying that Tesco’s is still fully booked it seems for next few weeks so my frozen meals arriving next week will still be useful.

When/if this crisis ends, I’ll donate the freezer to someone who needs it.

ETA: The Tesco’s member of staff I spoke to said he was working from home sitting on the couch in his pyjamas

Well done HHNF Do you have a history of ordering from them recently (ie this year?) I have been registered with them for about 10yrs but not had a delivery for about 5 - they made me so cross with all the ridiculous subs (eg sending kiwi brand shoe polish as a substitution for pack of 4 kiwi fruit!) that I gave up & went to morrisons, so it wont show me as having made any orders recently.

 

[JemPD]

It was all over the TV for about a week.

Those with some pre-existing conditions are 'vulnerable, and 'at risk' of more serious consequences requiring hospitalisation if they contact the virus, should remain inside for at least 12 weeks.

How do you tell if you're one of those people?

If you are offered a flu shot, says various governement people, and dragged in 'experts'..

They talked about virtually nothing else on bbc news24, and various sofas, for about a week.

I dont think that's quite accurate...

The people who have been told to stay indoors for 12 wks are only those in the shielding group, the group that has had the letters from the NHS & that people have been signing up to.

Those who have pre existing conditions (like neurological ones/hypertension/diabetes/non severe asthma etc, & are therefore 'at increased risk' (inc those entitled to/on the list for NHS flu shots) have been told to be very strict with social distancing, not to stay indoors. Only the 'shielding' group - ie the 'extremely vulnerable' group, have been told not to leave their houses for 12 wks.

ETA that i don't think it accurate rather than a categorical statement that it isnt….
Plus See graphic from MEA explaining here https://www.s4me.info/threads/how-can-people-with-me-cope-with-covid-19.14027/page-18#post-247389

Further edited to add; My interpretation of the situation may well not be accurate, pls see further posts down thread ​

 

[Hell..hath..no..fury...]

Well done HHNF Do you have a history of ordering from them recently (ie this year?) I have been registered with them for about 10yrs but not had a delivery for about 5 - they made me so cross with all the ridiculous subs (eg sending kiwi brand shoe polish as a substitution for pack of 4 kiwi fruit!) that I gave up & went to morrisons, so it wont show me as having made any orders recently.

No I haven’t ordered from them for many years Jem. I didn’t even know I had a 14 year old online account lol. But I do shop there; or should I say my Mam shopped there for me.

But no they don’t seem to mind, or check if we ordered recently online with them, I just told him my carer used to shop in store for me but now I’ve lost her due to lockdown.

ETA: Phone queue was 30 minutes at 11.30ish

 

[Wonko]

Wonko that's not quite accurate...

The people who have been told to stay indoors for 12 wks are only those in the shielding group, the group that has had the letters from the NHS & that people have been signing up to.

Those who have pre existing conditions (like neurological ones/hypertension/diabetes/non severe asthma etc, & are therefore 'at increased risk' (inc those entitled to/on the list for NHS flu shots) have been told to be very strict with social distancing, not to stay indoors. Only the 'shielding' group - ie the 'extremely vulnerable' group, have been told not to leave their houses for 12 wks.

edited to add see link on my previous post to MEA graphic explaining differencehttps://www.s4me.info/threads/how-can-people-with-me-cope-with-covid-19.14027/page-18#post-247389​

I disagree

3 groups

Normal people - social distancing

those with some preexisting conditions - defined as those who are offered a flu jab - increased risk/vulnerable - told they should not go out for 12 weeks (it was literally on all the news broadcast, a couple of week before anything other than hand washing was suggested for others. Q. 'What does 'vulnerable mean, what conditions are included?' A. 'If you are offered a flu shot you should consider yourself vulnerable, get your food delivered and stay at home for 12 weeks'. By various government reps.
I started buying food at this point- attempting to get 12 weeks worth.

later addition - people who have weakened immune systems, or serious respiratory problems etc - extremely vulnerable (later to become known as 'shielded')

 

[Wonko]

Yes exactly the same thing happened to me, so I’ve been on a spud diet too Jacket potatoes, boiled potatoes, fritters made with leftover boiled potatoes, and for the overly sprouty/slightly spongey ones I turned into mashed potato to use on a homemade fish pie.

My plan was to use some of them for shepherd's pies, but I have insufficient freezer space to store them after making them.

I normally use about a kilo of spuds every 3-4 weeks, but if making shepherd's pies then I can do a 2.5kg bag for the topping.

I currently have a chilli in my big pan, made yesterday afternoon, as the first delivered bell pepper and pack of chillies were looking a bit sorry for themselves. Last night for tea I did not have chilli, I had a single pork cutlet, boiled potatoes, and cabbage. Today I was supposed to portion up the chilli between little containers for freezing, and what wouldn't fit in the freezer would go in the fridge.

Tonights tea was supposed to be fish with mash and cabbage - but today has got away from me, and I'm toast, so it's probably going to be chilli, with rice.

That's if I ever get around to turning the stock pot full of chilli on to heat it up.

 

[Invisible Woman]

Tonights tea was supposed to be fish with mash and cabbage - but today has got away from me, and I'm toast, so it's probably going to be chilli, with rice.

Or chilli on baked spud - use some of those spuds up.

 

[wdb]

Like some others I was able to get a Tesco slot yesterday (in 3 weeks time) by logging in a little before midnight and waiting in an online queue for about 30 minutes. So that was a big relief to know that the food supply is secured for a couple more weeks.

 

[Hell..hath..no..fury...]

My plan was to use some of them for shepherd's pies, but I have insufficient freezer space to store them after making them

This is my plan too with the new freezer. I would rather have fish pies, but, currently, it would have been tricky buying boil in the bag fish in sauce. I could just do it the old way and make my own white sauce/cheese sauce with my bag of frozen fish, but I like to keep those for homemade battered fish.

But shepherds pies however, would be easier to make for a rainy day using the Morrison’s food box ingredients as it’s all there more or less.

Hopefully if I can get an order from Tesco next month I can stock up on both mince and fish in sauce and have a day or two batch cooking shepherds/fish pies for the freezer/weird new sideboard (that hopefully isn’t noisy)