As winter approaches, UK households may want to stock up on four essential food categories to prepare for extreme weather that can strike with little warning. The advice follows a discussion on Reddit where a user asked: "What's the best UK food to keep in the house for an emergency?"
What to Stock Up On
According to the recommendations, a solid starting point is complex carbohydrates such as crackers, bread, oats, rice and pasta. These items have a long shelf life and can serve as a reliable base for meals during an emergency.
It is also worth ensuring adequate protein sources are available should you be unable to get to the shops for a period of time. Suggested items include canned chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, unsalted nuts and canned oily fish, all of which should have a decent shelf life.
Long-Life Options and Health Considerations
As fresh fruit deteriorates rapidly, it is worth laying in a supply of tinned varieties. The juice contained within the tins can also be consumed to provide additional fluids, vitamins and fibre.
It is equally sensible to keep some long-life milk, found in the non-refrigerated aisle of the supermarket. This will provide protein and calcium, as well as serving as a valuable source of fluid.
Tips from the Public
One person on Reddit said: "Pasta - keeps for months, if not years. Use a marker pen to keep age order." Another added: "It really depends on the emergency, but remember, this is the UK - not an area with any history of natural disasters that cause damage on a wide scale or long duration."
A third replied: "Keep a rolling stock of things you normally eat. We keep pasta, tuna, tinned beans and pulses, tinned tomatoes, sweetcorn, long-life milk, corned beef, noodles, dried beans and lentils, flour, lots of spices and salt. Only thing I'm always short on is water, because of limited space and I hate the whole idea of bottled water."
When purchasing tinned goods, it is advisable to check the salt and sugar content on the label and, where possible, opt for foods that will benefit your overall health.
