If you were to stock up for 6 months, what would you buy?

A question about : If you were to stock up for 6 months, what would you buy?

Hi there
I generally lurk around here sucking up all the good advice.

So wondering if you can help me!! Apologies in advance for the long post - I am probably going to put ask on my DF diary but think maybe it would be helpful to ask for advice here too.

I live on an island - which is great for many things we live very 'old stylee' love the more slow pace of life. Family of 3 (occasionally 4 when OH visits) me and DD and DS both entering the teenager twilight zone, but as yet pretty normal and eat ANYTHING!!

We have a larder fridge, larder freezer and a big chest freezer (good old freecylce)

However - we don't have access to many discount stores etc, have limited supermarkets (MrT, Lidl & Co-op) and a few nice general local stores.

So - I am planning a trip to the mainland over Easter and I am now thinking (with my OS style budget head on) what are the best things to stock up on when around shops????

I am planning on growing as much in the way of veggies as I can this year I have an ample veggie garden, greenhouse and conservatory which will be stocked to the gunnels with herbs, tomatoes, peppers and outside I am trying to maximise the space to produce as much veggies/fruit as I can.

Thinking of stocking up on:
**Stardrops**** cant get them here
Bleach
Washing powder
Vinegar
Microfibre clothes (can get them here but they cost between 2-5 quid each)
Loo roll
Shampoo, conditioner (have enough soap to last me the year!)
Kichen roll
Foil
Flour
Baking stuff bicarb, baking powder, nuts etc
Oats
Fresh coffee/instant
Teabags
Cereal
Butter/Marg
Tins (beans, tomatoes, spaghetti, cornbeef, tomato soup and ? we don't buy much tinned)
Jars - Mayo ? don't buy much jars
Stock cubes
Some herbs I can't grow
Cup soups for DD school packed lunches
Lentils pulses and TVP mince/chunks to bulk out food
Rice, Noodles & Pasta (check asda and specialist grocers like chinese s/m)

Added thanks:
Sugar
Crisps
Sweetcorn
Part baked baguettes
chocolate spread
toothpaste
deodarant
plasters paracetamol etc
vinegar + bi carb (check chinese supermarket)
socks/undies kids (ps to me check clothes/shoes/wellies)
passatta
lazy garlic
marmite yum yum
beans, mixed stuff and tinned veg like mushy peas
tins - sardines/tuna/other fishygoodness
dog food/cat food
squash and fruit juice
ikea tealights and straws ? check poundshop maybe?
ladies toiletries
kids stationery etc
sp curry sauces (a new adventure)
sp noodles - kids love these ace for camping lunches
oil veggie and nicer stuff - (check specailist s/m)
cocunut milk
popadoms the kind you cook yourself
tins fruit - pineapple, pears, mandrins, grapefruit, etc
cocoa
dishwasher tablets

Any thoughts or tips on where to go and who's best for what if you have the time to comment I would much appreciate it.

Whilst I don't have a never ending budget I have put aside some money for this realistically I won't be on the mainland again (with a car) until probably August.

I am trying to meal plan - we eat local meat, fish and anything like cheese - but happy to bulk up on my final way home with possibly turkey and couple other things I can't access easily here!

Been reading the Mbaz thread and been very inspired - I do buy reduced as much as possible - we have a freezer bursting with reduced bread, some meat and some veg.

We don't get the 4p sauces that I have heard tell of for curries here - etc so hoping if I go to some bigger supermarkets then I can get lots of value/smart price stuff in bulk. Are they any good? I always tend to just make my own, but this way might be cheaper.

Am trying to work out how much of this stuff we use in a month and timesing it by 4-6 months

So if you had an empty car - (its quite spacious and work are paying - hurrah) or an empty VW camper what would you buy or add to the list?

Any thoughts very much appreciated.
Ps will re order list once I think harder and form a cunning plan as to how to stay on the straight and narrow.

Best answers:

• Pretty much as you have written down - tea, coffee, sugar etc and most of what is already on the sheet to keep you going for months.
• Thanks there have forgotten - sugar and crisps (DS would disown me!!)
• Hi fayjmck,
  Your list looks pretty good and there isn't anything that I can think of right now that you haven't included.
  These threads might give you some more ideas:
  Buying in bulk....is it really worth it? (in the last few pages of that thread there are lots of posts regarding stockpiling).
  Baking Ingredients - where do you get yours?
  Pink
• What about clothing items or shoes for the kids?
• Hi, I would go for things like passata (love it for pizzas and pasta sauces with roasted veg etc), tinned sweetcorn ( my DD loves), and different types of beans and lentils. oo and lazy garlic in a jar - its fab!
  Would it be worth perhaps going online to mysupermarket.com or some of the supermarket sites to research their prices?
  Have to say although it sounds ideal, it would take me a while to get used to island life!
• When I think of bulk buying toiletries come to mind, like colgate, roll-on, cream for your skin and grease for your hair (based on usage and liken) the rest you've already listed like soap, shampoo etc.
  tins (sweetcorn, tuna, sardines)
  jars (peanut butter and jam)
  washing powder and cereals definitely, i noticed you've got a question mark next to them so maybe you are thinking "should I", yes you should.
  You have a pretty good list.
  Happy shopping.
• I know you've got baking stuff down, but how about some part baked baguettes ? you can get packs of 2 for 39p in Mr T handy to have in cupboard, keep your eye on the use by dates of them and if it's getting a bit close & you've made some space n your freezer, bake them all at the same time and then freeze to extend their life a bit further
  bread mixes are another handy standby too
  also
  spices/chilli sauce/marmite/marmalade/choc spread are good to have in
  how about stocking up your medicine chest,with plasters,cold remedies,antiseptic cream,dettol etc?
  oh btw yes I buy the cheap curry sauces they're quite good and can be doctored up with extras to make them tastier, 17p a can last time I bought some
  also buy some value noodles too, 10p per pack, very useful for bulking out stir fries
• If you have access to a Chinese wholesalers or similar I would get vinegar in 5 litre plastic cartons and bicarbonate of soda in big tubs.
  If you can hang around the reduced section In a big Tesco in the evening then you get the best bargains - Whoopsied posh haggis was reduced to Ј1.70 at 6pm and then to 34p at 7pm last time I was there, but that is very hit and miss so just if it's convenient with when you have to travel.
  Nearer the time check out the supermarkets online, especially a Lidl and or Aldi if you have access, and see what their specials are going to be the week that you will be there - there may be a bargain item which you could really use but which you wouldn't get until you saw it at the right price.
• Wow thanks guys
  Don't eat much in way of preserves but do make some jam for pressies, visitors etc so need remember sugar.
  Chinese supermarkets for bi-carb and vinegar never thought of that.
  Ta for the links will check them out later on all good - how excited am I getting AKA how sad am I??
• it's not sad it's money saving
  just thought for your tins, how about some tuna and some salmon?
• I am very excited about it all - added tuna (salmon hmm any good in a fish pie if its tinned?) - I love food shopping - especially buying things in bulk (an advantage to living on an island) OH thinks I am insane.
  I suppose i need to really think about quantities and work out a realistic budget for it all. Scary.
  Thus far my vehicle is free of luggage except for my bag - but I also know I need some foam (for my camper seats) some material for curtains and possibly some flatpack shelves - maybe a kitchen table which OH doesnt need anymore but these will all be flat.
  I should be OK if I can steer clear of any plant nurseries, charity shops and alike on the way home
  Any one know of any good places to get decent quality (frozen/fresh) turkeys? Will take my cool bags too.
  ps sorry so many questions!
• Hi there,
  Can you let me know where you find stardrops please.....the nearest place to Orkney would be good....I wonder if Wick Tesco has them ? (I go silly beggars in there lol!!).
  Orkney has its downsides (lack of Stardrops!) but other things make up for it (Willows Chip shop being one!!).We always used to stock up on different fruit juices when away. Also printer ink, socks, underwear, clothing, toys for DS.....think you have that already though .
  PS Happy shopping!!!
• What about a few tins of fruit? I like to keep a few tins of things like pears, peaches and pineapple (in juice, not syrup) as they're a great standby for a quick pudding if you need a pie filling or a base for a cake or upside down cake. Tinned apples are handy too, they make nice cakes. It's not the cheapest but I also like Hartley's tinned summer fruits, it's great for quick puddings (fold a bit into whipped cream for an instant fool, that kind of thing, or squizz it in a blender along with some yogurt, then freeze it for yummy ice lollies).
• How about *personal lady products*? My DD will only use the Always green packet so I stock up on them when they're on offer, usually in Tesco/Asda but anywhere I see them at less than Ј4 for 2 packs I can't overly think of anything else you seem to be very organised I'm sure I'd have 20 boxes of soap powder & no vinegar if it was me. It does sound a lovely life though. I'll be thinking about this all evening now you know Ooh just had a thought do the kids need any stationery supplies for the next school year? They're cheap now before the rush in August with everyone buying them before school re-starts
• Thanks for the offer, that is nice of you, though I am currently hoping the need for things south (such as Stardrops) will encourage my DH to want to go off the island before the summmer lol!
  Tea lights from Ikea are thrifty as they are cheaper than a lot of other places....I bouth 4 packs about 3 years ago and still some left!
  Another thought would be to try Poundland (or other Poundshops) as they often have different offers on which work out quite good....you have to shop around though and it depends what is in at the time.
  I am jealous you live close to that chip shop ....still it helps my waist to live further away!
  Happy shopping.....
  PS Can I recommend some tough boxes/crates (ideally with lids) as it makes it easy to stack things in the boot.
• HI Gingernutmeg and Sunny girl
  Good points will add to list later on
  I don't eat puddings so I forget about that kind of stuff good point. We have rasps, strawbs, apples, gooseberries, blackcurrants, morello cherry and rhubarb in garden but its all gone now - although the rhubarb is popping up its head
  Custard as well I guess and jelly oh cripes.
  Lady things, stationary etc - good point!
  I usually come home with a car full of plants, stripey socks and no food (well no real planned purchases)
  PS OStar - never been to that chip shop is it good??
  Will be off first week april if you do change your mind please PM me - have loads of 'pamper' boxes that they did 10 or so years ago with locking lids which are mega handy and those collapsable crates x
  We use to live on a much teenier island for about 10 years - with only 3 ferries a week. Now we live in Orkney it seems relatively urbanised in comparsion- - so when the kids were babies I got so use to stocking up big style - car was always hysterical with tins under the seats, loo rolls under foot in the foot wells and things strategically put in nooks and crannies all over the car to maximise the ferry cost
• I've had a quick glance, have you got cooking oil. If you go to the Indian shops, they sell it in largish drums, then decant into smaller bottle.
  How about a tin of cocoa powder to add to baking list - quick chocolate fix -for cake etc