Hoarding or stocking up?

Someone asked whether I am stockpiling anything during coronavirus. “Well, not really” would probably be my answer. What I have done is bring forward some of my shopping for summer and time outdoors. Around this time of year I normally start buying the supplies I need for summer, when I have more free time and less income. I try to spend as much time in the woods and countryside as I can.

What is different this year is that I have bought some extra butter and oil. And biscuits — quite a lot of biscuits. Normally I eat very few, but my thinking is this: if I, or we at school, have to quarantine or close — it is a boarding school — I can provide a little morale boost with our coffee. I always have plenty of coffee stocked up! 🙂

The dehydrator is running as usual, drying ingredients for summer. As I write, it is drying meat for soup or stew. After that come onions and carrots.

Do we need to stock up?

It is always good to be prepared enough to manage with what we have at home. What I think matters more now is looking beyond our own homes to see who around us needs help. You probably have a neighbour or relative who could use help with shopping. People also often forget that many older people are relatively isolated, which can increase worry and insecurity. Offering to shop for them may cost us very little but mean a great deal, helping them feel seen and safer.

So my advice is to help older people with shopping and collecting prescriptions, keep enough supplies at home to isolate if you become ill, and make sure you have your own medicines. Shop in moderation: check what is already in the freezer and cupboard, and buy things that help you use what you already have.