CRISIS SUPPORT
If you need help we can do our best. These things are to help those who need it most. Recipes and ways to get the most out of every single moment.
Links to helpful UK charities, services and nationwide help are at the bottom of the page.
There are going to be some hard times right now, and there are still going to be some cold nights. But if you are getting food from food banks, or buying whatever you can in a supermarket, there will be ways to feed your children and yourself. So here are some healthy nutritious but also filling on-a-budget meals. Crisis meals, here we go!
​
Food banks are going to be there to help you as much as they can, and if all else fails go to your local council offices and just ask.
​
And remember if you are struggling, do not think you are alone. There are food banks which will be able to help, there will be ways your university or your children's school could be able to help. If you are at work, there might be friends who can help you get through. I am not saying it’s going to be easy, I’m not even saying in the end it will be better, I just want you to know that to share your worries with someone they become slightly lighter within you.
RECIPIES
Peanut Butter Crispies
-
Supermarket own brand rice crispies
-
Supermarket own brand strawberry Jam
-
Supermarket own brand peanut butter
Add rice crispies into a bowl with some peanut butter and mix together until combined.
Line the tray (or Tupperware, or plate) with baking paper and spoon the peanut butter mixture onto the surface. Spread out with your fingers to make it flat.
Take a new spoon and spoon out some jam on top of the rice crispy peanut butter and spread evenly over the top.
You can stop here, or carry on with the topping of cholocate.
Melt the chocolate, (can be done in the microwave, or on the stove) and spread it onto the top of the jam and peanut butter.
Place in the fridge and chill overnight.
One of the great things about this recipe is that peanut butter contains forms of protein and is a cheap and effective way to boost calories and get some extra protein. It can be used as a sweet treat, or without the chocolate a snack. If you don't want to melt the chocolate you could always add chocolate chips on top.
Protein
Protein, there are lots of different ways to get protein and the biggest one is going to be meat. But as we all know that is not always affordable, so some other options are beans, peanut butter, lentils, and tinned fish (hide it in tuna mayo sandwiches).
Alternative to bread
Bread often comes up as a good option, but honestly, it can be expensive and quick to get through. I would recommend crackers as a possible alternative, similar nutritional benefits, last longer and doesn’t need to be frozen or kept in the fridge. You can add anything to crackers, but something which might help is peanut butter. It is a healthy fat, tastes good and also lasts in the pantry. No need for a fridge with this. You could also add an apple if you are able to, and again they don’t necessarily need to go in a fridge.
Milk is often a difficult one to buy, but there are some options such as long-life milk which can be a real help in hard times.
BRAT Strategy
The BRAT Strategy is normally bananas, rice, apple sauce and toast, however, I recommend an alternative.
Bananas (potassium, fat, fruit)
Rice, wholegrain (fibre, protein)
Peanut butter (protein, fat)
Toast and butter (carbohydrates, dairy)
​
The theory behind this is that it covers some carbohydrates, some fruit and some fat. The idea is that it should be able to sustain some meals outside of school or available food bank meals.
Tinned veg and fruit
Vegetables and fruit, are important parts of a diet, but can often be expensive. A cheaper way to find veg and fruit is by buying tinned instead of fresh. It might not be as good in taste, but it still holds all the vitamins you could get from the fresh version. There are sometimes specials on tins in supermarkets, so take as much of an advantage as you can.
I know that sometimes buying cheap sometimes means eating unhealthy foods. But don’t be scared of it, food in your stomach is a good thing,
​
​
Slow Cooker
Many studies have shown that using the slow cooker on medium heat for a long time is a more efficient way of cooking.
You can use up leftover vegetables, cook meat from scratch, make curries and more.
For soup add water and seasoning you enjoy to already cooked vegetables and leave on medium heat for 2 hours. For uncooked vegetables, leave on medium heat for 3 hours.
For roasted meat, fill the slow cooker pan with water covering the meat joint. Leave on medium heat overnight (for at least 6 hours).
As with most things overnight in the kitchen, close all doors before you go to bed, and make sure you have working smoke alarms.
HOUSEHOLD
Water Bottle Hack
To help the water bill, each day you can go to work, school, or university with a couple of bottles and fill them up. This isn’t going to be an easy one, but it might give you a small lifeline. And it might not work every night, but it reduces slightly and saves that small amount wherever possible.
Reducing moisture
Reducing moisture is not easy in any room. If you add a moisture catcher on window cills it will help capture any water otherwise clinging to windows.
They also work well if you put them next to external walls. These can often hold moisture as the difference between the outside and inside temperatures create a collection of water. You can hide them behind curtains, or behind pictures, they don't have to be obvious.
Tuck curtains when closed
You might have heard of the tin foil behind the radiator to reflect heat, but also make sure that all of your curtains are tucked into the window sills as well. If your curtains are hanging freely it encourages warm air under the gap in the curtain and cold air out of the gap and back into the room. If you tuck the curtains into the window cills you are creating a barrier in which the cold air is trapped.
Fly Screens
Putting up fly screens on windows you will need to have open in the summer, is a good way to keep bugs out of your house while having air moving. On extremely hot days closing the windows is best, but if you want to leave the windows open during your child's nap or a night's sleep, this is a good first defence. It can also help reduce energy costs by plugging fans in.
Always remember to close all windows before you leave the house!
Doors open
With internal doors leave the rooms you regularly use with the doors open. While this is not always possible, it might help from the heat of each person moving between rooms to heat up more than one room. For example, during the day if you work from home or while your children are wandering around the house in the evening, keep the doors open to encourage heat flow from one room to another. This also works in the summer for the cool air to circulate between each room.
Local Libraries
During the summer holidays, there is going to be a lot of free time and heat. One of the greatest uses of town centres is local libraries. Most will have air conditioning, and they might have classes for young children, but you can also read books, let the baby have a nap in the buggy, and be cool.
Always double-check before going as there might be designated quiet times throughout the week.
