Are We Back To 1940`s Heating and Eating? (Part 1)

1940`s HEATING  and EATING:

 I can hardly believe that I am writing this blog, as it pretty much reflects life in the 1940s which included war years.

At that time, houses did not have central heating, and indeed mains electricity and gas were not the norm.

Heating was produced by burning coal, wood or in some areas peat.  It could be supplemented by heaters using paraffin or perhaps  bottled gas.

The energy  generated would generally only heat  one room, so it was important to conserve it. Overall warmth in a property depended on the number of fires and their effectiveness.

Cooking in many households may have been carried out on a single open or range  fire, including heating up water for both personal, domestic and laundry or on a separate gas cooker.

Better off homes often had a multipurpose cooker. Although fuelled by solid fuel, it would have a large hot plate, and several ovens at different temperatures to allow cooking several things at once.

Food was often slow cooked in the form of soups, casseroles and stews, augmented with potatoes, carrots, onions,  (perhaps home grown), and the addition of carbohydrates such as bread, dumplings, or pastry crust.

Heat was not wasted, so if an oven had been heated, it was an opportunity to stew some fruit or meat and bake some bread, scones, or biscuits or generally help to heat up the kitchen.

Here we are in 2024, some seventy years later, surrounded by technological wonders, but with  many people, not just the elderly, being  faced with the choice of how to economically heat their homes in the absence of open fires, and feed their families nutritious meals all on a tight budget.

THE  PERFECT  STORM:

This situation has come about by a perfect storm of world wide political and financial influences and decisions, causing the cost of energy as we know it, i.e. electricity and gas, to rise steeply in price. With the phasing out of fossil fuels, there is little choice but to rely on electricity and gas for our homes.

Alternative means of generating electricity are available, such as solar and wind power, but to date are not far enough advanced to reduce the cost of  the country`s general domestic energy bills.

NO  PREPARATION:

There has been no preparation or training for this, as we have been used to being able to buy a wide selection of different foods, often influenced by foreign travels, and expecting reasonable warmth and comfort at home.

Cookery programmes abound, but tend to cater for the more exotic high end market.

Cooking is no longer widely taught in schools, as it is  now relegated to the non academic section and only token classes are offered if at all. (Such a big mistake)!

Of course this dilemma won`t face all Brits, as there are many with exceedingly healthy bank balances, so they can continue to indulge in warm homes and adventurous food without a second thought.

This blog is geared at the individuals and families who are perhaps experiencing  this way of life for the first time, and wondering how to cope.

Budgeting is key. Either arrangements with energy supplier for the best tariff to suit the needs of the household, or an alternative savings plan to make sure that energy bills can be paid for should be in place. It is very easy to run into debt, so careful management is essential.

Obviously in the summer months it is easier, as the weather is warmer, meals tend to be lighter and clothing  can be washed and for the lucky ones dried out of doors, and devices  get slightly less use.

WINTER  WEATHER:

As the weather  becomes colder, our homes need to be heated.

Depending on the type of heating used, there are some practical steps which can really make a difference.

Obviously insulation of property will be very helpful, but may be relegated to those in new properties where insulation has been  part of the building regulations.

Failing this, loft insulation in older properties can be carried out with an assisted government scheme, and there are some schemes which also cover wall insulation.

 Windows can allow heat to escape. Many homes will have some form of double or triple glazing in place which should help, but for older windows with gaps, heavy blinds or preferably curtains will cut down draughts.

Similarly doors. Families are notoriously bad at leaving internal doors open.

It is one, if not THE most wasteful ways of losing heat from a room.

Keeping internal doors closed, can have a marked effect on conserving heat. They should be well fitting to eliminate draughts, and many inexpensive additions can be used to block off any areas where heat can escape.

External doors may also benefit from a heavy curtain or draught excluder.

It may sound obvious, but adding an extra layer or two of clothing will also make a difference.

Perhaps shorts and  t-shirts aren`t necessary in December?

Heating can be closely monitored if times are worked out to fit in with family.

There is also the drain on electricity by unseen sources.

These are the numerous pieces of technology and appliances which most households have. Washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, cookers, air fryers, microwaves, and fridge/freezers.

Add  to that  TVs, mobile phones,  devices, computers, printers and others which are considered essential, especially  by young people, and  are a constant drain on electricity.

Leaving lights on and having appliances on stand by, are wasteful, but there are units available where items can be plugged in  and  energy monitored.

With so many people working from home, an employer may well be conveniently overlooking the additional heating, lighting and energy required by the employee, so it is worth setting out clear boundaries for this.

Managing appliances and devices is difficult as they have become part of every day life. However in order to cut down on energy, their use must be limited, and a plan formed for more efficiency.

This will be harder for families, as everyone will have different needs.

LOTS  TO  CONSIDER:

There are many moving parts to dealing with tight budgets, heating and eating. and this blog is not enough to cover it.

I plan to divide it into different sections, the next blog dealing with food.

It is probably hardest for the younger generation to think of conserving energy, as perhaps their parents or grandparents were brought up in a less easy society, and therefore may not find it quite so difficult to adjust.

Society has changed such a lot, that it is difficult to keep up, but there is an important lesson for children growing up today.

They should be encouraged to learn how to heat and eat, by being able to budget money and have basic cooking skills, and take practical responsibility for their home and environment, as who knows what lies ahead of them in the future?

I shall list below some items which are inexpensive to buy, and extremely cheap to run, but will help to keep warm. Many can be charged up which allows for maximum heat.

1) ELECTRIC  CLOTHES  AIRER. Dries clothes, provides heat and is kind to clothes. 

2) DEHUMIDIFIER, will not provide heat, but will absorb moisture from the air, so accelerates drying of clothes cheaply. It will also help keep a room from becoming damp or mouldy due to high moisture content  and lack of heat.

3)HOT WATER BOTTLE, can be used to heat up a bed or chair, or wrapped in a woollen covering, will add heat to hands and feet when sitting. (Care must be taken when using hot water to fill, and to make sure bottle  is firmly secured. It should also not be directly applied to skin).

If a hot water bottle has not been used for a while, it may be wise to replace it, as they can often perish and cracks appear causing a leak.

4) ELECTRIC  BLANKETS are becoming popular again. Low energy costs and good for heating up bed. Ensure plug is in good condition. 

5) THERMAL  GLOVES /SLIPPERS. There are many excellent thermal products on the market. Some are made out of thermal materials, others can be plugged in and charged to provide heat for hands and feet.

6) FLASK for hot drinks. There are a variety of flasks which can keep drinks hot. This is ideal for soups and other suitable foods, together with hot drinks which saves energy and makes a hot drink readily available. 

There are also self heating packs of food, which don`t need a source of heat, which are expensive, but good to have as an emergency item.

7) Boiling a KETTLE  can be quite wasteful if only one or two cups are required. Try filling kettle with just the amount needed, or better still have a kettle which will just boil  a cupful at a time.

8)Many people are using AIR  FRYERS . They do seem to be economical when used in place of a traditional oven, so a small one would be ideal for one or two people . Obviously the larger the fryer, the more expensive the outlay.

SLOW  COOKERS are also excellent as a variety of food  such as soups and casseroles can be cooked easily and economically.

9)When adding EXTRA  CLOTHING, it is more beneficial to have more than one extra layer. Air is trapped between the layers, and becomes warm, so is more effective.

Wool is a natural material well known for its warming properties, but there are also some excellent  thermal and micro fleece materials which are lightweight and warm.

10) Don`t forget to EXERCISE. Moving around on a regular basis both inside and outside, keeps circulation  and joints moving and generates heat.

It is particularly important to make sure that everything is safe and in good working order.

Plugs must be in good condition, with no broken or  exposed wires, and flexes kept safely out of the way as can become a tripping hazard.

Fire and carbon monoxide monitors should be checked regularly, and direct heat and any boiling water should be kept away from skin, especially in the very young and the elderly.