Grocery shopping tips during Coronavirus quarantine #2

[oviedo]

@oviedo can I come over for dinner...we can sit outside and social distance??

btw I did see one of my neighbors while walking my puppy with a few friends over. She set up chairs and side tables set apart socially distanced on her driveway...they looked like they were happy to see one another and we talked from across the street.

I will post a pic of the zuppa when I make it ! I’m going to see a friend (nurse) this weekend we will sit apart on my lanai and toast birthdays

 

[Teche]

1. Not really. I did stock up on rice when I saw it selling out. But that's because I'm allergic to wheat, so rice is a staple in my household. I'm glad I went around to several stores and found some extra rice, but I didn't get nearly enough to last through this entire shut down and rice has still not returned to my store shelves since. I also ordered some extra brown rice flour, but not enough and now that is sold out everywhere as well. Now that meat is starting to get scarce too, we are going to be on on a vegetarian paleo diet when our meat and rice runs out (unless I can keep getting potatoes ).

2. & 3. No. I'm growing a bigger garden than usual instead and My DH will go hunting in the fall. I can't really afford to "stock up" at a store and I expect meat prices to rise. I will be canning and drying and freezing and otherwise preserving everything we grow and/or gather.

4. IDK. Depends on the definition of necessities? While I didn't really stock up I thought about my basic household staple products and made alternate plans for if I couldn't get these things at the store. I have what I need to make my own laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, soap, hand sanitizer, etc. I have what I need to cook without electricity and I know how to cook just about anything. I think we will have everything we need or we will make do with what we have. I'm more concerned about skyrocketing prices than shortages.

5. I'm not sure. I think things will be shutdown again sooner than the fall. I think by the end of June or beginning of July there will be so many people dead that Americans will change to demanding another shut down and/or greater protections in the workplace if possible. Some businesses will never even open up this time around and many businesses will disappear. Those out of work will have to go find an "essential" job in the food or medical industry if they really want to be employed or they will have to find a way to work at home. I think there will be a turning point when many people realize for the first time that this isn't going away as soon as they thought, and I hope that people will react by reinventing themselves or innovating new ideas to adapt to Covid restrictions. Because the alternative is that we will see a lot of bad things happen.

MOO.

Rice is a staple inSouth Louisiana. We grow, mill and ship rice and other LA. products.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

I will continue to stock up a little at a time. My husband and I are retired and live alone but a couple of houses down from our 3 little grandchildren who visit daily and we watch when the parents work as hospital nurses. My plans are to keep a good supply of soap...bar, shampoo, dishwashing liquid and washing powder, toilet paper and liquid bleach or Lysol, canned vegetables, fruits, tuna tomato paste, rice, spaghetti, dried beans, coffee, and otc meds.
We have a freezer and recently stocked up on beef, chicken, sausage and fish. I bought 10 pounds of onions and a bunch of bell peppers on sale and sliced, diced and froze them. We have a vegetable garden.

I like the selection of things you and your husband are keeping in good supply.

What I think is really awesome is that you're continuing to stock up on those things "a little at a time" and not hoard them. It's nice to leave some of those things on the shelf for others who need them.

I've been trying to do the same. I've passed up buying toilet paper several times because we have plenty. My mom did give some to my sister recently because she has had a hard time finding any. I will pickup some more when I see it and give it to her.

 

[otto]

I like the selection of things you and your husband are keeping in good supply.

What I think is really awesome is that you're continuing to stock up on those things "a little at a time" and not hoard them. It's nice to leave some of those things on the shelf for others who need them.

I've been trying to do the same. I've passed up buying toilet paper several times because we have plenty. My mom did give some to my sister recently because she has had a hard time finding any. I will pickup some more when I see it and give it to her.

I started stockpiling/preparing in February to ensure that I had 2 weeks of essentials. I keep that topped up. It was a $300/week for 4 weeks up front. I'd realize that I had lots of pasta but no steak. It took a month to get a balanced pantry. A month after I started prepping, panic hit the local shops with the first announced case. All I needed by then was ice cream.

 

[Gardener1850]

Rice is a staple inSouth Louisiana. We grow, mill and ship rice and other LA. products.

Good to know. I don't know if I have ever seen any LA-grown rice in my stores. The rice I stocked up on was mostly Jasmine rice from Thailand. I prefer a brand of Basmati from India but there wasn't any of that left anywhere by the time I noticed rice was selling out. I also got a small amount of Arborio rice from Texas and Japanese Sushi rice from California. Maybe the LA rice was all hoarded before I got to the rice shelves? I just checked online and someone is price gouging big time on Cajun Country brand rice-- it's listed on ebay for $24.99 for a 5lb bag or $19.99 for 3 one pound bags.

 

[katydid23]

I started stockpiling/preparing in February to ensure that I had 2 weeks of essentials. I keep that topped up. It was a $300/week for 4 weeks up front. I'd realize that I had lots of pasta but no steak. It took a month to get a balanced pantry. A month after I started prepping, panic hit the local shops with the first announced case. All I needed by then was ice cream.

Yup, getting the pantry balanced takes awhile. My husband thought I was nuts when he picked me up at the airport on March 11th. I was returning from my visit to my Mom.

On the way home I insisted we stop at Costco. I was wearing a mask and gloves and insisted he do the same. No one else in the entire market was masked except for us. lol

He looked at me weird as I filled the cart with canned goods and pasta and rice, eggs, milk, and TP and frozen meats. I spent about 3x our normal grocery budget that day. The only reason he went along with it was that the NBA suspended operation the day before, so he knew it was serious.

That shopping trip allowed us to stay totally quarantined for 3 weeks afterwards.

 

[otto]

Yup, getting the pantry balanced takes awhile. My husband thought I was nuts when he picked me up at the airport on March 11th. I was returning from my visit to my Mom.

On the way home I insisted we stop at Costco. I was wearing a mask and gloves and insisted he do the same. No one else in the entire market was masked except for us. lol

He looked at me weird as I filled the cart with canned goods and pasta and rice, eggs, milk, and TP and frozen meats. I spent about 3x our normal grocery budget that day. The only reason he went along with it was that the NBA suspended operation the day before, so he knew it was serious.

That shopping trip allowed us to stay totally quarantined for 3 weeks afterwards.

That must have been a bit scary for him. Still, the week of March 9 is when NA first became aware of widespread cases.

 

[KALI]

Yup. I did the same, but solo, around Feb. 17th.
I hit Costco, Trader Joes, the Grocery outlet, Amazon and the Dollar store, big time.
I do believe my husband has new found appreciation for his bride.

Yup, getting the pantry balanced takes awhile. My husband thought I was nuts when he picked me up at the airport on March 11th. I was returning from my visit to my Mom.

On the way home I insisted we stop at Costco. I was wearing a mask and gloves and insisted he do the same. No one else in the entire market was masked except for us. lol

He looked at me weird as I filled the cart with canned goods and pasta and rice, eggs, milk, and TP and frozen meats. I spent about 3x our normal grocery budget that day. The only reason he went along with it was that the NBA suspended operation the day before, so he knew it was serious.

That shopping trip allowed us to stay totally quarantined for 3 weeks afterwards.

 

[Kensie]

Wish me luck tomorrow please, another Wal Mart trip during my lunch break and my anxiety is very high at the moment. TIA. I just wish I could see an end to this nightmare. I know we all want an end to it.

 

[Kensie]

Yup. I did the same, but solo, around Feb. 17th.
I hit Costco, Trader Joes, the Grocery outlet, Amazon and the Dollar store, big time.
I do believe my husband has new found appreciation for his bride.

You were smart. I did not start reading news until around March and had no idea that this was going on.

 

[KALI]

If I had not started following this thread which started January 17th, I would have not figured out what was coming at us.
I completely credit websleuths and this threads original poster.

You were smart. I did not start reading news until around March and had no idea that this was going on.

 

[KALI]

Wish me luck tomorrow please, another Wal Mart trip during my lunch break and my anxiety is very high at the moment. TIA. I just wish I could see an end to this nightmare. I know we all want an end to it.

Survival rate is 98.9 percent.
Famous doctor said that even your chance of grtying it is 1 in 2,000.00 in America.
Just don't lick glass or steel in the store.
You'll be 100% fine. Hugs.

 

[katydid23]

Wish me luck tomorrow please, another Wal Mart trip during my lunch break and my anxiety is very high at the moment. TIA. I just wish I could see an end to this nightmare. I know we all want an end to it.

Be mindful and you will be OK on your shopping trip. Think things through. Before I leave my car I take 'inventory' ---mask, gloves, glasses with protective outer glasses on top, hat....ok, grocery list so I can move through store quickly....

If you protect yourself and stay aware of your surroundings, you should be just fine.

 

[BUF]

I will post a pic of the zuppa when I make it ! I’m going to see a friend (nurse) this weekend we will sit apart on my lanai and toast birthdays

Ha, we all will be jealous...and Happy Birthday to you and your friend!!

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Michigan grocers limit meat purchases to prevent panic-buying

As fear of a meat shortage looms, Meijer, Kroger and other grocers have put temporary limits on fresh ground beef, pork and poultry to prevent panic-buying and hoarding.

At Kroger stores in Michigan, limit signs have been posted in fresh-meat sections. For consumers ordering for pickup or to have their groceries delivered, online shopping carts are limited to two packages each category of meat, including all varieties of fresh beef, chicken and pork...

 

[oviedo]

I started stockpiling/preparing in February to ensure that I had 2 weeks of essentials. I keep that topped up. It was a $300/week for 4 weeks up front. I'd realize that I had lots of pasta but no steak. It took a month to get a balanced pantry. A month after I started prepping, panic hit the local shops with the first announced case. All I needed by then was ice cream.

I have always had a good pantry and freezer - when I began getting emails from RCCL about the virus and their efforts before my cruise - I stocked up a bit more. When I got back - again, replaced what had been used and maybe a bit more than I normally would get - packaged rice and beans, canned goods, freezer veggies - TP, Bleach, etc. When the shortages hit, I was unaffected and could stay home for the most part. Now, I just get what I need to keep about a month's worth on hand. I have been able to share with my BFF first responders from my supplies. Now, with the coming meat shortages which I am already seeing in my local groceries - I'm good and can stay away from the stores except for a quick trip here and there. I'm worried FL is opening up too soon but I do appreciate the one way aisle shopping that Publix has implemented - not everyone follows it but I don't feel so crowded when I shop there. I also credit WS for helping me to have a good pantry/freezer - I was one who didn't take it seriously at first (after all, I went on a spring break RCCL cruise !). Now I know better. thanks to all of you.
JMO

 

[Tbone144]

With the talk of meat shortages I’m trying to decide if I should load up the incubator. It takes about 6 months to raise our breed of chicken for enough meat to make it worth it. Ducks we can process faster if I wanted to. Might be about right on timing but with the effort and supplies it still ends up being pretty expensive meat. If it’s going to be completely out, then it’s definitely worth it.

 

[Warwick1991]

i never had a problem with a thermometer until mine conked out over a month ago-'
i always bought Vicks therm and they were fine so i expected to go out and find
another one at tbe drugstore--- no such luck so i ordered one on line a couple weeks
ago along with a pulse ox, neither which have arrived-- i may never get these
items--i had ordered these items initially thru Amazon--both got lost in transit

The best battery operated thermometer I had was a Vick’s. But even that one isn’t quite as good as my old mercury thermometer... I couldn’t find a Vick’s late last year, so I bought a Walgreens and Publix branded thermometers. Neither of those were very good. As you note, it’s hard to get any thermometer now, and checking for a fever is critical now....

 

[Gardener1850]

With the talk of meat shortages I’m trying to decide if I should load up the incubator. It takes about 6 months to raise our breed of chicken for enough meat to make it worth it. Ducks we can process faster if I wanted to. Might be about right on timing but with the effort and supplies it still ends up being pretty expensive meat. If it’s going to be completely out, then it’s definitely worth it.

I would totally do it if I were you. Our dream is to have egg-laying chickens when we retire but right now we travel too much (or well we used to travel before the pandemic ). Check your local farm stores to see if they still have chicks, as raising them might be faster than incubating eggs. My Tractor Supply still had chicks a couple weeks ago. It was so tempting to get some but I can't do that not knowing if I will have to start traveling again in the next 6 months. I've looked hard at raising rabbits too, but I'm not sure if I could kill them (too cute and cuddly). So I've resolved myself to growing extra beans instead of getting livestock. And my DH will go hunting in the fall. But if I were in a position to get chickens for meat and/or eggs, I totally would. And if you don't end up needing them for yourself you could always sell them. I think meat will be expensive in the future. MOO.

 

[PayrollNerd]

In case you're shopping for a freezer......