Grocery shopping tips during Coronavirus quarantine #2

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  • #441
I caved and bought canning equipment. It will be here Thursday. I got a little canning kit with the tools and a big pot with a temp thing on top. Not a pressure canner as they scare the tar out of me. I figure with the 3 of us meal prepping, we'll get a lot of use out of it. The Roma tomatoes are getting ripe so our first project is marinara sauce. Plus someone mentioned that even if the power goes out, your food won't spoil like it will in a freezer.

This is what I picked. On the company's website it is back ordered but I found it on Amazon.
Roots & Branches VKP1130 Harvest Stainless Steel Multi-Use Canner with Temperature Indicator, Holds 7 Quart Jars, 20 Quart Liquid Capacity
Stainless Steel Multi-Use Canner - 20 Qt | Roots & Harvest Homesteading Supplies

Norpro Canning Essentials Boxed Set, 6 Piece Set
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Norpro-Canning-Set-6-Pieces-Green/17470269
I grew up with "canning" - mom made the most amazing zucchini squash and tomato jars plus the tomato juice with a beef buillion cube for bloody mary's - green beans, peaches, tomato sauce.... I may have to try it out because you are right - we don't have to worry about it spoiling when the power goes out for weeks.
 
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  • #446
I went to Costco today to stock up on my monthly supplies. The had a huge supply of toilet paper, dish soap, milk eggs, meat, Clorox, and bath, washing & dish detergent. The prices of ground beef was $3.79 and still a good price for me. They also had a 32 oz hand sanitizer for $9.00.
 
  • #447
I went to Costco today to stock up on my monthly supplies. The had a huge supply of toilet paper, dish soap, milk eggs, meat, Clorox, and bath, washing & dish detergent. The prices of ground beef was $3.79 and still a good price for me. They also had a 32 oz hand sanitizer for $9.00.

Costco U.S. or Canada?
 
  • #448
I didn't know there was a recalls forum! I just learned yesterday that 10 kinds of hand sanitizer were recalled in Canada. I had to check it out before I gave some more to my Mom as we have four different kinds in the house here.

I contribute to the Recalls forum frequently. It really is a good source of recall information.
 
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Do you think stores will ever have food sampling again? Nino's always had tastings on weekends, and at times, it seemed like people ate their way around the store :D Other local gourmet markets and Costco offer samples, too. I think sampling will be deemed unsafe, and it's possible that we won't see this feature again for a long time.
I have a friend who ran her own small company---setting up food/drink sampling in stores.

So if you had a new food item being in Albertson's, you could call her company and she would coordinate it for you. She'd find out where and when Albertson's would let you set up, and she would send her 'sample' people to the store to host the event for you.

She had a long list of stores she worked with, and a lot of food/drink business who would contact her for her services.

She is out of business right now. Says she doesn't think she will ever be able to do the same business again...:(

She is scrambling trying to find a similar type of small business she can develop, that doesn't involve tasting food/drinks that are handled by others.

She has been working with parents who are homeschooling, and trying to set up a business where she connects parents with tutors online. lol. She says parents teaching at home is a very good place to target because the need is big.
 
  • #452
Forget Clorox wipes, fireworks are the new hot thing

Sterling Heights — Forget disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer, fireworks are the new hot commodity during the coronavirus pandemic.

"It's almost as if we are a cure to the inside-the-home isolation," said Bruce Zoldan, CEO of Youngstown, Ohio-based Phantom Fireworks, a large fireworks company with about 80 stores through the U.S., including southeast Michigan. "If there's a virus called ... inside isolation, fireworks appear to be the vaccine."

Joel Klein and Felicia Wrobel of Warren load fireworks into their shopping cart at Phantom Fireworks in Sterling Heights.

Families are filling fireworks stores across Michigan to stock up for the Fourth of July holiday since many sky-illuminating shows are canceled this year to prevent large gatherings. The result: booming fireworks sales and, possibly, extra noisy neighborhoods...
 
  • #453
Forget Clorox wipes, fireworks are the new hot thing

Sterling Heights — Forget disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer, fireworks are the new hot commodity during the coronavirus pandemic.

"It's almost as if we are a cure to the inside-the-home isolation," said Bruce Zoldan, CEO of Youngstown, Ohio-based Phantom Fireworks, a large fireworks company with about 80 stores through the U.S., including southeast Michigan. "If there's a virus called ... inside isolation, fireworks appear to be the vaccine."

Joel Klein and Felicia Wrobel of Warren load fireworks into their shopping cart at Phantom Fireworks in Sterling Heights.

Families are filling fireworks stores across Michigan to stock up for the Fourth of July holiday since many sky-illuminating shows are canceled this year to prevent large gatherings. The result: booming fireworks sales and, possibly, extra noisy neighborhoods...
They’ve already started here (SWFL) a few weeks ago. Last year, it seriously sounded like bombs were going off for hours. It started days before and went on thru the weekend. The neighbors were all on the Next Door app complaining. I can sit on my front porch and have a private show.
 
  • #454
That is not good news for those of us who live in areas of fire season. I am hoping that we will have a calm season. We already had a fire that could have been huge, except it got cool and rained on it last week.
 
  • #455
We have a local market that has always done sampling, much like the grocery deli that offers you the first slice of what you want to buy. The spoons are small and disposable. It’s always been behind the glass display, handed out directly to you. I don’t see why that would need to be eliminated. It seems safe the way it’s been done.

When I read your post last week, I remember thinking that there is only one place in Nino's where they might be able to still have tastings because they have a very nice dedicated demo counter. This counter usually offers something that is featured in the Gourmet To Go department. More often than not, you get a little paper tray with a little of everything that is included in a takeout meal, plastic fork, napkin. There hasn't been a plexiglass shield in the past, but that is something that would be very easy to do. Guess what? They did exactly that and have resumed sampling at the demo counter. When there is storewide tasting, there are portable stoves and/or tanks throughout the store for sampling in the various departments. They won't be able to do that anytime soon, but there were a lot of people anxious to sample NY Strip Steak today that is featured this week (whole NY Strips cut and wrapped to order or individual steaks).

Today is actually the first time in Nino's that I have noticed price increases. For starters, Salvaggio's isn't cheap. It is considered a gourmet market for which they have won many local awards. Lots of folks don't/won't shop there because they find the prices unreasonable, but DH and I don't mind spending a little more for high quality products and service. That said, we noticed produce prices were quite high, and DH said that he will get broccoli crowns at Meijer instead of paying 4.99# at Nino's. Cauliflower was 5.99 head (not organic that is a $ more). Regular bunch broccoli was $3.49# (I usually toss the stalk unless I'm making vegetable soup). Eggplant, mini-cucumbers, watermelon, gourmet medley tomatoes are featured this week, so we got those. There were other fruits and vegetables featured, but we don't have enough room in the fridge for any more. I plan to make lamb-stuffed eggplant and a salad with the little cukes and tomatoes. Watermelon will taste great over this very hot, humid weekend. I like it in smoothies.

Hopefully, we won't have to worry about not finding hand sanitizer in the future, but Nino's now has some that is made by a local orchard. There were huge jugs and a smaller spray bottle. If we hadn't recently got some at Meijer, I would have gotten the small bottle.
Blake's Hard Cider Begins Producing Hand Sanitizer for Healthcare Facilities and General Public | Brewbound

We are having beautiful sockeye salmon with Michigan asparagus tonight, and we got swordfish for another meal. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone :)
 
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  • #456
I went to the Bulk Food store today. We are really low on gluten free flour and are having trouble finding it in the store.

They give you a 1% discount if you wash your hands at the door. If you pay cash, they give you a 3% discount. Everything was spotless as usual. They mentioned if you’d like to sample anything, they’d be happy to help you. Fabulous customer service.

I washed my hands, put on my gloves and found everything I wanted and then some. My friend was equally impressed. Most people were wearing a mask but I was the only one wearing gloves. The owner was ringing me up and he said: Next time you come, if you don't have gloves, let me know. I’ll give you a pair to wear. He knows I’m a cancer patient.
 
  • #457
CSA: lettuce, 4 kinds, carrots, beets, rhubarb, spinach, mint, basil, green onions.

Looks like carrots and mint with dinner. Making a rhubarb strawberry pie, maybe some pesto this week. Lots of yummy fresh salads.
 
  • #458
Went to our favorite local produce farm this afternoon. Got two hampers of pink eye purple hull peas, one of butter beans. All shelled and ready to blanch for the freezer. Also got some cukes and tomatoes for eating and a big watermelon.
 
  • #459
Forget Clorox wipes, fireworks are the new hot thing

Sterling Heights — Forget disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer, fireworks are the new hot commodity during the coronavirus pandemic.

"It's almost as if we are a cure to the inside-the-home isolation," said Bruce Zoldan, CEO of Youngstown, Ohio-based Phantom Fireworks, a large fireworks company with about 80 stores through the U.S., including southeast Michigan. "If there's a virus called ... inside isolation, fireworks appear to be the vaccine."

Joel Klein and Felicia Wrobel of Warren load fireworks into their shopping cart at Phantom Fireworks in Sterling Heights.

Families are filling fireworks stores across Michigan to stock up for the Fourth of July holiday since many sky-illuminating shows are canceled this year to prevent large gatherings. The result: booming fireworks sales and, possibly, extra noisy neighborhoods...
Yah, maybe that is one main reason fireworks are selling fast.
But I have noticed that many protesters have been using fireworks in various ways at the demonstrations. Some throw them at the cops. Some use them to get the crowd pumped. Others have been seen throwing them at passer by's.
 
  • #460
Dr. Campbell is saying that vitamin D is hitting MSM as to benefits. Put on your list prior to prices going up/short supply.

As an aside. Yesterday a neighbor texted me saying she left some plants on my front porch. I walked out a little later, and found those, in addition to an UBER eats pizza, ravioli. I had thought my friend had dropped it off as we are doing such for each other these days. Anyway, I learn after texting her thanks that it wasn't her. So I posted "who's food is this" on the neighborhood facebook page (I called the restaurant to ask, they said no info-contact Uber... and no way to get a hold of Ubereats.) Anyway, after an hour... I gave the pizza and food to others as too much for little ol' me!
 
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