Grocery shopping tips during Coronavirus quarantine #2

[BetteDavisEyes]

Ugh. No thanks. The food pickup always has a couple cans. I give them to someone I know can eat them.

I had my fill of canned tuna growing up: Tuna noodle casserole, tuna loaf with creamed peas, tuna salad sandwiches in our school lunches, tuna salad stuffed tomatoes, etc. Enough! I can't even remember the last time I bought canned tuna. DH and I like ahi tuna steaks occasionally, and I've made tuna burgers with fresh tuna. Canned tuna? No way.

 

[JerseyGirl]

I was able to get grocery delivery from Peapod this past Sunday. I received everything, even Scott toilet paper. I forgot to order paper towels so I stopped at Dollar General yesterday on my way home from work and they were all OUT of paper towels, but had plenty of toilet paper. I asked about the paper towels and the clerk said they haven't received a shipment in weeks.

I still cannot get my hands on any Lysol products (other than toilet bowl cleaner) or wipes. I was in CVS a few days ago and they had a large supply of various sizes of Germ-X hand sanitizer in various sizes and even offered a spray hand sanitizer.

 

[killarney rose]

I consider hoarding where your pantry is running over. You are storing excess items under beds, or in a little used bathroom, garage, the basement. Buying a freezer to fill with meats and frozen foods.

buying a few extra items isn't hoarding, it's being cautious, I do that. I have the largest freezer Lowes sells. Got it a couple years ago, but I freeze Fresh Produce all summer. I fill the freezer and we have garden fresh put up produce all winter. I've done that all my adult life, and my parents did it too. We used to grow our own but now we buy it from a local farm.

 

[killarney rose]

To me, canned tuna is barely palatable these days. Even the expensive solid white premium tuna.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

To me, canned tuna is barely palatable these days. Even the expensive solid white premium tuna.

I've read that Italian canned tuna that is packed in olive oil is tasty, but it seems quite expensive for a small can. When Michigan tomatoes become plentiful, maybe I'll buy a can and make tuna salad stuffed tomatoes.

 

[Gardenista]

I've read that Italian canned tuna that is packed in olive oil is tasty, but it seems quite expensive for a small can. When Michigan tomatoes become plentiful, maybe I'll buy a can and make tuna salad stuffed tomatoes.

It is great, but I just add EVOO to the higher quality canned tuna - less expensive and the same taste

 

[PayrollNerd]

I had my fill of canned tuna growing up: Tuna noodle casserole, tuna loaf with creamed peas, tuna salad sandwiches in our school lunches, tuna salad stuffed tomatoes, etc. Enough! I can't even remember the last time I bought canned tuna. DH and I like ahi tuna steaks occasionally, and I've made tuna burgers with fresh tuna. Canned tuna? No way.

The last time I had tuna I was 14 and had severe food poisoning. I'm sure it was the mayo from the tuna salad but still. I just can't stomach it and certainly not now with this poison cocktail I have to take daily.

I don't know what set me off this morning but my nausea has been annoying. I went to my produce pick up. Filled up my gas tank. Nothing smelled odd, the motion of driving didn't bother me. But the time I got back, unloaded everything, I had to go lie down.

The Farm to Family box is such a gift. Produce is pretty good looking stuff. The cucumbers were spoiled so I tossed them. I have to come up with a new butternut squash recipe so I have variety. I now have 1 small and 2 medium ones.

I'm going to make roasted Rosemary red potatoes because I have 10+ lbs of them! Yummy! My kid needs to do something with all these tomatillos and onions. Good thing we love tomatoes because they gave me 16 small ones today. I now have 5 big red peppers that are pointy. I think I will dice and freeze them for cooking. I can't think of any recipe we'd use them in other than soup or fried potatoes. I will eat them if they are cooked.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

...I'm going to make roasted Rosemary red potatoes because I have 10+ lbs of them! Yummy! My kid needs to do something with all these tomatillos and onions. Good thing we love tomatoes because they gave me 16 small ones today. I now have 5 big red peppers that are pointy. I think I will dice and freeze them for cooking. I can't think of any recipe we'd use them in other than soup or fried potatoes. I will eat them if they are cooked.

Are they Sheppard peppers? We love them, but they must have an abbreviated growing season as they are not available for long. Sheppard peppers are sweet and grill beautifully. I met a customer at Nino's who was buying many more than I was, so I asked what she did with them. She stuffs them with a cheese mixture, and she also said that Sheppard peppers made good red pepper jelly. They are mostly red, but we've also gotten them in orange and yellow.

Just looked them up, and they are actually called "shepherd" peppers. Signs at Salvaggio's always call them Sheppard. What's in a name? By either spelling, these sweet red peppers are awesome

Hope you're feeling better

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Any unusual preparations for things others of us may be overlooking? I have a healthy supply of PPE, paper products, cleaning supplies, OTC meds, stable foods and a mini freezer along with bottom refrig freezer all full. What am I forgetting?

One thing I stocked up on when this all started is the OTC meds I don't normally take, but would take if I were sick.

It occurred to me that if I get sick, whether it's the virus or just a cold, I am NOT going to want to then go into a store at all, if it can possibly be helped.

So I bought ahead the things I usually want when I have a cold -- throat lozenges, Nyquil, etc. I also have a few boxes of tissues which I don't normally use, preferring handkerchiefs, but would want if I were to become ill.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

It is great, but I just add EVOO to the higher quality canned tuna - less expensive and the same taste

Is Italian canned tuna seasoned? If so, I probably wouldn't like it. I love Italian cuisine, but too much oregano gives me heartburn I will take a look at a can of Italian tuna tomorrow at the fish counter at Nino's, and maybe I can ask my favorite fish man if he knows anything about it.

 

[PayrollNerd]

One thing I stocked up on when this all started is the OTC meds I don't normally take, but would take if I were sick.

It occurred to me that if I get sick, whether it's the virus or just a cold, I am NOT going to want to then go into a store at all, if it can possibly be helped.

So I bought ahead the things I usually want when I have a cold -- throat lozenges, Nyquil, etc. I also have a few boxes of tissues which I don't normally use, preferring handkerchiefs, but would want if I were to become ill.

I did this too. I ordered a variety of items off my monthly Medicare order. When I did my July order yesterday, they were still out of boxes of gloves and tubs of alcohol wipes. i don't use many and still have some. I always look tho to see if maybe I should get one more of each.

 

[Midwestmom2019]

One thing I stocked up on when this all started is the OTC meds I don't normally take, but would take if I were sick.

It occurred to me that if I get sick, whether it's the virus or just a cold, I am NOT going to want to then go into a store at all, if it can possibly be helped.

So I bought ahead the things I usually want when I have a cold -- throat lozenges, Nyquil, etc. I also have a few boxes of tissues which I don't normally use, preferring handkerchiefs, but would want if I were to become ill.

Aspirin.

 

[Midwestmom2019]

For those of you avoiding grocery shopping, I’ve noticed that lactose free milk seems to keep way longer than regular milk. Sweeter, too.

 

[killarney rose]

We buy it and it definitely keeps a lot longer than regular milk.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Almond milk has a long shelf life, as well. Since the pandemic began, DH has been using almond milk in his cereal and is now hooked. He still likes half & half in his coffee (I drink it black) and gets pint cartons and uses it up before it sours. I can't digest most dairy these days, so almond milk has been a godsend.

 

[JerseyGirl]

We ran out of milk once while self-quarantining and neither one of us wanted to go out to pick up a gallon so we ended up using the powdered milk that I purchased during my pandemic preparations - and it was actually pretty good in a pinch.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Dukes Mayonnaise is a southern staple.

My nana would make bread and we would pick a fresh tomato off the vine, she would bring out a plate with Dukes spread generously on each side and place thick slices of tomato with just salt and pepper.
Plus a gallon of sweet tea.

Sit on the screened in back porch (no skeeters!) with my cousins and thought it was the best thing ever.

 

[LadyL]

Almond milk has a long shelf life, as well. Since the pandemic began, DH has been using almond milk in his cereal and is now hooked. He still likes half & half in his coffee (I drink it black) and gets pint cartons and uses it up before it sours. I can't digest most dairy these days, so almond milk has been a godsend.

love almond milk and cashew milk
I use Silk vegan hazlenut creamer for my coffee
it's soooooooooo good - I usually buy 4 at a time because it sells out so fast

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Dukes Mayonnaise is a southern staple.

My nana would make bread and we would pick a fresh tomato off the vine, she would bring out a plate with Dukes spread generously on each side and place thick slices of tomato with just salt and pepper.
Plus a gallon of sweet tea.

Sit on the screened in back porch (no skeeters!) with my cousins and thought it was the best thing ever.

I'll pass on the sweet tea (I know that's a southern thing), but I love a tomato sandwich. As soon as Michigan tomatoes are harvested, we will buy them weekly and have frequent BLTs. Duke's will be wonderful on a BLT or a plain tomato sandwich. I've also been craving egg salad and will hard boil some eggs today so I can make egg salad sandwiches over the weekend. It's going to be steamy here - too hot to cook.

Re: Sweet Tea. On our way to Disney World many years ago, we had a layover in Atlanta. We deplaned to use restrooms and ordered iced tea at a beverage counter. We didn't realize that the tea was "sweet" and didn't really care for it. We like iced tea with lemon but no sweetener. When we traveled elsewhere in the south, we knew to ask for "unsweetened" tea

 

[155etta]

I'll pass on the sweet tea (I know that's a southern thing), but I love a tomato sandwich. As soon as Michigan tomatoes are harvested, we will buy them weekly and have frequent BLTs. Duke's will be wonderful on a BLT or a plain tomato sandwich. I've also been craving egg salad and will hard boil some eggs today so I can make egg salad sandwiches over the weekend. It's going to be steamy here - too hot to cook.

Re: Sweet Tea. On our way to Disney World many years ago, we had a layover in Atlanta. We deplaned to use restrooms and ordered iced tea at a beverage counter. We didn't realize that the tea was "sweet" and didn't really care for it. We like iced tea with lemon but no sweetener. When we traveled elsewhere in the south, we knew to ask for "unsweetened" tea

We must be beverage soul sisters. I drink my coffee black and like my iced tea unsweetened as well. I don't care much for soda pop either but will order a Coke on the very rare occasions when we get fast food burgers and fries. Oh, I guess I should say that I wouldn't say no if offered a root beer float.