Grocery shopping tips during Coronavirus quarantine #3

[BetteDavisEyes]

Morning email from Nino Salvaggio's:

Dear Customers,

As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, we are continuing to focus on the health and safety of our employees and customers. Please be aware that we are expecting Tuesday November 24thand Wednesday November 25thto be very busy in our stores. We plan to limit the number of customers in our stores according to state guidelines, and to enforce Social Distancing throughout the store. Mid-day shopping is typically our busiest times. If you can shop either earlier or later in the day, the store should be less crowded. We expect to be fully stocked for all your Thanksgiving needs.

In addition to our normal 8:00 a.m. opening, we will be open on Tuesday at 7:00 a.m. for Seniors, Expectant Mothers and those with compromised immune systems. As always, we will be closed Thanksgiving day so our employees can rest, and spend time with their families.

We wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving from the entire Nino Salvaggio family!

 

[PayrollNerd]

Morning email from Nino Salvaggio's:

Dear Customers,

As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, we are continuing to focus on the health and safety of our employees and customers. Please be aware that we are expecting Tuesday November 24thand Wednesday November 25thto be very busy in our stores. We plan to limit the number of customers in our stores according to state guidelines, and to enforce Social Distancing throughout the store. Mid-day shopping is typically our busiest times. If you can shop either earlier or later in the day, the store should be less crowded. We expect to be fully stocked for all your Thanksgiving needs.

In addition to our normal 8:00 a.m. opening, we will be open on Tuesday at 7:00 a.m. for Seniors, Expectant Mothers and those with compromised immune systems. As always, we will be closed Thanksgiving day so our employees can rest, and spend time with their families.

We wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving from the entire Nino Salvaggio family!

How wonderful that they’re being proactive and notifying their customers in advance. Hopefully that will prompt the procrastinators to get their shopping done early.

 

[PayrollNerd]

I am so happy this holiday is almost over. I have been telling my customers for weeks, place your turkey orders early, there is going to be a problem getting small birds this year, sure enough I am completely out of anything under 20lbs and got about 10 calls today from restaurants looking for small birds..

Well that explains why I was given a 21 lb bird! My friend received a 13 lb bird. She has a big family and I don’t. We are swapping birds!

 

[MimosaMornings]

Morning email from Nino Salvaggio's:

Dear Customers,

As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, we are continuing to focus on the health and safety of our employees and customers. Please be aware that we are expecting Tuesday November 24thand Wednesday November 25thto be very busy in our stores. We plan to limit the number of customers in our stores according to state guidelines, and to enforce Social Distancing throughout the store. Mid-day shopping is typically our busiest times. If you can shop either earlier or later in the day, the store should be less crowded. We expect to be fully stocked for all your Thanksgiving needs.

In addition to our normal 8:00 a.m. opening, we will be open on Tuesday at 7:00 a.m. for Seniors, Expectant Mothers and those with compromised immune systems. As always, we will be closed Thanksgiving day so our employees can rest, and spend time with their families.

We wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving from the entire Nino Salvaggio family!

That’s great they are letting customers know in advance!
I’m hoping they do curbside pickup?

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

How wonderful that they’re being proactive and notifying their customers in advance. Hopefully that will prompt the procrastinators to get their shopping done early.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I always try to get everything I need for Thanksgiving dinner by Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday are much too hectic at Nino's, and it becomes an unpleasant shopping experience. The parking lot is packed, and customers might have to wait for a parking space. Shoppers are often lined up outside the entrance 30 minutes before the store opens! I know this because I wanted to get to Nino's early on Tuesday before Turkey Day and left the house at 7:30 so I could be at Nino's right when they opened. I never expected to be waiting in a long line to get in! Even with plenty of staff, it can still take an hour or more to get in and get out of the store. I said, "Never again!" and have always gotten everything I need by Monday.

It's not going to be as warm as it was yesterday (low 60s), but it is sunny with no precipitation in the forecast. We're going to Nino's this afternoon and will get our outdoor greens and everything else on my list. Anything that should be fresh (bread, rolls) can be picked up at Meijer early in the week. The holiday greens are outdoors, so we will make our selections, then DH will go inside and get in a checkout lane to pay for them and put them in the car. I will get another cart and proceed with my shopping list. I will make cranberry sauce and turkey gravy on Tuesday, assemble Waldorf Salad, turkey meatball mixture, and saute pierogis on Wednesday. Bake meatballs, cook potatoes, and reheat everything on Thursday so DH can deliver dinner to my brothers. We'll eat later. No need to rush

 

[MaryG12]

I see that Publix is once again having a toilet paper stock issue once again - why are they not limiting 1 per customer? And why are people hoarding it still?

Last I checked, COVID-19 is NOT a gastro-intestinal disease.

On a brighter side - does anyone here buy Wise potato chips? They have a bag design with a "Thank you to all people on the front line". Extremely cool!

 

[acutename]

In between yard stuff today, I’m looking up recipes for plums. I have 5 big red ones and 6 little dark red ones.

I also have 4-5 bags of apples. I think I will bake those and freeze them.

I had found a gluten free crust recipe but I forgot to save it. I bought vegan butter sticks for it.

I picked up nutmeg and cinnamon. I had no idea Allspice was a combo of spices. Where have I been? I’m allergic to ginger so pumpkin pie spice isn’t an option.

Anyway, I need to practice before Tday.

OK, I am a few weeks late on this suggestion... bet those plums are gone, but next time: German pflaumenkuchen (plum tart) is delicious....not sure how to make the crust GF but I am sure you will find a way... almond flour?

 

[acutename]

Yeah, remember those days when we used to just go shopping for fun? Wander around the store?

Not any more.

I see a certain tension developing this holiday season where stores would still like to encourage you to shop, to browse, to buy stuff, but the health situation is all about stay home for safety and with so many people having employment and financial problems, the strain of spending to celebrate the holidays is probably going to be unbearable.

 

[acutename]

Of all the things to be sold out of...... small crock pot liners. Are there really that many people who have small crock pots? I don't think so. Good grief. I looked on Amazon and they are out too. WTH?

confession: do not own a crock pot, but since it is a self heating pot, can't you just fill it with soapy water at the end of cooking, and put it on low until the soap dissolves everything? I do this with other pans... partial cool, add soapy water... 20 mins later, nothing is stuck.

 

[mickey2942]

I see a certain tension developing this holiday season where stores would still like to encourage you to shop, to browse, to buy stuff, but the health situation is all about stay home for safety and with so many people having employment and financial problems, the strain of spending to celebrate the holidays is probably going to be unbearable.

I don't see that happening. People go in, get what they want, avoid everyone, and leave as quickly as possible.

 

[MaryG12]

OK, I am a few weeks late on this suggestion... bet those plums are gone, but next time: German pflaumenkuchen (plum tart) is delicious....not sure how to make the crust GF but I am sure you will find a way... almond flour?

Those sound good! I normally add a plum in my fruit smoothies - it's one of those fruits that seem to go with any other fruit like apples, oranges, grapes, etc.

 

[JDG]

TO is back under lockdown as of Monday.

It seems that most of the city dwellers have ALL run out of food, water and paper products at exactly the same time. Amazing!

Very glad I got a few things yesterday. Saw the photos of lineups online and did not even bother to get more 'stuff' today.
I'm sure they stripped the shelves bare, as they did in March.

Hope I can make everything last until we are in a reasonable situation again.

What I do not have, I will do without.

Madness, pure madness.

 

[PayrollNerd]

confession: do not own a crock pot, but since it is a self heating pot, can't you just fill it with soapy water at the end of cooking, and put it on low until the soap dissolves everything? I do this with other pans... partial cool, add soapy water... 20 mins later, nothing is stuck.

Oh sure, but when I was working, I was transporting a dirty crock pot in the Florida heat in my car. Not a good experience. Plus when you're a busy working parent, inexpensive items that save you time and effort are worth the money. It is definitely a convenience item I'm willing to pay for.

 

[MaryG12]

I don't see that happening. People go in, get what they want, avoid everyone, and leave as quickly as possible.

It's like that where I live, too.

Went to the flea market down in Ft Myers (right off the highway) and while the place is quite large - 2 buildings and 900 vendors - it was so sparsely populated that they did not have to monitor capacity. I tend to look for certain items when I go to flea markets (I actually found one issue of The Phantom from 1989 (DC)), a pair of 9" high Thai dancers in blue and red costume, plus some oranges and grapefruits from the farmer's market. Will definitely go back when I have more time to really look over the comics.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

DH and I went to Nino's this afternoon. We got our outdoor holiday greens - 4 wreaths with pinecones and big red bows - and a "drop-in" with red bow and glittery ornaments for the urn on the front porch. We selected greens from the outdoor display, went inside to pay for them and put them in the car. We went back inside and got the grocery items on my list. Store was very crowded - everyone wearing masks but very difficult to social distance. I can't imagine what it will be like on Tuesday and Wednesday - glad we don't have to return. By the time I had finished putting groceries away, DH had already hung the wreaths on porch and garage lamps. Several other neighbors took advantage of the nice day to put up their holiday lights/decorations. Snow in tomorrow's forecast. I will work on food prep Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and won't really have much to do on Thanksgiving other than reheating.

 

[PayrollNerd]

OK, I am a few weeks late on this suggestion... bet those plums are gone, but next time: German pflaumenkuchen (plum tart) is delicious....not sure how to make the crust GF but I am sure you will find a way... almond flour?

I'll have to look that up. No almond flour. She's allergic to that too.

Last week I bought 2 frozen crusts to make apple pie for Tday for her. We have an Amish family market here in SWFL. I've heard they have a child who is Celiac so their selection of gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free items is awesome. Pricey for sure but worth it. The only way she'll ever have carbs is if we can afford to buy her something or we can figure out how to make it. We generally do the latter. Pie crust tho - I'll pay the price. LOL!

 

[PayrollNerd]

TO is back under lockdown as of Monday.

It seems that most of the city dwellers have ALL run out of food, water and paper products at exactly the same time. Amazing!

Very glad I got a few things yesterday. Saw the photos of lineups online and did not even bother to get more 'stuff' today.
I'm sure they stripped the shelves bare, as they did in March.

Hope I can make everything last until we are in a reasonable situation again.

What I do not have, I will do without.

Madness, pure madness.

Man, people are going to go stir crazy as the weather turns cold and no big malls to go walk off their pent up energy. Stay safe and warm!

 

[mickey2942]

Thanksgiving is this week? Wow. So much for this year. Whatever.

 

[PayrollNerd]

DH and I went to Nino's this afternoon. We got our outdoor holiday greens - 4 wreaths with pinecones and big red bows - and a "drop-in" with red bow and glittery ornaments for the urn on the front porch. We selected greens from the outdoor display, went inside to pay for them and put them in the car. We went back inside and got the grocery items on my list. Store was very crowded - everyone wearing masks but very difficult to social distance. I can't imagine what it will be like on Tuesday and Wednesday - glad we don't have to return. By the time I had finished putting groceries away, DH had already hung the wreaths on porch and garage lamps. Several other neighbors took advantage of the nice day to put up their holiday lights/decorations. Snow in tomorrow's forecast. I will work on food prep Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and won't really have much to do on Thanksgiving other than reheating.

That is what I plan to do too - make things in advance if I can. I'm in charge of dessert and picking up the produce distribution. Produce is Mon & Wed so I am hoping to make it to both. I never know what they'll give me so it will be veggie surprise for Tday.

I have to make two versions of pumpkin cookies - one for each kid based on food allergies. They are very easy to make tho and so good. They freeze well and the girls will each have their own version of cream cheese drizzle.

I am making 2 versions of chocolate cream pie too. One for me and one for the girls because the recipe is so easy and free of both their allergens. I just don't like their version so I'll make my own. LOL!

 

[MimosaMornings]

Thanksgiving is this week? Wow. So much for this year. Whatever.

Yep. 5 days away. I have my wine and a book plus Chef Boyardee pizza to make.