Grocery shopping tips during Coronavirus quarantine

[BetteDavisEyes]

While not urgent, I've had Kosher salt on my running grocery list for two weeks. DH looks for it when he ventures into Meijer, Kroger, or Salvaggios. No Kosher salt.

 

[raja]

I participate in the Food Pantry picks locally. (I’m a cancer patient.) Today was our biweekly produce handout. Instead of waiting in line, and them verifying our food cards, they turned it into a drive thru. You didn’t even need to show your card. You put your window down and they sat the bags on your seat. They were wearing gloves but no masks.

I did notice there was considerably less produce. That could be due to the season, the donations, or lack of food they could purchase. I was given 5 lbs white potatoes, 1 carton of strawberries, 1 box of mushrooms and 4 yellow fruits that I don’t recognize. Does anyone know what these are?

We have many food allergies and cannot eat mushrooms. I have a friend who will take them tho.

Maybe a kumquat

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I'm going to put some money in an envelope for my UPS driver and label it "for delivery person". Hopefully someone else won't pick it up.

Our regular UPS driver retired on Christmas Eve. He had the route for 26 of the 27 years that we've lived in our house. I was ready with a holiday card w/cash inside on one of his deliveries before Christmas. Your UPS driver will appreciate your thoughtfulness. Very nice gesture

 

[PayrollNerd]

MAY be yellow mangoes.

That’s what my daughter just said. That means I can’t eat them due to food allergies.

I washed every single strawberry and sliced them up.

Now, I need to go make mashed potatoes. They freeze well if they have butter in them.

 

[IceIce9]

Fresh Thyme stores are opening 2 hours early every Tuesday and Thursday for emergency medical personnel and law enforcement only! You have to show your ID and then you may shop from 6:00 to 8:00 am before the store opens for the general public. As an EMT I really appreciate this.

 

[cody22]

That’s what my daughter just said. That means I can’t eat them due to food allergies.

I washed every single strawberry and sliced them up.

Now, I need to go make mashed potatoes. They freeze well if they have butter in them.

I think ??? those are unripe mangoes. I believe they turn red when very ripe/ready to eat.......moo

 

[oviedo]

I had to get dog food - petsmart has put down tape every 6 feet for the line - I’m expecting them to close soon since it seems many other retailers are - 35lbs of food - enough to share if my friends and neighbors need it and they do close

 

[squareandrabbet]

In battle against COVID-19, Dollar General dedicates first hour of shopping to seniors

If you are a senior citizen, you may have the first hour at Dollar General to yourself (check for local hours and compliance, naturally).

 

[PayrollNerd]

I had to get dog food - petsmart has put down tape every 6 feet for the line - I’m expecting them to close soon since it seems many other retailers are - 35lbs of food - enough to share if my friends and neighbors need it and they do close

If your store sells real food for dogs, not just dry food, they may be considered essential. My kid is the Food Dept Mgr at a DogPerfect store. The state inspectors came in last Fri, looked at everything and said they could remain open. They can only have 2 staff at the store at a time. So she is off this week.

 

[squareandrabbet]

My sister works at a self-storage place, and was recently told that she was an "essential worker". She is not pleased. I told her that based upon the stashes of curbside items I was seeing sprout on my walks, that this might be so because there are people who are looking to evacuate to a different area of the U.S. .

On the bright side, her office is pretty vast and cavernous with lots of fresh air; so there's that.

 

[Tbone144]

I participate in the Food Pantry picks locally. (I’m a cancer patient.) Today was our biweekly produce handout. Instead of waiting in line, and them verifying our food cards, they turned it into a drive thru. You didn’t even need to show your card. You put your window down and they sat the bags on your seat. They were wearing gloves but no masks.

I did notice there was considerably less produce. That could be due to the season, the donations, or lack of food they could purchase. I was given 5 lbs white potatoes, 1 carton of strawberries, 1 box of mushrooms and 4 yellow fruits that I don’t recognize. Does anyone know what these are?

We have many food allergies and cannot eat mushrooms. I have a friend who will take them tho.

Maybe guava?

 

[MaryG12]

Went to Publix early this morning before I went on the clock at work - yep they got in a truck yesterday and the TP shelf section was maybe less than 1/20th full. Only one per customer so I picked up the 4-roll package, large size rolls. Should last 1 1/2 weeks or so.

All the paper towels were gone but we don't use that many.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Good Morning......I cannot believe that I found this thread this morning....!!!
I have been following the original CV thread and did not look for another one.
The only tip I can give re shopping from a fast trip to the Shell station.....besides gas, I found fresh Bunny bread, lots of sizes of milk, a pound of butter, a variety of soda, fresh shrimp and a few shelves of canned goods.
It was like finding a treasure less than a mile from the house.
Louisiana is going on lockdown at 5 pm today.

I plan on buying items such as milk and bread when needed from the small gas station stores too. We can go in and get out without bumping into another customer, like at WaWa, 7-11 or Quikchek.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Does anyone have suggestions on what we can do for our delivery persons, such as mail persons, UPS, FedEx, etc? I know I try to show my appreciation at Christmas time since they save me all the shopping with their endless deliveries. However, since I'm doing my best to not go out unnecessarily right now, I'm struggling with an appropriate way to show some gratitude to those that are enabling me to stay home.

My husband bought a box of 50 masks at Square Deal a few weeks ago and I have been handing them out to our grocery delivery clerks.

 

[JerseyGirl]

We woke up at 6am today and went to Acme during senior hours. I was able to find meat but no chicken. I also bought canned goods, spaghetti and sauce, frozen shrimp, Rice, canned tuna, fresh vegetables, paper towels, cereal, powdered milk, pet food, eggs, flour, fruit, and paper towels. All things missing from my delivery from ShopRite yesterday. I could not find yeast, toilet paper and any cleaning products.

Later I went to Dollar General and was able to pick up other canned goods, jello, pudding, cookies and snacks, and dog treats that have become hard to find.

We are now good with staples if we need to hunker down for a month or more without food delivery but will keep my ShopRite order for next Monday for fresh fruit and vegetables, milk and bread.

 

[bluedivergirl]

I wen to my central FL Publix this AM. I was very pleased to see the produce section nearly normal. Bought carrots, potatoes, onions, kale and broccoli. Hamburger was in the butcher's case. I didn't know why; finally dawned on me they are controlling how much each customer gets. Chicken was limited to 1 pack per customer.

There is no flour except for small, organic specialty flours. I do have about 7lbs of King Arthur in the pantry.

No TP or paper towels. No laundry bleach or other disinfectants. Did have pool and spa bleach. With a little calculating, you could probably use that.

In the next few days, in making chicken parmigiana, beef stew, Zuppa Toscana, beef and broccoli, shrimp pasta with peppers and broccoli and yet to be determined. Leftover beef stew may become a pot pie. I enjoy cooking, DH enjoys eating.

 

[Gardenista]

Wear a button up the front or full zip shirt/jacket so you don't have to pull it over your face when you remove it. Leave shoes outside when you get home.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

I participate in the Food Pantry picks locally. (I’m a cancer patient.) Today was our biweekly produce handout. Instead of waiting in line, and them verifying our food cards, they turned it into a drive thru. You didn’t even need to show your card. You put your window down and they sat the bags on your seat. They were wearing gloves but no masks.

I did notice there was considerably less produce. That could be due to the season, the donations, or lack of food they could purchase. I was given 5 lbs white potatoes, 1 carton of strawberries, 1 box of mushrooms and 4 yellow fruits that I don’t recognize. Does anyone know what these are?

We have many food allergies and cannot eat mushrooms. I have a friend who will take them tho.

Is that a label I spy on one of the yellow fruit? If so, is there a 4- or 5-digit number on it?

 

[utahobserver]

Meanwhile...I am waiting to bring in my 3 bags of groceries sitting on my picnic table. I had a Whole Foods delivery on Friday early evening. Mostly canned and pasta type items. Upon arrival, I brought in the bananas and placed in sink full of soap and water, washing well. I lysol sprayed the items in the bags and planned on a three day "cooling off period" then wash again.

Does anyone have suggestions on delivery for fresh vegetables? I don't think I can go without onions, potatoes, celery-just simple veggies mostly! I made a wonderful stew yesterday very aware of possibly running out of onions and potatoes soon~how are we cleaning our veggies? vinegar? I need more proof that is going to be sufficient. I did wash my red onions with soap and water real well.
jmo

how bizarre how bizarre

I have been able to get fresh produce from Whole Foods. I am in Utah. I haven't ordered much, though. Onions, garlic, ginger, peppers and some asparagus. I let the onions and ginger sit in the sun for 3 days+. I wash everything else with 1 cup vinegar to 4 cups water and one tablespoon concentrated lemon juice. Let sit for 5-10 minutes then rinse throughly and dry.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Is that a label I spy on one of the yellow fruit? If so, is there a 4- or 5-digit number on it?

Yes! 4312 and my kid can read in itty bitty letters the word mango. Mystery solved! LOL!

This afternoon, I drove us over to the afternoon produce pick up. My kid sat in the back seat on the opposite side. (You can go to both in one day if you want/need to.) I didn’t know if I’d have to interact with people. Figured I’d stay in the vehicle and my kid would get in line. But, they turned it into a drive thru.

This afternoon, they gave us bagged salad, a huge bag of cut broccoli, 6 more mangoes, a big onion, more potatoes, more mushrooms and cut up watermelon.

I’m sharing with my friend who couldn’t go. She just got a job. Her 25 year old daughter lost her job the same day. Her Ex plopped her 16 year old son on a plane to FL, indefinitely. They have 1 car and the commute to my friends new job is 1 hour, 1 way. If we weren’t social distancing, we could have picked up her daughter and taken her with us. Everything is iced down in the garage for her. She will swing by and scoop it up.