Grocery shopping during Coronavirus?

[siren0119]

Thats really a good idea, most of my milk goes into cereal and mac and cheese... so they wouldn't know the difference anyways.

Glad to help! I never thought all the things I did to survive when we were SUPER broke would come in handy again, but here we are

 

[pryncess527]

We usually drink 3-4 gallons of milk a week!!! A 1 gallon limit would be miserable. It’s already definitely the hardest thing for me to keep stocked, but I’ve started going to the dairy directly instead of the grocery store for milk, which helps.

 

[Southernmiss]

We had what I thought was a well stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer. But about Monday dh started asking me several times if we had enough food.

To make him feel better and stop asking, Wednesday evening we made a list and early Thursday he set out to get the items due to scarcities. Took him 2 stores and about 3 hours to get those items. We had a Sam's order, but the store at opening was a Zoo and he needed to get back home to work.

We are ready to shelter in place for several weeks if we had to. Freezer and fridge are so full I can't find anything which makes me crazy as the primary meal preparer.

 

[bearzabout]

We stocked up on cheap big bags of oatmeal so we can make oat milk during the quarantine. We take one cup of oatmeal and three cups of water and blend for 30 seconds in our Vitamix. We strain it through a fine strainer and can use the fiber in smoothies. Yes, it tastes like oatmeal, but it is healthy and better than nothing.

The other thing we stocked up on is canning jars. We use pint size to freeze real milk and homemade soups and they are great for storing left overs. Costco chicken carcasses make the best chicken soup.

 

[toonaspie]

My family rn is coordinating grocery trips. One person every other week will go shopping for all of us (using the no contact deliver to car system) then drop off the groceries to different family members (also no contact). I'm fortunate enough to have prepped for this thing back in February. There are a few things I regret not stocking up on. I got really busy in the weeks leading up to this mess and didn't have time to go to the grocery store once this month began. There are non food related stuff I'm running low on that I guess I'll have to Amazon. My state is not under any major lockdowns or quarantines yet but I'm concerned it will get there real soon.

And of course, thanks to my parents bulk buying, I've had plenty of TP since before this whole thing even began.

 

[maxiesmom]

My recent shopping has been done either right when the store opens, or 30 minutes before they close. I started buying for a lock down a few weeks ago--I used some of my income tax return to fund it. There should be enough groceries and dog food to get us thru 2 weeks without having to leave the house, probably longer.

 

[kymom99]

This might help anyone in the greater Cincinnati area. We went to jungle jim’s this morning. We were able to find plenty of pasta in the Italy section. We also found dried beans in a couple areas. The main grocery section is picked over but if you look hard you can find a lot of things you need. They also had cat litter which had been hard to find at our Kroger and meijer.

There was no toilet paper. They had a few packages of paper towels. Not much in the way of cleaning supplies. I do confess, I think seeing empty shelves tends to hit people with a bit of panic, even if we already have plenty of the things that are sold out. I think that’s what causes over buying. We have enough TP but it’s hard to fight the urge to go in search of more.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

But, I think all the "normal mental rules" go out the window right now. If you need 6 gallons of milk to feel safe, but no cheese...do that. If you need 10 cans of spam, do that.

This is what is leading to empty shelves. If you're really going to use 6 gallons of milk before it expires, that's one thing. Buying just for mental/hoarding purposes isn't helpful or healthy.
Ds works in a supermarket. Despite the sign on the shelf limiting people to 1 carton of eggs per visit, someone attempted to buy an entire cart full of eggs.
Regardless of how people try to justify this, it leaves no eggs for others. Having a decent supply is one thing. Unless they're feeding the Army, no one "needs" a cart full of eggs to feel safe. If you do, I'd suggest telehealth visit with a therapist to boost one's coping skills.

So not only did someone from the store have to waste precious time restocking shelves that were already stocked, that is just more touching on items by 2 more people than was necessary, before the next buyer puts it in their cart.

 

[bakerworld]

I keep thinking we have everything and then I think of something else. Normally, I would just wait until next week but this is such a weird situation that we've running to the store like every day. I told DH today that I don't want to go a food store / beverage store for 2 weeks. He just laughed. So apparently we're 'shelter in place' with a food/beverage store exception.

 

[ClapYourHands]

This is what is leading to empty shelves. If you're really going to use 6 gallons of milk before it expires, that's one thing. Buying just for mental/hoarding purposes isn't helpful or healthy.
Ds works in a supermarket. Despite the sign on the shelf limiting people to 1 carton of eggs per visit, someone attempted to buy an entire cart full of eggs.
Regardless of how people try to justify this, it leaves no eggs for others. Having a decent supply is one thing. Unless they're feeding the Army, no one "needs" a cart full of eggs to feel safe. If you do, I'd suggest telehealth visit with a therapist to boost one's coping skills.

So not only did someone from the store have to waste precious time restocking shelves that were already stocked, that is just more touching on items by 2 more people than was necessary, before the next buyer puts it in their cart.

Agreed. Trader Joe’s had signs all over stating a limit of two of any item per shopper, and someone standing next to the eggs telling people only 1 dozen allowed. I was annoyed because it meant another shopping trip, but I realize the only reason there were eggs there for me is that the workers were stopping others from stocking up. And still the guy in front of me tried to check out with more than the allotted canned goods.

Our small local grocery store tonight had a sign saying the food supply is not in jeopardy, don’t hoard.

I feel like it’s a fine line to buy enough but not too much of what you need when others are hoarding so you don’t know what the supplies will be when you go back.

 

[azdisneylover]

I find it really sad people have all but forgotten that chickens will lay eggs daily and cows have to be milked twice a day, every day. So, if people would just take it easy and remember that we are in this together, we all can have enough. Here in America, we are truly blessed. Waiting for a Walmart to open, my two teenagers were complaining having to wait 20 minutes for the store to open (and it was cold). I reminded them we are very fortunate having to only wait for the store to open in 20 minutes and that people in other countries wait hours, get in, then leave with very little. I told them they are learning patience too. While waiting, everyone was very civil, keeping the distance, etc, once the doors opened, it was Black Friday Walmart action, so I and my daughters moved to the side, and I told them, we are not going in there and we will head to our other grocery store and get what we need. There wasn't any sugar, paper products were not on the shelves, but being doled out by a couple of managers in the back, and while some product was out of stock, people were orderly and civil. People who, in normal circumstances are rude, are even ruder in times like these. I found myself speaking up for people who were too scared to say anything in fear of retaliation. It is okay to speak up, in a kind way, to remind someone to use their good manners and that we are all in this together.

 

[cvjw]

We are in metro Atlanta, and my local stores are pretty well stocked. No TP or hand sanitizer, but I have been able to find anything else I needed. Only going once a week. The people inside the stores just don’t understand social distancing. Way too close to each other.

 

[Brancaneve]

The issue that I have experienced is essentially giving up the inclination to "bargain shop". I refuse to run around to 2-3 different stores to get all the essentials in order to save money. I don't want to increase my exposure!

However, it's also taught me to make do with what I have a bit more than usual. To dig a little deeper into the back of the freezer, to be inventive and to use my instapot a lot more!

 

[siren0119]

I have to say that my normally picky 13 year old has been WONDERFUL about eating everything I make for dinner - I'm being much more intentional about the recipes I choose and making sure what we have on hand lasts as long as possible, so many of the things I've made in the last week are outside our "routine" dinners. But my kids are taking it in stride, and have found things they didn't realize they would enjoy! (I had bought a couple of corned beef roasts ahead of St Patrick's day when I found them on sale, figuring it would just be something hubby and I could enjoy....made it for dinner the other night and both kids LOVED it!)

 

[TwoMisfits]

The issue that I have experienced is essentially giving up the inclination to "bargain shop". I refuse to run around to 2-3 different stores to get all the essentials in order to save money. I don't want to increase my exposure!

However, it's also taught me to make do with what I have a bit more than usual. To dig a little deeper into the back of the freezer, to be inventive and to use my instapot a lot more!

Yeah, I haven't given up just bargain shopping...I've given up all shopping til Easter (I've done 3 weeks, and am planning 3 more). I have a giant produce box coming weekly (which will also have oats this week), and I sneak in Amazon and Amazon Fresh orders for whatever they'll deliver (b/c my other 2 delivery services cancelled on me with no warning, so I only look for the one who hasn't screwed me yet b/c at least then I know I'm getting something) about every 10 days (which is as often as I can grab a spot). Very little availability on AF, but it has lunch meat, bread, milk (sometimes), and eggs (sometimes)...so I'm stretching my freezer proteins and my shelf carbs (b/c those are all also not available much) for my family of 6.

Since fresh produce features so much in my cooking, it hasn't made me adapt too much yet, except slimming down the meat item in the dish. But, with a FL relative already having this virus, I'd rather have a little less chicken or beef than deal with quarantining one kid, keeping others away, cleaning and sanitizing non-stop, and worrying about the illness every day for my kid...and it did make me buy ducks from a farm, so when they show up, I'll be able to let the kids go meat-wild for a few meals again...

PS - We've actually given up all enclosed spaces til after Easter, including friends' houses...in the "you can't be too careful" phase...so I'm not just anti-grocery shopping right now...

 

[neatokimmo]

I miss grocery shopping, I’ve always enjoyed it. That and meal planning. Now when I shop I buy whatever meat I can find and I’m not overly picky with what it goes with.

What helped me with dinners was pulling everything from all the cabinets. Then I made as many meals as I could from it. The dry stuff went on a special shelf with dire warnings to the family to not eat it. The rest is fair game. You want green beans for breakfast? If it’s not on the dinner shelf have at it.

 

[maxiesmom]

This week I'm going to start using a shopping service that gets your groceries, and brings them out to your car. Not Shipt, but a service one of the stores I shop at has. Some pet stores are doing the same thing, and I will use it if needed.

 

[jo-jo]

This week I'm going to start using a shopping service that gets your groceries, and brings them out to your car. Not Shipt, but a service one of the stores I shop at has. Some pet stores are doing the same thing, and I will use it if needed.

We used Walmart pickup twice and BJs once. All three trips we got about 1/2 of what we wanted. 1/4 of subs that were acceptable and 1/4 of 'there just isn't any" . Like when I made the order for BJ's, it was showing BJ wipes in stock. At the time of shop no cleaning wipes at all.

 

[tarheel618]

The only thing right now I wish I had was another 5-pound bag of flour and tortilla chips. We will make do with what we have, it might not be what we want to eat but we will not starve. I'm hoping in 3-4 weeks things will be better in the stores. I've been stretching meals with rice and beans and only having meat as the main dish every other night. Making casseroles that will feed us two meals. We have breakfast, snack or leftovers for lunch and dinner. I'm stretching now from the get-go so that I am sure we can last at least a month without going to the store if needed. I figured smaller portions will help the waistline too, for example, tonight I used 3 fresh corn ears and cut them in 1/2. Everyone was happy with 1/2 of an ear and only my husband wanted another 1/2.

 

[miamimama]

Not going to stores anymore so i’ve found Instacart and a local produce delivery service, with a few Amazon items now and Then have been been sufficient. Definitely not getting many bargains though. Miss picking out my own produce though.