When do you think grocery shopping will have a sense of normalcy again?

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Most of that is perishable - people planning to freeze all that stuff?

They could be making meals with that just regular meals

Of the list the person mentioned:

Rice-- we already had some but used that either Tuesday or Wednesday and made a spinach and rice with chicken and cheese casserole

Onions--used that in 2 recipes so far since buying some Thursday night (I think we bought 2 as we already had half a one left over)

Garlic (we buy minced garlic in a jar anyways so we don't actively buy that--maybe the person was also meaning that)

Pasta--we made spaghetti earlier this week, made 1 of the 2 recipes we have planned Friday night with already bought months ago pasta.

Pasta sauce--used for spaghetti plus we needed some for a recipe we plan to make that can be frozen

Chicken--got a rotissere chicken from Costco and have used it for 2 recipes (one of which we made and froze it so it will be for 2+ meals) plus we have canned chicken to use

Beef--we had 3 lbs left but needed another 1.5 lbs for another recipe so we got that (we'll be exhausting our 3lb we already have for other recipes). We couldn't get our normal 5lb roll though but we did get a 2.25lb fresh package; we used 1.5lbs for chili made yesterday

Dry and canned beans--got pinto beans for the chili

Bread except for yucky bread like malt rye--got bagels for breakfast for me during the week, 2 loaves of bread with 1 frozen. My husband makes sandwiches often to take to work for lunch and I also eat sandwiches often for lunch.

Apples--picked up some of that as well for lunch items.

It's just my husband and I so we have leftovers which spreads out how many days we have meals for. This morning was breakfast leftovers from yesterday morning, tonight is leftovers from Friday night's dinner, tomorrow night is leftovers from Saturday night's dinner.

 

[rwdavis2]

The Annapolis,MD Whole Foods this morning (8:30) was pretty well stocked and not crazy at all. Not sure what happened later.

 

[luvsJack]

Just left Walmart. Some of the shelves were empty but they were restocking. And the trucks are running. We saw so many Walmart trucks on the interstate. If everyone will sit tight, the trucks will get the stuff there.

The fresh produce was plentiful. People forget that a lot of the fresh produce can be frozen from fresh or cooked and frozen. Just takes a little extra effort.

Dried beans and peas were ransacked. But if your store has them, they last forever or you can cook and freeze them.

 

[Farro]

Chicago - check in. Jewel was restocking, no tp, bread or onions (?), but everything else. And more was coming out as I was leaving.

 

[rwdavis2]

Just left Walmart. Some of the shelves were empty but they were restocking. And the trucks are running. We saw so many Walmart trucks on the interstate. If everyone will sit tight, the trucks will get the stuff there.

The fresh produce was plentiful. People forget that a lot of the fresh produce can be frozen from fresh or cooked and frozen. Just takes a little extra effort.

Dried beans and peas were ransacked. But if your store has them, they last forever or you can cook and freeze them.

Exactly. I'd bet if people just wait until they actually run out of something they will find it vs. running out and hoarding it.

 

[okeydokey]

Our supply chain is currently intact, give it a couple of days. My hope is that all the stockpiling frenzy is behind us and we are looking at more normal shopping behaviors in the near future.

 

[disney212]

I am in Northern Ky. I am still working through the instructions and paperwork sent home for at home classroom learning for our 3 kids starting Monday.

I dare not go to Costco or Sam's. I went last week and ain't going back for a while. DW is going to Kroger tomorrow and shows no concern.

Northern KY here too. Remke in Crescent Springs was fully stocked yesterday. Busy but not over run and everyone was being respectful.

 

[RamblingMad]

Our supply chain is currently intact, give it a couple of days. My hope is that all the stockpiling frenzy is behind us and we are looking at more normal shopping behaviors in the near future.

It's still happening in the UK. I think, this is wave one in the US.

 

[skuttle]

Most of that is perishable - people planning to freeze all that stuff?

I went to Sams Friday to get stuff for my three kids since they will unexpectedly be home a while. I was shocked at the number of people buying freezers...deep freezers and stand up freezers!

 

[SaintsManiac]

So I decided to make a Target run. Plenty of parking, good sign. I saw 3 ladies walking to their car and asked them how it was inside. They said all was peaceful.

I really wanted to buy new hand towels, because we are running through them faster than I can wash them. Grabbed toothpaste for everyone. No hand soap in sight.

No TP, but there were paper towels. Kleenex was running low. Grabbed a bottle of Lysol cleaner, as they had stock with a sign that it was limited purchase per person.

Frozen pizza, frozen chicken nuggets/strips decimated. Cookies, gone. No bread at all. Pasta and jarred sauces decimated. Only kind of peanut butter was the Skippy natural. Yeah I wouldn't buy that, either!

They had people stocking the frozen foods, but I really didn't need much. Grabbed some chicken strips and waffles (see where I am going with that).

Stocked up on wine, candy, popcorn, coffee. They had plenty of produce. Seems like folks here are prepping for a hurricane by cleaning out all the dang junk food.

No lines at the registers except for self checkout. That made no sense to me. I hardly touched a thing being checked out by a cashier. Ok, people.

Anyway--that's it. I'm done shopping for the duration. Wiped my cart all over before going in. Didn't set my purse in it. They were out of wipes to do your own cart, so I used the ones I brought with me.

Weirdest Target run I have ever made.

On a side note: A 45 year old man in Kenner, LA (about 45 minutes from me) is now on a ventilator. He was misdiagnosed as having the flu several weeks ago. He had no underlying health issues.

This is real, folks.

 

[NotUrsula]

Most of that is perishable - people planning to freeze all that stuff?

Of that list, only the chicken, beef & bread will not keep for months at cool-ish room temp. (The apples will shrivel a bit and get soft, but can still be used cooked.)

 

[ten6mom]

Frozen pizza, frozen chicken nuggets/strips decimated. Cookies, gone. No bread at all. Pasta and jarred sauces decimated. Only kind of peanut butter was the Skippy natural. Yeah I wouldn't buy that, either!

Skippy Natural (creamy) is our favorite!

 

[mnrose]

Just got back from vacation and did a normal restock of our refrigerator at Costco. It was INSANE. Not one package of fresh ground beef, no pork, no chicken (this was at opening BTW, so it's not like they were "out"), no rice, no pasta. Insane. Did have plenty of milk, eggs, fresh produce, cheeses, peanut butter, etc. Bread was picked over, but still some. No TP, no paper towels, one kind of face tissue. Lines were to the back of the store. People in good humor and polite. No insanity in that regard.

 

[skyblue17]

Just a reminder that if you are looking for specific items, look in "off" places. A store like Staples stocks paper products and cleaning products. Your local specialty markets, like Italian delis, might have cleaning products and toilet paper (for a higher price, but still!). And stores that specialize in international foods will still have products you need, just a different brand! I think part of the problem is people are like "I have to go to Target/Walmart/CVS"!

 

[Christine]

I've been in two stores this week. Again, Wegman's can't seem to keep up. Safeway is doing a lot better. I was able to get some organic chicken breasts and thighs at Safeway, some Kielbasa, and a top sirloin steak for the beef tips I had planned to make today. Took me hours to find that so it got into the slow cooker late, so my tonight's dinner will be tomorrow!

My parents, who are in Florida, went to Publix for bread which they can't find anywhere. No bread but they did have some Lysol Wipes on a BOGO sale.

 

[Disneylover99]

Just got back from vacation and did a normal restock of our refrigerator at Costco. It was INSANE. Not one package of fresh ground beef, no pork, no chicken (this was at opening BTW, so it's not like they were "out"), no rice, no pasta. Insane. Did have plenty of milk, eggs, fresh produce, cheeses, peanut butter, etc. Bread was picked over, but still some. No TP, no paper towels, one kind of face tissue. Lines were to the back of the store. People in good humor and polite. No insanity in that regard.

Yesterday was insane around here. But not today. My husband went to our Costco early this afternoon. It was completely dead. Nobody was shopping. All the cashiers were just standing around. Most shelves had been restocked.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Just a reminder that if you are looking for specific items, look in "off" places. A store like Staples stocks paper products and cleaning products. Your local specialty markets, like Italian delis, might have cleaning products and toilet paper (for a higher price, but still!). And stores that specialize in international foods will still have products you need, just a different brand! I think part of the problem is people are like "I have to go to Target/Walmart/CVS"!

Father-in-law got toilet paper at Home Depot

Oh I should also mention Menards if areas have that are a location to get some stuff too.

 

[Farro]

Father-in-law got toilet paper at Home Depot

Oh I should also mention Menards if areas have that are a location to get some stuff too.

Yes!!! Home Depot was a hidden gem for tp!

 

[NYCgrrl]

I live within 5 minutes of 6 different grocery stores.
I have already stocked up on items because we are a large family and food doesn’t last that long anyway.
Forget toilet paper...All the stores were empty of the following:
Rice
Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Pasta
Pasta sauce
Chicken
Beef
Dry and canned beans
Bread except for yucky bread like malt rye
Apples

Most of that is perishable - people planning to freeze all that stuff?

Actually most of this list are stable goods:
Rice
Potatoes: store in cool dry area
Onions: " " " " "
Garlic: " " " " "
Pasta
Dry and canned beans

Pasta sauce (jarred): store in fridge after opening
All listed meats store in fridge or freezer.
Bread can be stored at rm temp or fridge/freezer. I opted for freezer since we don't eat much of it.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Still no TP near us in the quantity and brands I prefer. We have 6 rolls in reserve so I'm not sweating it for the moment. The man has learned a valuable lesson: when I tell him to buy TP and it's readily available... don't bring home paper towels instead unless he's cutting it down and using it on his tushie .