Grocery Shelves are Empty!

[rebornfree]

I normally buy a week's worth at a time. $32.00 doesn't cover a week. I can't ask my daughter to go more than once a week. If she and her family get seriously ill, I'll be close to devastation.

I usually have my groceries delivered. Is that an option for you? The only problem here, in the UK, is that it's hard to get a delivery or "click and collect" slot these days. I hope they get more drivers and increase their capacity. Not their fault of course, it's the panic buying. I don't drive now but a neighbour has offered to pick up my groceries next time I shop and drive them home, while I walk thus preserving social distancing measures. Do you have neighbours who can help?

I had my last delivery on Thursday: no milk, toilet rolls or hand sanitiser. None in a small supermarket nearer to me nor in town. But neighbours I passed, who were walking their dog, picked up some milk for me from another part of town and I found both milk and toilet paper in the small shop only 30 seconds walk from home! I later found out that my next-door neighbour had been in the same supermarket as I had about 20 minutes later and they were filling the shelves with hand sanitiser. Sometimes you may just have to look around.

Smaller markets if you have them might be the place to go. Supporting local businesses.

I agree with Anastasia that local smaller shops may be the answer.

I feel for you though Phoebe Ann - a third of your shopping isn't good. The Lord will provide though - He has promised to! Matthew 6 v 25-34 says so.

 

[keith99]

I’m not sure how it would work but have you tried a grocery pickup service - like the ones you order from the store and drive up to pick them up? Most of the stores around here do it for free.

They normally pull from the shelves, so if they are out it will be no help. But maybe they are shifting how they do things right now. It’s usually a 1-2 day lead time here at Wal mart - linger now. So it might be of help?

Smaller markets if you have them might be the place to go. Supporting local businesses.

There is a market fairly near me that is not that small but is one of 3 family owned stores. Their customer base is of a more traditional shopping nature. E.g. shop on the weekends and during the day, Weekdays after 7 or 8 it is almost empty. Even now plenty of room to stay apart. I called ahead a few days ago and made sure the meat I wanted was in. Plenty of produce. Plenty of meat. They even had paper towels on sale! (Though a limit of 2 rolls).

I stopped at a small local market on the way to pick up a few pounds of pork. No problem.

If you normally shop at a small store, as in they recognize you then ask when things will be in. I had stopped at that same small store a few days earlier and they were out of ribeye, my usual purchase. Without my asking the butcher told me when teh delivery would be. I timed coming back pretty darn well. Not delivered yet so I was going to go a block away to do some shopping and come back only to see the truck roll in on my way out. I was able to tell the butcher the truck was in!

Also 99 cent stores are worth a shot. Those near me stock Zulca (a Mexican brand) sugar. When the chains were out or limiting to one item for sugar their shelves were full. They also had toilet paper. I already have enough so none for me.

 

[coffee4u]

I recommend making your own hand wash using:
Liquid castile soap base. 1/2 cup
Distilled water 1/2 cup. (simply boil and let cool)
15 drops tea tree essential oil or I use On Gaurd which is a blend. doTERRA On Guard Protective Blend | dōTERRA Essential Oils
1 Tbs vitamin E oil (optional)
1 Tbs sweet almond oil or olive oil or jojoba oil (optional)

The sanitizer needs aloe vera and rubbing alcohol which is harder to get right now.

 

[Rescued One]

I’m not sure how it would work but have you tried a grocery pickup service - like the ones you order from the store and drive up to pick them up? Most of the stores around here do it for free.

I don't drive and there's nothing within walking distance.

They normally pull from the shelves, so if they are out it will be no help. But maybe they are shifting how they do things right now. It’s usually a 1-2 day lead time here at Wal mart - linger now. So it might be of help?

Smaller markets if you have them might be the place to go. Supporting local businesses.

My groceries come from Walmart or Meijer. Those are the stores my daughter goes to get groceries --- one or the other, not both in the same week and not first thing in the morning.

Thank you for all the good ideas. My daughter is a blessing; she takes me to doctors' appoints, too.

 

[Rescued One]

THANK YOU, EVERYONE! I read all your suggestions. 'Tain't your fault I've got problems!

 

[Rescued One]

Do you have neighbours who can help?

They know I have children in this county --- i wouldn't ask them.

The Lord will provide though - He has promised to! Matthew 6 v 25-34 says so.

AMEN! He always has and I have enough pasta to hold me over for a month. I can put butter on my pasta.

 

[klutedavid]

They know I have children in this county --- i wouldn't ask them.



AMEN! He always has and I have enough pasta to hold me over for a month. I can put butter on my pasta.

Wow, so much pasta, you are a very lucky girl.

 

[klutedavid]

THANK YOU, EVERYONE! I read all your suggestions. 'Tain't your fault I've got problems!

You will know better next time. Older folk should have stocked up much earlier than everyone else.

 

[Rescued One]

You will know better next time. Older folk should have stocked up much earlier than everyone else.

You didn't read my posts. I stocked up when I had transportation. I had so much in my grocery cart that I was unable to push it because the weight prevented the wheels from turning. I had to pull it and my arm was sore for two days. When you pull a cart you need eyes in the back of your head to see where you're going.

Thank you for understanding.

 

[Rescued One]

Wow, so much pasta, you are a very lucky ogirl.

I'm not supposed to eat too many carbs. I bought the pasta for emergencies.

 

[klutedavid]

I'm not supposed to eat too many carbs. I bought the pasta for emergencies.

No pasta on shelf in my suburb. That is a popular choice for some reason.

 

[coffee4u]

No pasta, flour or Tp here either.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I finally found a box of pasta in one store here.

Bread and TP continue to be wiped out (though bakeries are offering specialty breads). This week I notice frozen food is all gone too.

There is a little more meat than before but selection still very limited - looks to be mostly the expensive stuff. Some places had milk this week. Eggs still mostly wiped out.

Fresh fruits and veggies are still available. That’s mostly what I needed to replenish.

 

[keith99]

Doh. I just remembered a recommendation I made to a guy who was behind me in line stocking up on pasta, which was his second choice. He would have preferred rice. If there is an Indian (as in from India) market near you check them for rice. The one near me normally has close to a ton of rice. I'm not exaggerating. 10,20 and larger bags stacked 4 or 5 feet high. I have not checked them out during this problem because I have over 10 pounds of 2 different kinds of rice already.

So check any ethnic stores near you. They are apt to have the staples their customers use.

 

[Rescued One]

My oldest daughter called me and said she will go to Meijer on Friday Morning and try to get things on my list. BTW, I wasn't taking all the pasta at Walmart. I had a little at home and added two 2-lb. boxes of macaroni. Since that trip 3 weeks ago I've been self-isolating.

 

[mmksparbud]

I have been ordering all my supplies on line for over 2 years. I don't have a choice. I'm in a wheel chair and have no car. I can't afford to buy once a week like most people do because there is a fee and there is a tip. So I shop only once a month. The fresh stuff I start cooking with what goes bad the fastest. I eat fresh for a week, but I start cooking and freezing so nothing goes bad. So I've always been trying to where I can enough for at least one month and maybe 2 for a long time now. I don't hoard, but I've always tried to buy the deals that are sold in bulk to save money. So I always bought TP b y the case--just one. So luckily, I had enough TP to where I am giving some to friends who can't find any.
So, for me, all this has not changed anything as I've been more or less in self quarantine for over 12 years just because of my disability---esp. the past 2. Just that now I can't have any visitors as I am in hospice and am 69 and am considered very high risk to get this.
I had trouble getting a delivery fo9r over a week from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods---they are hiring more people for deliveries. I finally got a spot at Walmart grocery and got pretty much everything I needed.

 

[keith99]

I finally found a box of pasta in one store here.

Bread and TP continue to be wiped out (though bakeries are offering specialty breads). This week I notice frozen food is all gone too.

There is a little more meat than before but selection still very limited - looks to be mostly the expensive stuff. Some places had milk this week. Eggs still mostly wiped out.

Fresh fruits and veggies are still available. That’s mostly what I needed to replenish.

Bolding mine.

Early on I noticed that the house brand of butter was gone but that there was still some to a lot of the more expensive name brands. The small Armenian store I often shop at seemed to have near full amounts of butter. BUT they only carry real specialty butter which while very reasonable for what it is costs significantly more than more plain butter. (Come to think of it early on there was some house brand unsalted butter available at one store when all else was gone).

Later when there were milk shortages I noticed that there was plenty of more expensive brands after the house brands, which are cheaper, were gone.

Actually I find this somewhat reassuring. Real panic or sustained shortages would lead to expensive stuff being gone too.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Bolding mine.

Early on I noticed that the house brand of butter was gone but that there was still some to a lot of the more expensive name brands. The small Armenian store I often shop at seemed to have near full amounts of butter. BUT they only carry real specialty butter which while very reasonable for what it is costs significantly more than more plain butter. (Come to think of it early on there was some house brand unsalted butter available at one store when all else was gone).

Later when there were milk shortages I noticed that there was plenty of more expensive brands after the house brands, which are cheaper, were gone.

Actually I find this somewhat reassuring. Real panic or sustained shortages would lead to expensive stuff being gone too.

You have a good point. No one is starving. They just don’t want to pay $15 for a raw chicken.

It is interesting. Last week I really needed to shop and spent almost two days in the city visiting MANY stores so I got an interesting overview of people’s behavior evidenced by buying habits.

This week I needed less and got enough visiting three stores, but it was still interesting comparing what they were buying last week to what they are buying this week.

Fresh produce was never in short supply anywhere.

The biggest shift I notice is less buying of staples like flour, cornmeal, sugar (which they also take longer to use up, probably) but a heavy shift toward wiping out frozen prepared meals.

Kind of funny - people should be having more time at home yet want more convenience foods?

On the other hand, I suspect parents with kids at home full time are probably more frazzled than they expected to be ...

That’s my guess anyway.

But you could probably do a social study based on supermarket shelves these past few weeks!

(I still don’t know why toilet paper and water were the first impulse so many people had!)

 

[Rescued One]

I have been ordering all my supplies on line for over 2 years. I don't have a choice. I'm in a wheel chair and have no car. I can't afford to buy once a week like most people do because there is a fee and there is a tip. So I shop only once a month. The fresh stuff I start cooking with what goes bad the fastest. I eat fresh for a week, but I start cooking and freezing so nothing goes bad. So I've always been trying to where I can enough for at least one month and maybe 2 for a long time now. I don't hoard, but I've always tried to buy the deals that are sold in bulk to save money. So I always bought TP b y the case--just one. So luckily, I had enough TP to where I am giving some to friends who can't find any.
So, for me, all this has not changed anything as I've been more or less in self quarantine for over 12 years just because of my disability---esp. the past 2. Just that now I can't have any visitors as I am in hospice and am 69 and am considered very high risk to get this.
I had trouble getting a delivery fo9r over a week from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods---they are hiring more people for deliveries. I finally got a spot at Walmart grocery and got pretty much everything I needed.

Does Walmart deliver? I order some things from Amazon, too. And I've been alone most of the time since my husband passed away.

 

[mmksparbud]

Does Walmart deliver? I order some things from Amazon, too. And I've been alone most of the time since my husband passed away.

Walmart has 2 on line sections----just Walmart has all the non perishables and household stuff, Walmart Grocery has the food. They charge 7.95 up to I think 9.95 , it depends on the day and time you want it, I always go the cheaper. And there is a tip, they say you can omit tip but I try to give something, my usual is $3-5. I can't go over $5. With Amazon Prime, which I do subscribe to, there is free delivery when over a certain amount---that's under either Fresh or Whole foods. Sometimes I end up ordering from all 3 section of Amazon plus Walmart---it all depends on the price---takes me hours on line to get my shopping done, always looking for where it's cheapest! I have to be very careful. You can also check Instacart.com to see if they have a delivery in your area. I used to use them more when they had the specials of "buy this much " of some brand and you get fee delivery. It was easy for me to do when it was $20 of Kraft but then they stopped doing it, now you just get $5.00 off your order. I think they charge 10.00 for delivery.