Grocery Shopping

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

Today I went to the grocery, primarily to get bread and milk, but thought I would also restock the freezer. Some observations from my trip (the first grocery visit in 10 days.)

1. While the number of vehicles was only slightly lower than a typical Saturday, the store itself was quiet. Not the normal hustle and bustle at the register lines and no groups at the (closed) meat counter or deli.
   
2. Quality of the produce was great!
   
3. The advertised specials on the shelves, contradicted the signs limiting quantities. "Buy two packages of Kraft cheese, get third free" with another sign "Because of the demand for this item, there will be a limit of 2."
   

[+ Charlie]

I went to my local Albertson's at noon today, and it was actually less crowded than usual on a Saturday. I found everything I was looking for--English muffins, bananas, low acid orange juice, Stouffer's frozen dinners, Dawn dishwashing detergent--and saw a lot of other regular items on my shopping list that I wasn't looking for today, like fruit, milk and eggs. No one at the checkout seemed to be buying large quantities of anything. Could the panic buying finally be subsiding?

[RM]

I went to my local Albertson's at noon today, and it was actually less crowded than usual on a Saturday. I found everything I was looking for--English muffins, bananas, low acid orange juice, Stouffer's frozen dinners, Dawn dishwashing detergent--and saw a lot of other regular items on my shopping list that I wasn't looking for today, like fruit, milk and eggs. No one at the checkout seemed to be buying large quantities of anything. Could the panic buying finally be subsiding?

I hope so. Maybe I can get eggs tomorrow. Thursday the man behind me had 5 gallons of milk, but the checker said they were limiting to two gallons.

[IndyGuy]

I don't think the panic buying is over yet, at least not where I am. I went in the morning, at my usual time, and it was an experience that I've never quite seen before in my lifetime. No carrots, potatoes, onions, bananas, red meat of any kind, chicken, pork, butter, pasta, pasta sauce, flour, sugar, eggs, cheese, yogurt, frozen meat of any kind, canned vegetables of any kind, rice, beans, frozen potatoes, etc. I literally found myself buying things I've never bought before just to have things to eat. Worst case scenario I can survive on cereal lol

[BSR]

I hope so. Maybe I can get eggs tomorrow. Thursday the man behind me had 5 gallons of milk, but the checker said they were limiting to two gallons.

 

Unless you have as many kids as the Duggars, what on earth are you going to do with 5 gallons of milk?? It doesn't keep in the fridge for that long, and really, how much milk can you drink?

[mike carey]

Unless you have as many kids as the Duggars, what on earth are you going to do with 5 gallons of milk?? It doesn't keep in the fridge for that long, and really, how much milk can you drink?

Oh, you're right. When I read that I thought about it being litres not gallons so didn't think anything of it.

[mike carey]

[MEDIA=twitter]1241661518241906690[/MEDIA]

[mike carey]

Everyone has their own priorities.

[MEDIA=twitter]1241582898592923653[/MEDIA]

[craigville beach]

Unless you have as many kids as the Duggars, what on earth are you going to do with 5 gallons of milk?? It doesn't keep in the fridge for that long, and really, how much milk can you drink?

 

i am not excusing the behavior, but you can freeze milk

[+ Pensant]

Unless you have as many kids as the Duggars, what on earth are you going to do with 5 gallons of milk?? It doesn't keep in the fridge for that long, and really, how much milk can you drink?

Fortunately I hate milk and bread, so I don’t care about those items. I do need my Organic Valley heavy whipping cream for my morning coffee, however, and there’s been plenty of that on the shelves. Small luxuries for these times.

[+ Cock Eyed Optimist]

In Illinois, our grocery store crowds had subsided until Friday. At 3:00 on Friday, the governor announced that we would be in a "stay at home" state until April 7. I got the alert at 1:00 and thought I would be smart and run over to the the grocery store and buy a few things before the shit hit the fan. Well it looks like everyone else in the Chicago area got the alert as well, because the mob inside and outside the store was horrendous. I turned around and left. When the official announcement was finally made, it included the fact that grocery stores would remain open. So that sneak alert causes mobs to congregate at grocery stores all over Illinois.

[+ poolboy48220]

Everyone seems to be stocking up on their prescriptions. I turned around and left CVS Friday afternoon when I saw the pharmacy line filled an entire aisle. I went back later and it was shorter, they were marking 6-foot spaces on the floor in tape.

[ericwinters]

Oh, you're right. When I read that I thought about it being litres not gallons so didn't think anything of it.

 

I've not been drinking milk, cow almond or coconut, for over a decade. Now don't F with my half and half!

[+ tassojunior]

It's mostly random. This morning Trader Joes had capacity in the store at 9am and had a line down the sidewalk waiting to be let in as people went out. Safeway 3 blocks away was fully stocked and almost no customers. The Whole Foods by me has always been over 50% Instacart and random.

 

Grocery stores are possibly the most dangerous contagion places most of us go now. I need to start mostly delivery.

[+ Pensant]

I just had a week’s worth of paleo meals delivered to my door. I love those people. Until now, I used to pick them up at the fridge at my x fit box.

[LaffingBear]

I shop a variety of places. Across the spectrum, including some pricier local stores, big chains, and some lower end bargain stores - stores we labeled "dented-can stores" when I was young.

 

Whole Foods 1.5 weeks ago was packed. Carts overflowing. Long lines. One woman said to me "stocking my pantry feels like the only thing I can control." Two days later, Safeway seemed fully stocked, was not unusually busy.

 

Surprisingly, some of those discount stores carry items, brands I can't get elsewhere. I have a theory that its where unsuccessful product introductions go to die. Mixed in among typical, and low-end, offerings, I've found frozen gourmet canape, incredible small batch ice cream, restauranteur efforts at retailing their house salad dressing, artisinal butter, etc. Many don't realize that food delivery systems rotate/ration food. Only when demand for an item fails, does it make its way to the discount outlets.

 

I went to my local discount store 1 week ago. Some items were missing, but it was mostly stocked. I returned there yesterday... shelf after shelf empty. No poultry or beef. No packaged foods like Oscar Mayer, etc that are a big part of such stores inventory. Almost no cheese. The aisle with paper towels, TP, etc wiped out. It was eerie.

 

It was unsettling, because it occurred to me.... these discount stores are at the end of the grocery supply food chain . They're unable to restock, because of demand upstream at the bigger chains. And it made me wonder... are the discount stores early indicators of what is coming? Or, as the bigger chains survive over time, will the discounters go under because there are fewer "leftovers" in the supply ststem?

[KeepItReal]

Stopped by my local store this morning. I feel like I should support them instead of the big boys like Amazon/Wholefoods or they won't survive. Store was mostly stocked. They did not have my preferred brand in some cases but an alternative brand was available. I was quite happy about that! ?

[+ Hoover42]

I've not been drinking milk, cow almond or coconut, for over a decade. Now don't F with my half and half!

Have you tried soy milk?

[+ Hoover42]

One grocery store here that does about $50,000 in business in one day, sold over $150,000 in goods a few days ago.

[+ Charlie]

I just stopped at my local Trader Joe's as I often do on my way home from my Sunday morning tennis, but there was a long line to get in, so I just kept on driving.

[jonnychgo]

In Illinois, our grocery store crowds had subsided until Friday. At 3:00 on Friday, the governor announced that we would be in a "stay at home" state until April 7. I got the alert at 1:00 and thought I would be smart and run over to the the grocery store and buy a few things before the shit hit the fan. Well it looks like everyone else in the Chicago area got the alert as well, because the mob inside and outside the store was horrendous. I turned around and left. When the official announcement was finally made, it included the fact that grocery stores would remain open. So that sneak alert causes mobs to congregate at grocery stores all over Illinois.

I too live in Chicago and went to my local Jewel on Friday around 2 to get some more things. It was packed. I did think that there had to be many people there who are carrying it although perhaps asymptomatic. And of course there was NOT six feet between people in line. I remarked to the young woman behind me that I was finishing up in case we got the lockdown and she informed me that it was coming to be announced later that day. I guess I was one of the few who did not get the advanced notice :-)

[+ azdr0710]

biggest fear I have these days is going to the grocery store!!....I haven't been to any food store or Costco in several days and want to stock up a bit on the basics, so I can avoid take-out too much......tried Costco about three days ago (a weekday) at about 1pm and, as I got out of my car, a woman wandered by and told me there is a two-hour line/wait.....I gave up and went home, stopping for take-out on the way......my current strategy is to get in line on a mundane weekday later this week at Costco a half-hour or so before opening time......

 

[TruthBTold]

I too live in Chicago and went to my local Jewel on Friday around 2 to get some more things. It was packed. I did think that there had to be many people there who are carrying it although perhaps asymptomatic. And of course there was NOT six feet between people in line. I remarked to the young woman behind me that I was finishing up in case we got the lockdown and she informed me that it was coming to be announced later that day. I guess I was one of the few who did not get the advanced notice

 

I am in Chicago and I do not know if I went to the same Jewel if you did (an old, horrible one on State and Roosevelt) but when I went on Friday I could not get eggs, orange juice, toilet paper, or butter. Forget about the most commonly desired sanitizer products. They closed the salad bar, although the deli section was still open. I do not have a car so I can't buy all that much but I wanted to buy a few things.

[+ SundayZip]

Went to my local supermarket early this morning, hoping to avoid crowds. No crowds but availability of groceries was hit and miss. It was good to see sanitizing wipes at the entrance and in most aisles. Produce, dairy and meat departments were well stocked. But aisles with paper products and cleaning supplies were a ghost town. Even liquid soap for automatic dishwashers was gone! Why would people hoard dishwasher soap? The only other challenge was check-out. With only one check-out line staffed with a person, they were encouraging people to use the self check-out registers. These work well for barcoded items but take forever for produce without a barcode or SKU label. Have you every watched a little old lady with blue hair try to get produce items through the self check-out? I would have stepped up to help if we didn't have this social distancing thing going on.

[jonnychgo]

I am in Chicago and I do not know if I went to the same Jewel if you did (an old, horrible one on State and Roosevelt) but when I went on Friday I could not get eggs, orange juice, toilet paper, or butter. Forget about the most commonly desired sanitizer products. They closed the salad bar, although the deli section was still open. I do not have a car so I can't buy all that much but I wanted to buy a few things.

I'm up in Edgewater so the one on Broadway and Berwyn. I too do not have a car and lugged four HEAVY bags nearly 4 blocks home and up three flights of stairs. Nearly killed me and I have done that twice before. I am stocking up so I don't have to go as often anymore.