Grocery Shopping

[+ tassojunior]

Aldi is so cheap that it's delivery with InstaCart justifies the delivery cost. (The 1st 3 are free). The one in DC is across town so it's worth the delivery. If DC starts to get Mad Maxy I'm getting Instacart deliveries. Grocery stores are contagion hotspots.

 

https://www.aldi.us/en/about-aldi/faqs/grocery-delivery-pickup/

 

 

Edited March 25, 2020 by tassojunior

[RealAvalon]

I bought roofing nails. All done for today

Edited March 26, 2020 by RealAvalon

[+ azdr0710]

very successful Costco run this morning......

 

thinking they were opening at their normal 10am, I arrived at about 9:30 to get in an expected line.....however, this Costco (and others???) is now opening at 9am and, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, opens at 8am for seniors.....I don't yet qualify for that, but was able to join the short line and get in in about five minutes......found all I wanted in order to minimize take-out and eat at home more.....the monthly coupon book helped, too....some items had limits.....the food sample ladies are, of course, gone......the store was noticeably calmer with the crowd limits and with most customers quietly and efficiently moving thru the store......toilet paper and sanitizer, among a few other things, were not available, but I'm stocked up with those for now

 

Costco is a well-oiled machine and I thanked staff for their hard work...... a staff member held up a sign near the entrance to the line with out-of-stock items listed and another staff member was handing out carts at the store entrance......check-out was very quick with a couple new "no-touch" requests and a staff person pointing out available cashiers and reminding about the six-foot rule......

 

I'll go to a conventional grocery in a couple days to get some produce in smaller quantities......

 

my fears of chaos, pushing-and-shoving, empty shelves, long lines, and onerous restrictions had kept me from going to any food store for over a week....I can now minimize getting take-out and make some better quality (and cheaper) food at home......

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by azdr0710

[+ quoththeraven]

I went grocery shopping Sunday morning and they had tape up preventing entry into the produce section directly from the entrance and directing traffic around the adjacent bakery, deli and cheese sections in order to corral everyone checking out into a single line for checkout along one wall far away from the cash registers. There were no explanations, so I thought they were limiting entry (even though no one was monitoring it) until I saw that a line had formed and there was an employee directing people to cashiers. Fortunately by the time I was done there was no line, and it turned out the employee managing the flow of customers was also checking to see if you had more than one item that was being rationed.

 

There was absolutely no toilet paper despite signs limiting purchases (fortunately I'd bought some early in the month and didn't need any) and very little bottled water, but what got me the most was that the 18 pack of large store brand eggs I normally buy for $2 or thereabouts was completely out. I bought the least expensive eggs I saw, which were a dozen store brand brown cage free organic for $2.50. Unsurprisingly, egg purchases were also limited to one per customer along with bread and milk (there were adequate supplies of both, but I use lactose free milk, so I don't know about regular milk). I can already tell I'm going to need more bread, though.

 

The store wasn't crowded, but people weren't always staying the recommended six feet away. (And in some cases it was impossible - the aisles aren't that wide.) If I'm already stopped to get something, please don't stop within six feet of me, for crying out loud!

Edited March 27, 2020 by quoththeraven

[RealAvalon]

Have any USA states taken similar actions against re-sale of hoarded items yet?

https://www.straight.com/covid-19-pandemic/march-26-coronavirus-update-vancouver-bc-government-invokes-emergency-powers

[DR FREUD]

I went to my smaller Publix last night for the first time in 10 plus days. I was expecting full shelves except for paper products since the panic subsided here about a week ago. The store was in the worst shape I have ever seen. Many empty shelves and lots of holes in stock all around My only explanation is that they have diverted delivery trucks from west coast of Florida to the east coast as their stores were harder hit. I got most things I needed though not the brands or styles i would normally purchase. Went next door to get my Gin and liquor store had new shorter hours, so no gin. All in all things are well in my area but may be just temporary as plenty of cases on west coast both north and south of where I live.

[paulsf]

I’ll contradict your experience a bit. I went to my Publix on the east coast of Florida. Way worse than last week. Most people were walking in and out with nothing. Never seen so many empty shelves.

If you need potato chips you would fine.

[Epigonos]

My markets here in North Orange County, Southern California are in decent shape. Toilet paper is still a problem but I'm OK there. Bottled water seems to be available in most stores but there are buying limits. Most people seem to be buying things like Hamburger Helper and frozen prepared dinners. All brands of frozen pizzas are gone as fast as they are shelved. I'm a scratch cook and thus am not having much of a problem. Several years ago I bought a vacuum seal appliance and thus have a freezer full of meat I purchased on sale. Last night, for example, I prepared slow cook spareribs.

I find I am walking a lot in my neighborhood and greeting neighbors, from a distance, who I have never met before. Everybody seems to want to exchange greetings which is nice. Thankfully I have a huge collection of DVD which help alleviate the boredom.

Edited March 28, 2020 by Epigonos

[+ Charlie]

The one constant in the supermarkets I have been to here in Palm Springs the past two weeks has been long empty shelves in the canned foods area. The other day at Albertson's there was a single can in the Progresso soup section: split pea with ham. There were a dozen cans of sardines, and I bought half of them (I love sardine sandwiches). Eggs and yogurt have also been hard to find.

[lonely_john]

Going out for groceries that didn’t come in my last delivery order. Wish me luck! ?

[+ bigjoey]

Just got back from a shopping trip. Both my local market and CVS had toilet paper. Both stores well stocked and no crowds so keeping social distance was easy. Able to walk right up to cashiers.

 

My guess is that many people who bought like crazy are starting to dig into their hordes and do not need more. After all, you do not use any more toilet paper just because you have a year’s supply. I guess some people are starting to feel a little silly and are asking “Why did I buy that?”

 

Out and walking every day and people wave and greet each other (while keeping safe distances). Everyone seems very friendly.

[+ E.T.Bass]

I quit Costco couple years ago. Didn't like the vibe. Felt like too many pushy, greedy people buying too much sh!t that they didn't need. Plus the housewares quality was pretty bad. And prices just kept jumping up.

 

I'm able to find what I need shopping at a diverse selection of stores, even now, during [edit due to missing the sarcasm]

Why are we still using ChinaVirus2020? It’s everywhere now... and not appropriate to use that term.

Really? It's never referred to that way in Canada. Just the actual scientific label COVID19

Edited out. The sarcasm was a stretch for too many of you.

Our news has blasted Trump for such a reference

Edited March 27, 2020 by E.T.Bass

[lonely_john]

Edited out. The sarcasm was a stretch for too many of you.

Our news has blasted Trump for such a reference

I’m not racist and I don’t like Trump, but I do think China must be held accountable on this one because their government was too permissive in every sense, from allowing their nationals to eat literally anything that moves, to the fact that they detected the virus is very dangerous and they covered it up and failed to contact the WHO immediately, they just did when the infection was incontrollable, and finally to let people flight our of their borders without any screening, while they knew the infection was spreading like crazy. Shame on them. If naming the virus after them is a way for history to remember their negligence and irresponsibility I think it’s fair.

[Epigonos]

I’m trying, with some success, to keep my sense of humor. Just returned from my local Smart & Final here in North Orange County, CA. I live in a mixed ethnicity neighborhood with many limited speaking English residents. My market is operating with a single checkout line. As each check out station becomes free the checker calls out next and waves his or her hand for the customer to approach. A limited speaking woman charged past the line and when immediately to an open checkout station. The cashier, who defines the term “dumb blonde” informed the woman that she needed to wait in the line. The woman feigning lack of understanding insisted that the checker check her out. Eventually the “dumb blonde” checker began to do so. In her basked the woman had four packages of chicken. The checker informed her that she was only allowed two. Again feigning lack of understanding the woman insisted that she wanted four. This time the checker stuck to her guns. Finally the checker at the next stand, where I was being checked out, asked if he could help. The entire routine repeated itself. Finally the woman insisted that the checker call the manager. The checker in my line told the checker to call the manager on the store intercom. The “dumb blonde” looked askance but called for the manager. After a brief pause the young man who initially asked if he could help turned to the irate woman and asked again if he could help. By now the woman was furious and insisted that she wanted to speak to the manager. The young man proceed to look at her with a straight face and slight grin and informed her that he was the manager. The woman now proceeded to demand the name and telephone number of the manager’s superior. He happily wrote out the name and telephone number of the district manager, wishing the woman good luck as it was the district manager who had instituted the policy. The woman threw her money down and walked out of the store with TWO packages of chicken. The manager looked at me with a sly grin and muttered “fucking bitch”. I damn near wet my pants laughing.

Edited March 28, 2020 by Epigonos

[+ tassojunior]

Just back from trying to go to my Trader Joes a block away. They have a new policy of only 40 people in the store at a time and there was a line of 100 waiting to be admitted at 5pm on friday. The door guard said this was normal the past 2 days all day. 4 restaurants on both sides of Trader Joes have now shut down and boarded up with plywood. So has West Elm. Very depressing for a vibrant urban neighborhood to die out.

 

And yet yesterday we were able to drive to the downtown WalMart by the Capitol and to Harris Teeter grocery close to it and everything was perfectly normal. My dentist called in the am to say my cleaning was canceled because of the lockdown, and in the pm she rescheduled it for monday as they got approval as essential. All liquour stores around me are open as essential. For hundreds of miles west of DC there are virtually no cases. North and east of DC to NY it's becoming the world hotspot.

 

Totally random how this lockdown is hitting and how "indefinite".

[+ tassojunior]

[+ tassojunior]

[handiacefailure]

With the exception of having to go to Kroger to get my prescriptions, I'm trying to avoid all big retailers until this settles down. I did go to Kroger and Costco on 3/15 right after the panic started to sit in gecause I needed bottled water for the office (and didn't realize there was a limit of 2). I'm going to do one weekly grocery trip on Saturday's and going to a local regional grocery store that is a little expensive but had everything I needed in stock last week and the farmer's market by my house. I may have to make an exception and go to Costco if this chaos keeps up for too long, I love their rotassaire chickens.

[KeepItReal]

A for effort! F for f*cking stupid! ?

[KeepItReal]

With the exception of having to go to Kroger to get my prescriptions, I'm trying to avoid all big retailers until this settles down. I did go to Kroger and Costco on 3/15 right after the panic started to sit in gecause I needed bottled water for the office (and didn't realize there was a limit of 2). I'm going to do one weekly grocery trip on Saturday's and going to a local regional grocery store that is a little expensive but had everything I needed in stock last week and the farmer's market by my house. I may have to make an exception and go to Costco if this chaos keeps up for too long, I love their rotassaire chickens.

[rvwnsd]

While this is not grocery shopping related, I hope this puts into perspective the limits to the number of people in a store at one time, out of stock pasta, and the horrors of using bottled lemon juice.

 

My colleague's 34 year old daughter is an IT worker in Seattle. She also tested positive for COVID-19 after experiencing flu-like symptoms. She is quarantined at home with not only her fiance and her compromised immune system (not sure of the exact condition) but pneumonia, fever, and non-stop coughing. Due to a lack of available hospital beds and her condition not being classified as "critical" she can't be admitted to a hospital. My colleague lives in San Diego and is beside herself with worry, dread, sadness, and fear. All the while she is cheerfully doing her part to keep our bank open and running for our clients.

[+ Pensant]

the stores I visit are well stocked; one even has tp, although the hippie recycled brand. Haven’t seen a trace of the behavior @Epigonos mentioned. Went for a 30 mile bike ride yesterday morning and was greeted with smiles by most. Liquor stores take your orders and meet you outside. Yes, it’s a young, gentrified neighborhood, so it may not be typical. everyone is on good behavior and staying put. We even had a social distancing cocktail party last night and had a great time.

[jjkrkwood]

I went to the local chain Keyfood on Monday, dressed in my mask and gloves, like everyone else there. It was crowded, people WERE NOT 6 feet apart and the shelves were pretty barren. And I stressed over the fresh produce and baked good that weren't wrapped and subject to peoples saliva and other germs. Needless to say, I only bought things that were wrapped and sealed. Plus, there were no Sales AND they had doubled all the prices.

[+ bigjoey]

I went to the local chain Keyfood on Monday, dressed in my mask and gloves, like everyone else there. It was crowded, people WERE NOT 6 feet apart and the shelves were pretty barren. And I stressed over the fresh produce and baked good that weren't wrapped and subject to peoples saliva and other germs. Needless to say, I only bought things that were wrapped and sealed. Plus, there were no Sales AND they had doubled all the prices.

 

A reason not to shop there when the pandemic is over. To the stores that treat their customers with empathy and kindness during this time, their customers will remember and those stores will flourish after the pandemic is over.

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

Today was my first trip out since I started this thread. The Meijer store I went to was pretty well stocked. The only area that seemed sparsely inventoried was the dairy. (I didn't make it back to the paper/cleaning supply section.) Plenty of chocolate milk, soy milk, and fat-free, but not much 2%. While most types of cheese were on the shelf, I couldn't find provolone and chose swiss in its place.

 

The meat counter was closed and all of the meats were now packaged. At the deli counter, they were still slicing meat and cheese upon request, but also had quite a bit of pre-packaged items available in a cooler. All of the salads one would typically purchase at the deli was packaged and available. And the bakery still made donuts this morning, but rather than self-serve, they were all pre-packaged.