Grocery Shopping

[Music Lover]

We normally go about once a week to get fresh stuff and to top up whatever else we need. Right now we're low on food because we were gone for most of January and also from mid-Feb to mid-March and while we were gone GF's daughter ate most of the stockpile Then we self-isolated for 2 weeks (recently ended) so we really have to buy some food.

 

[DrRoy]

I shopped once and DW once in the last week, probably our most at risk activity. I went during the first scheduled "Senior hours", and it was busy with a long initial line to get in.

 

[FIREd]

I haven't gone inside a store in weeks. I order online once a week and pick it up at the drive-thru.

 

[REWahoo]

We may do this again. It eliminates the impulse buys.

Eliminating impulse buys is the least of my concerns at the moment. I'm trying to avoid eliminating REWahoo & DW.

 

[UnrealizedPotential]

I still go into the grocery store to shop. I just try and keep my distance from people as much as possible and buy what I need and get out as soon as possible.

 

[sengsational]

I have everything irradiated prior to opening the trunk.

Where can I find one of the irradiator devices ReWahoo was talking about?

All you need is one of those portable cobolt reactors

 

[LRDave]

I haven't been in two weeks. We are getting low, but I think we can go another week.

I am going to go in. I can't tolerate the idea of somebody else choosing my food.

 

[KB]

I am trying my first Costco delivery today. After I figure out what I still need, I'll put in a pickup order for the local store. First time for both, I've always shopped in store.

I always keep a fully stocked pantry and freezer. Since I shop at Costco, I always buy the large packages of TP, kleenex and paper towels, so I have plenty to last months and months.

It's the fresh food I need, or want that I am running low on. I didn't have a winter vegetable garden this year so I am missing the kale and lettuce I usually grow. I did buy beets, cabbage, carrots and lettuce when things were looking like a pandemic was coming in early March.

 

[Aerides]

I am still doing in person shopping vs. instacart (which means a 5-6 day wait only to be told what's out of stock). I've also taken over the shopping for my parents to try to keep them to stay in their house. I use wipes and wash carefully before/after/etc., but no hazmat suit.

I'm down to 1 or maybe 2 trips out a week. I'm very careful, but people are generally still quite stupid. You wait to find an empty aisle and then start loading your cart and some twit them walks up right behind you whistling, or stands over your shoulder looking at the same things.

Or you go to checkout, and someone crowds right up behind you... I'm using my cart as a blocker when I can.

No, I'm not leaving groceries in the car for 3 days because...Florida...though that might provide the irradiation technique, it would not make for appetizing meat and produce...I'm really only shopping for fresh things anyway as we have stocked staples and frozen stuff.

 

[garyt]

You think that doesn't expose you to the possibility of infection? Do you wipe down every container of food that was touched by employees? Do you leave the groceries in the car for three days since that is how long the virus can stay on plastic bags?

That's what I plan to do. I'll wipe down all the refrigerated items as best as possible. The non perishable stuff will sit in the basement for a few days. If I need something before then it will get wiped down. Nothing's perfect but you can try.

 

[youbet]

Eliminating impulse buys is the least of my concerns at the moment. I'm trying to avoid eliminating REWahoo & DW.

I'm surprised at the extent to which many folks here are sticking to their frugality habits concerning food procurement. I estimate we're spending around $20/week more by having Amazon Fresh (Whole Foods) deliver than my usual bargain-hunting shopping. If this goes on for 20 weeks, that'll be $400 total. That's not much of a blip on a 20 week budget timeline!

As far as impulse buying....... I'm finding it's actually more prevalent for us ordering on line for delivery than shopping in person. There I am at the desk in the kitchen looking at the lists and pics...... Click, click, click, click, click.......

 

[REWahoo]

All you need is one of those portable cobolt reactors

+1

Glad I got mine before Harbor Freight sold out.

 

[Car-Guy]

For years we have been going to the grocery store every two weeks. We don't typically buy a lot of extras, just what we need for the next two weeks. The last trip (two weeks ago) the shelves were ~80% empty. I went this morning and it looked like "almost" everything was fully stocked, except for paper products. The store was almost empty "of people" even for a Sunday morning.


I'm sticking with my normal buying habits (two weeks at a time). But now I go to the store by myself and the DW stays at home to avoid mingling with people. I guess that helps cut down "our" exposure risk to some degree. "So far", I'm not overly concerned in our area since we don't have any confirmed/documented cases in our county or any sounding counties.

 

[CRLLS]

+1

Glad I got mine before Harbor Freight sold out.

Hoarder!

 

[REWahoo]

Hoarder!

Crap. Now the forum Hoarding Police will be after me. And here I was thinking all I had to worry about was the Grammar Police...

 

[SheitlQueen]

I go into the store and do my normal shopping. I do use the wipes on the shopping cart handle that the store provides, and when I am done I wash my hands and then use a wipe on them when I leave.

 

[SheitlQueen]

. I ... never wipe down the cart.

After reading several similar articles like this, which came out well before corona, I started wiping down the handles of the shopping carts.


https://www.thehealthy.com/infectious-disease/clean-shopping-cart-germs/

 

[nhcycling]

I’ll go only weekly now, and it’s to a local small higher end store with quality meats and produce, bakery items, where they do have stock and I’ll pick up the household essentials there too albeit paying much higher prices. Yesterday they were limiting the number of people in the store at one time. I wore gloves. Lysol wiped my hands, steering wheel, door handle, stick shift etc. when I got back in the car. Lysol wiped the packages before putting away. And washed my hands!

 

[Hermit]

I did my first pickup at the local Kroger store last Thursday. I had to stay up until midnight to get a pickup time slot so I could put the order in. Pickup was a breeze. There was no one else in the pickup parking spaces so I just called to let them know I was there and had the groceries put in the back of the Jeep.

Friday we decided to just do one more pickup for all of next month so I started a new list. Kroger had expanded the number of days available to reserve a pickup time and I got a time slot for Monday. I also ordered some dry goods from Amazon Pantry. I have never done that before either. That should be here during the next week. I'll re-evaluate as needed.
One point my son brought up was that on the first of April there will be a lot of government and other paychecks hitting banks and chances are good stores will again be stressed to keep everything in stock.

 

[brewer12345]

I will have to look again for a prime delivery slot or something, but the last time i looked there was no open slot available, period. If the instacart people strike, that will only add to the chaos. Last grocery trip was a week and a half ago in a snowstorm. Doubt I will get lucky next time. Our achilles heel is now produce, especially fruit. Having milk delivered and can tack stuff onto that order like eggs and butter. I think i have another week before I really have to figure something out, although if things get really ugly out there we can just skip it and go with what we have.

 

[mountainsoft]

After reading several similar articles like this, which came out well before corona, I started wiping down the handles of the shopping carts.

https://www.thehealthy.com/infectious-disease/clean-shopping-cart-germs/

Germs and viruses are all around us, many of which can make us sick or kill us. It would be nearly impossible to avoid them unless you wear protective gear all the time. Grocery carts, door handles, light switches, telephones, kitchen sponges, money, etc.

I don't worry about touching contaminated surfaces. I focus more on keeping the germs and viruses from entering my body through my eyes, nose, or mouth. I wash my hands often, and do my best to not touch my face. If I do need to scratch an itch, I use the back of my hand or something that is less likely to come in contact with a virus than my finger tips.

There will always be a chance of infection, but these simple practices can greatly reduce your odds.

 

[MBAustin]

I'm letting those who are really at risk or who have families and work to juggle use the scarce delivery service slots. Also I prefer to be the one to select and pick my groceries, especially fresh protein and produce. I've been doing once a week shopping plus Saturday farmers market for years and have not changed my routine. Started cart handle wiping years ago during flu season so that's nothing new. I do use hand sanitizer on the way in and way out of the store and clean the counters after I unload the bags (I'm still using my reusable bags for now). Otherwise same as usual except for not being able to buy a few things from my list each week depending on what's in stock.

If we become a hot spot, I have enough in the freezer and pantry that we won't starve for quite a while.

 

[cathy63]

While paging through the endless complaints on our neighborhood Facebook group, I noticed a few businesses are offering non-traditional grocery options. Some of our local restaurants that have shifted to takeout are also selling their supplies: a loaf of artisan bread, a flat of eggs, a gallon of milk, TP, etc. The office supply store has hand sanitizer, TP and a few other things that are in high demand. A brewery is giving away yeast to anyone who wants to bake (which may not help if there's no flour to be had, but it's a nice thought).

We're doing takeout tonight, so I think I'll take advantage and get some milk along with our steak frites.

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

I will have to look again for a prime delivery slot or something, but the last time i looked there was no open slot available, period. If the instacart people strike, that will only add to the chaos. Last grocery trip was a week and a half ago in a snowstorm. Doubt I will get lucky next time. Our achilles heel is now produce, especially fruit. Having milk delivered and can tack stuff onto that order like eggs and butter. I think i have another week before I really have to figure something out, although if things get really ugly out there we can just skip it and go with what we have.

I'm in a similar situation as you. Plenty of canned, dried, TP, etc. I did a Walmart pickup order last week, only had to wait till the next day for a slot. My actual order was only around $50 or so and almost entirely perishables (milk, boxed spring mix, bagged apples, blueberries, eggs, and so on). Also some frozen meatballs (not the best, but couldn't order fresh meat when I did the order). I love apples and got a couple bags (one of which they had to substitute - the only item it happened on).

Now I'm thinking I was lucky in finding that slot - as I've curiously looked over the last couple days and see nothing available.

I have an Aerogarden and am hoping for a fresh crop of lettuce types in a couple/few weeks, but as with you fresh fruits and vegtables is my number one issue. Eventually I will have to deal with medicine refills - currently done at Walmart but I am going to try to switch those over to some place I can do drive up.) I have a doctor's appointment in a couple/few weeks, so I need to figure out cancelling it - and likely dealing with the doctor who likes to see me.

 

[jollystomper]

We still go in. We do shop more "focused", I.e. stick to the items we know we want to get (or hope to get) and no real "browsing" to see if anything we usually get, but may not need at the moment, is on sale.

A "nerdy" thing I started just before retirement was, for certain items, write the date we purchased them on the carton/box/container. Then when it was used up I updated spreadsheet to track and estimate how long it lasted and judge how many we had to buy to have a 2-3 month supply. That became helpful in cutting down the frequency of our trips. I also would write "LAST ONE" when we had one remaining, as a reminder to both of us to plan to stock this item again.

Regarding carts: I grew up in a rough neighborhood where the grocery stores had obstacles to keep you from taking carts much beyond the store, due to the frequency of cart thefts. My parents (as did most people in the neighborhood) had a 2 wheeled pull cart they would use to pull the groceries to the car or home. Somehow we were talking about this with our kids, and one of them reminded us that they had such a cart when in college, they used it for transporting laundry, and it was probably still in our attic. Sure enough - we have our own shopping cart! So we have started using that instead of the store carts. I also have a 4 wheel garden cart that we can also use, if needed.