Grocery Shopping

[Mmm Rrr]

I've been starting to feel confident going to stores. Everyone wears masks and people stay at a good distance from one another. Here in Seattle our vaccination rates are good.

This morning I ran across the street to my neighborhood supermarket and there was a notice on the door that one of the employees had tested positive. They'd sanitized and were still open, but it does put everything into perspective. This isn't over yet!

 

[gayl]

Prices are really up. Corn should be 10/$1 and it's 4/$1. Same for other produce. Thinking it's the drought

 

[Dawg52]

I had home deliveries twice early on but have been doing inside shopping ever since with mask on. Masks have been lifted around here but probably 50% still wear in a grocery store. I have just started going maskless and feel comfortable w/o one. I do keep hand sanitizer nearby and always use after going anywhere. I plan to keep some with me going forward.

 

[RonBoyd]

I had home deliveries twice early on but have been doing inside shopping ever since with mask on. Masks have been lifted around here but probably 50% still wear in a grocery store. I have just started going maskless and feel comfortable w/o one. I do keep hand sanitizer nearby and always use after going anywhere. I plan to keep some with me going forward.

My understanding is that the COVID-19 germ has a very short life span on hard surfaces (minutes?) and, therefore, has a very slim chance of going from hand to lung in a lethal form. On the other hand, infection from active air-born particles is almost guaranteed.

Mask vs hand cleaner... my money's on mask.

 

[Aerides]

My understanding is that the COVID-19 germ has a very short life span on hard surfaces (minutes?) and, therefore, has a very slim chance of going from hand to lung in a lethal form. On the other hand, infection from active air-born particles is almost guaranteed.

Mask vs hand cleaner... my money's on mask.

True, but other colds/flus/viruses are more commonly transmitted via surfaces.

 

[RonBoyd]

True, but other colds/flus/viruses are more commonly transmitted via surfaces.

Oh! I wasn't knocking hand cleaners. They are certainly important. I was merely suggesting that, in the case of COVID-19, hand cleaner is not the best alternative to wearing a mask.

 

[Dawg52]

Oh! I wasn't knocking hand cleaners. They are certainly important. I was merely suggesting that, in the case of COVID-19, hand cleaner is not the best alternative to wearing a mask.

That's fine.....I'm just tired of wearing masks. I'll wear them to hospitals and other required venues. I'm vaccinated and will follow up with booster shots when available.

 

[RonBoyd]

That's fine.....I'm just tired of wearing masks. I'll wear them to hospitals and other required venues. I'm vaccinated and will follow up with booster shots when available.

Wow! Did this ever run off the rails. (Another example of my communication failures). I, certainly, wasn't mask-shaming you... well, didn't intend to, anyway. My ONLY point was the hand sanitizer/mask comparison.

 

[Ronstar]

I go to grocery stores about 2-3 times a week and big box home improvement stores about 3 times a week - through the pandemic. Wear a mask every time. And try to avoid being close to people as much as possible.

 

[MRG]

We don't have delivery so I have gone shopping for the entire time. The early days were very rushed, grab and go. I likely got covid last April from the grocery store and didn't enjoy watching DW with it for a month.

Were both 5 weeks post second dose and now I'm much more relaxed and actually shop for things. I'm still fully masked. I might start using garters not the kn95 that attempt to remove my ears.

 

[Nature Lover]

Just visited my preferred local grocery store yesterday for the first time in a year for a real, normal(ish) weekly shopping experience. Went at 915am, and it was nearly empty....but all the best fresh produce and awesome butcher shop offerings ready to go. I'm fully vaccinated, was masked up, and followed sanitizing and distancing protocols. With so few people, I was the most comfortable I've been out and about since last March. Clearly, I still need to adjust a bit to being more comfortable around others after the last year, but I've always loved grocery shopping, so this is a big step towards normalcy for me.

 

[W2R]

Just visited my preferred local grocery store yesterday for the first time in a year for a real, normal(ish) weekly shopping experience. Went at 915am, and it was nearly empty....but all the best fresh produce and awesome butcher shop offerings ready to go. I'm fully vaccinated, was masked up, and followed sanitizing and distancing protocols. With so few people, I was the most comfortable I've been out and about since last March. Clearly, I still need to adjust a bit to being more comfortable around others after the last year, but I've always loved grocery shopping, so this is a big step towards normalcy for me.

I can relate to that, so much! The pandemic has messed with my daily life (as it has for many of us) and I am just not used to doing real life grocery shopping regularly any more. I do need to resume grocery shopping every week soon.

I am in the process of replenishing my pantry with non-perishables, for hurricane season. Amazon is out of almost all of the items I was searching for, but Target had them all online! And the prices and variety available were phenomenal, same as pre-covid AFAIK.

So, I ordered these non-perishables (Campbell's chunky soups, Jif peanut butter, etc) from Target late Saturday night, and they arrived in pristine condition on my front porch about 11 AM this morning. Can't beat that with a stick. I think I'll order some more today. (edit: in fact, I did. 24 more cans of Campbell's chunky soups, delivery the day after tomorrow.)

Until I get back to a more regular (in person) grocery shopping habit, it sure is easy to have heavy, non-perishable stuff delivered.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I can relate to that, so much! The pandemic has messed with my daily life (as it has for many of us) and I am just not used to doing real life grocery shopping regularly any more. I do need to resume grocery shopping every week soon.

I am in the process of replenishing my pantry with non-perishables, for hurricane season. Amazon is out of almost all of the items I was searching for.

Target had them all! And the prices and variety available were phenomenal, same as pre-covid AFAIK. So, I ordered these non-perishables (Campbell's chunky soups, Jif peanut butter, etc) late Saturday night, and they arrived in pristine condition on my front porch about 11 AM this morning. Can't beat that with a stick! I think I'll order some more today.

Until I get back to a more regular (in person) grocery shopping habit, it sure is easy to have heavy, non-perishable stuff delivered.

Grocery shopping is different, but now in a different way. We did WM pickup (or delivery) for most of the COVID duration and have noticed the last couple of deliveries there were almost no substitutions available...often as though the item wasn't available at all. Stuff you wouldn't expect to not be able to find, like English muffins.

I went to a "regular" grocery store this AM to pick up a few items and there were a lot of bare shelves. I am not sure this is just local to our area, but it is slightly disconcerting.

I guess I can be happy that our upright freezer is stocked quite nicely.

 

[braumeister]

I used to hit the local Kroger two or three times a week, BC (Before Covid). Once the pandemic hit in earnest, I cut that down to just once a week. But I'm back to twice a week now.

Honestly, it has never bothered me to go and do my own grocery shopping. I actually enjoy it, and the Kroger employees have been absolutely wonderful during all of this.

 

[W2R]

Grocery shopping is different, but now in a different way. We did WM pickup (or delivery) for most of the COVID duration and have noticed the last couple of deliveries there were almost no substitutions available...often as though the item wasn't available at all. Stuff you wouldn't expect to not be able to find, like English muffins.

I went to a "regular" grocery store this AM to pick up a few items and there were a lot of bare shelves. I am not sure this is just local to our area, but it is slightly disconcerting.

I guess I can be happy that our upright freezer is stocked quite nicely.

(bolded emphasis mine) Eek! I hope this isn't the case here. For non-perishables online, I'd recommend Target.

During the pandemic, I lived mostly on a huge amount of non-perishables already in my pantry, plus a freezer full of meat. Also I got some more non-perishables from Amazon, and we got food at restaurants - - pickup, delivery, outside service, and finally inside service. For that first year of pandemic, I went to the grocery store only once and I was like the deer in the headlights there. So many people.

So far the restaurants here haven't run out of things or raised their prices, but in the past month they have gone from virtually empty to being much more crowded. Ick. We eat at off hours to avoid the crowds. Also from what I have been reading, higher prices should be coming to local restaurants soon so I am mentally preparing for that eventuality.

 

[braumeister]

higher prices should be coming

Seriously?
OMG!!

That must be a first, no?

 

[W2R]

Seriously?
OMG!!

That must be a first, no?

But, but.... After we've been through so much! They need to have a heart.

 

[W2R]

Grocery shopping, back to normal, bargains galore, new phobia

Although I have been to the supermarket once or twice with Frank, today I went by myself for the first time since the pandemic, while he was at work. This is a huge local chain supermarket for average middle class shoppers, similar to Kroger or Safeway in other locations.

By myself I had more time to look at prices of various items and was extremely pleased. I expected more inflated prices than what I saw. Bargains everywhere! Lean Cuisines for $2.50? 24 ounces of Kraft cheddar cheese for $7.99? I am not positive but these prices seemed reasonable to me. I saw no bare shelves (although I didn't go down most aisles).

In other news, it seems our supermarket has essentially returned to its pre-COVID state. No masks required, and zero people were choosing to wear them (not even employees). This despite Louisiana having the [-]second[/-] fourth lowest percentage fully vaccinated in the US AFAIK. There were no markings on the floor any more, no more one way aisles, and no more signs about social distancing. I think the plexiglass barriers between customer and cashier were still there, but that was about it. Also it was not very crowded for Saturday at 1 PM; only one person ahead of me in line. All the lines were open, though.

I am going to try to push myself to go shopping or to other stores at least once a week now. While I love ditching the mask, still I seem to have acquired a very mild phobia or aversion when it comes to shopping. This is not due to fear of the virus but more likely because I am an extreme introvert who is just not used to shopping any more. Seems to me like the healthiest psychological approach to overcoming this strange issue will be to just go shopping somewhere once a week until I feel more comfortable about it. This time I only bought $35 of groceries so maybe I can stay long enough to increase that next time.

 

[Markola]

I got hooked on online/drive up shopping in the pandemic and expect to keep doing it indefinitely.

 

[W2R]

I got hooked on online/drive up shopping in the pandemic and expect to keep doing it indefinitely.

Maybe that is why my supermarket wasn't crowded at 1 PM on a Saturday. People might still be shopping online or by drive up. I really liked not having to stand in a long line.

 

[RobbieB]

Still go shopping as much as before covid. Masks still required, marks still on floor.

So, same as it was, but we are all vacc'ed up so no worry at all

 

[Bamaman]

We shop first at Alidi's, and then pickup items rhey don't sell AR Kroger's.

We usually purchase items AR Kroger's on weekly sales.

We hit Publix about very 4 weeks when their weekly sales are better than the other weeks.

And I always shop in person.

 

[jcfradio]

Although I have been to the supermarket once or twice with Frank, today I went by myself for the first time since the pandemic, while he was at work. This is a huge local chain supermarket for average middle class shoppers, similar to Kroger or Safeway in other locations.

W2R, would that be Rouses? I always enjoyed their take home meals when we visited New Orleans. It would be interesting to know how stores like them and Whole Foods have adapted their self serve areas.

 

[W2R]

Although I have been to the supermarket once or twice with Frank, today I went by myself for the first time since the pandemic, while he was at work. This is a huge local chain supermarket for average middle class shoppers, similar to Kroger or Safeway in other locations.

W2R, would that be Rouses? I always enjoyed their take home meals when we visited New Orleans. It would be interesting to know how stores like them and Whole Foods have adapted their self serve areas.

Good guess! Yes, it is a Rouse's supermarket, but I can't tell you about the self serve foods since I didn't look for them. They have completely changed their entire floor plan in the past year. Also, even before the pandemic I wondered if eating that type of self serve prepared grocery store food might make me sick. I really don't know what health measures they do or don't take.

We also have Whole Foods nearby but I haven't gone there since the pandemic. Maybe next week! Who knows.

 

[Amethyst]

We will keep on until they start charging for it.

I got hooked on online/drive up shopping in the pandemic and expect to keep doing it indefinitely.