Grocery Shopping

[ivinsfan]

We are still doing Walmart grocery pickup and it’s been great. On our last order I asked for a 6 pack of Bounty paper towels. They were in stock when I ordered but out of stock by the time they picked the order. So the substitute was a 12 pack instead. But it was at the 6 pack price!

WooHoo!

I've noticed something in in my last couple orders a disclaimer comes up that says, these prices are current and if the price changes between now and pickup the pick-up time price will apply. I haven't had a substitute lately so I don't know if the new policy applies to them. To be clear, I'm fine with whatever the policy is.

 

[audreyh1]

Wow - a local liquor store does curbside pickup!

I needed some Fino Sherry to go with our Jamón Ibérico, and a search popped up a nearby liquor store that had a good brand in stock with order online and curbside pickup! They texted me that the order was ready shortly shortly after they opened.

Man, I sure hope they keep this feature. So incredibly convenient!

 

[anethum]

One of the strangest covid-related shortages I just read about concerns Grape Nuts. I haven't seen them on the shelf for about a month. So I googled them and google gave me the auto-fill choice of "Grape Nuts shortage" when I typed "Grape N".

https://www.king5.com/article/news/...irus/507-a4310ad3-f252-4244-9272-18949893c7f2

"Multiple reports say it's a supply-and-demand issue. As more people are stuck at home and eating breakfast in their own kitchen (or having a midnight snack), demand for cereal has gone up.

“Grape-Nuts is made using a proprietary technology and a production process that isn’t easily replicated, which has made it more difficult to shift production to meet demand during this time,” Grape-Nuts Brand Manager Kristin DeRock told the New York Times. She said the hope is to have Grape-Nuts fully back on shelves by spring."

 

[Boho]

Heh, I quit Grape Nuts several months ago to protect my teeth. I still have half a box that I mix with oatmeal when I remember to.

 

[Koolau]

One of the strangest covid-related shortages I just read about concerns Grape Nuts.

<SNIP>

She said the hope is to have Grape-Nuts fully back on shelves by spring.[/I]"

Right next to the 70% Isopropyl Alcohol, no doubt.

 

[retire-early]

One of the strangest covid-related shortages I just read about concerns Grape Nuts. I haven't seen them on the shelf for about a month. So I googled them and google gave me the auto-fill choice of "Grape Nuts shortage" when I typed "Grape N".

https://www.king5.com/article/news/...irus/507-a4310ad3-f252-4244-9272-18949893c7f2

"Multiple reports say it's a supply-and-demand issue. As more people are stuck at home and eating breakfast in their own kitchen (or having a midnight snack), demand for cereal has gone up.

“Grape-Nuts is made using a proprietary technology and a production process that isn’t easily replicated, which has made it more difficult to shift production to meet demand during this time,” Grape-Nuts Brand Manager Kristin DeRock told the New York Times. She said the hope is to have Grape-Nuts fully back on shelves by spring."

Isn't Grape-Nuts essentially like granola?


.

 

[Aerides]

Isn't Grape-Nuts essentially like granola?
.

Grape nuts are to Granola kinda like McNuggets are to KFC.

 

[Sunset]

Right next to the 70% Isopropyl Alcohol, no doubt.

I just bought 91% Isopropyl Alcohol from Walmart with my grocery curbside pickup. They also had 70% but I figured I might as well go higher.

 

[Koolau]

I just bought 91% Isopropyl Alcohol from Walmart with my grocery curbside pickup. They also had 70% but I figured I might as well go higher.

The only IPA I have found of late is 100% (1 gal. for $32) at Costco. Sold out so fast, none left next day. I'm not actually out of the 70% but am fascinated to see it gone for months at a time. This may be a "local" issue as we see that on other times occasionally, even without Covid - just not for months at a time. YMMV

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

The only IPA I have found of late is 100%

Wow, I prefer a lower-alcohol "session IPA."

 

[Sue J]

Grape nuts are to Granola kinda like McNuggets are to KFC.

I remember that question on the SAT test

I ran into the Grape Nuts shortage recently. Walmart grocery pickup didn't have it and I checked a few other local online grocery sites and no one else had it either. Then I was in a grocery out of my neighborhood and they had it on the shelves so I got two boxes. SCORE!

I like it mixed with Cheerios. Occasionally, I will have cooked Grape Nuts. YUM.

 

[bizlady]

We've been ordering online almost exclusively since last March. Will continue when the pandemic is over- and grocery bill is down- I suppose we skip the spur of the moment purchases. But I love how easy pickup is.

Most recently I discovered Misfits Market, which is an online store that delivers excess organic vegetables and fruits of your choosing (with occasional substitutions.) Very pleased with this after 2 1/2 months.

Disclosure: This is a link, which if used gets us both a discount on an order

https://www.misfitsmarket.com/?promo=COOKWME-BC4RWL

 

[Koolau]

Wow, I prefer a lower-alcohol "session IPA."

40 years in chemistry, I think I could get 100% down to 70% without too much fuss. I was more concerned about (impressed by?) the price. 70% IPA used to go for around $3 per quart at Costco. Even with the dilution, $32/gal. is around twice as expensive - and it was only available for about 24 hours - then gawn! (That's C&W for gone.)

What are folks doing with IPA that it's so hard to find? Washing down their walls?? By the way, Costco has shelves full of 3% (v/v) hydrogen peroxide. YMMV

 

[Sunset]

I just bought 91% Isopropyl Alcohol from Walmart with my grocery curbside pickup. They also had 70% but I figured I might as well go higher.

For reference, my 91% IPA was $2.50 for 32oz (they have 16oz for $1.54 as well)

 

[CardsFan]

40 years in chemistry, I think I could get 100% down to 70% without too much fuss. I was more concerned about (impressed by?) the price. 70% IPA used to go for around $3 per quart at Costco. Even with the dilution, $32/gal. is around twice as expensive - and it was only available for about 24 hours - then gawn! (That's C&W for gone.)

What are folks doing with IPA that it's so hard to find? Washing down their walls?? By the way, Costco has shelves full of 3% (v/v) hydrogen peroxide. YMMV

And I hope those folks buying "the good stuff" realize it is a really bad idea to not dilute for normal medical use.

 

[Koolau]

And I hope those folks buying "the good stuff" realize it is a really bad idea to not dilute for normal medical use.

If they don't, they'll figure it out pretty quickly.

 

[CardsFan]

If they don't, they'll figure it out pretty quickly.

You got that right.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

Wow, I prefer a lower-alcohol "session IPA."

40 years in chemistry, I think I could get 100% down to 70% without too much fuss. I was more concerned about (impressed by?) the price. 70% IPA used to go for around $3 per quart at Costco. Even with the dilution, $32/gal. is around twice as expensive - and it was only available for about 24 hours - then gawn! (That's C&W for gone.)

What are folks doing with IPA that it's so hard to find? Washing down their walls?? By the way, Costco has shelves full of 3% (v/v) hydrogen peroxide. YMMV

Only 35 years for me. However, I fear that my IPA joke may have not have hit the spot. Let me provide a clue:

 

[Koolau]

Only 35 years for me. However, I fear that my IPA joke may have not have hit the spot. Let me provide a clue:

Yep. I missed it. Never ran into that one before. YMMV

 

[gayl]

Went to put the groceries away and I have no more space in the cupboard

 

[Sunset]

Went to put the groceries away and I have no more space in the cupboard

Same problem, I was thinking of buying a shelving unit, just to handle the extra stuff we have.
For now I have it in open boxes in a corner of the basement.

 

[gayl]

Glad I'm not alone

I'm not a hoarder (okay, I've been accused of hoarding wine but if I like I buy several bottles & I like variety) but I usually don't hoard dry goods. Honestly I could / should go a month without shopping. Think I'll just buy wine [emoji15], milk, fresh veggies, and items on 'flash sales' for a while.

 

[Badger]

Same problem, I was thinking of buying a shelving unit, just to handle the extra stuff we have.
For now I have it in open boxes in a corner of the basement.

We have a small kitchen with limited storage so I bought a couple of 27 gallon storage boxes that I keep in the back room for rice, spaghetti and various canned goods. I was finally able to buy a 9 sq ft freezer that is letting me store frozen foods. I probably don't have any more space than the average home now. It is nice to be able to buy a few extra items on sale and not have to go grocery shopping so often.



Cheers!

 

[timo2]

Our Costco recently started curbside pickup. I have done it twice now and it went very smoothly. Costco has partnered with Instacart and has set up a clone of the Instacart page on the Costco grocery site, so there is no need to go to the Instacart site. They have choices there for delivery or pickup. A comparison showed higher prices on the delivery section. The pickup process does not allow tipping of the Costco curbside worker, but does add a $10.00 service fee.

The item selection process is just like Instacart. When done selecting the groceries, one selects a pickup time. Both times I selected 11:00 AM. However, the Costco employee doing the shopping started at 8:00 am each time, and each time had substitution questions, so I had to be up for that. Each time the order was ready for pickup before opening time at 10:00 am. The first time I went to pick up the order at 10:00 am. I asked the shopper if I could have come earlier. They said yes, unless I ordered ground beef or ground chicken, as those are not ready until 10:00 am. The second time I had ordered ground beef, so I just went at 11:00 am.

If the shopper has questions, they text you. There is one bug, in that the link on the text goes to the Instacart page instead of the Costco page. It's useless to go to the instacart page because the order is on the Costco grocery page. The Costco app is a little klugey to get to the grocery order section. You have to go to 'groceries' then 'same day pickup' then 'view order'. Same on the Costco web site. As I do with Instacart, I always have the laptop page up and the phone handy for communication with the shopper.

The last text from the Costco shopper is notification that the order is ready. Selecting that post goes to an instacart page that has the options 'I'm on my way' or 'I'm at the warehouse'. The first time I clicked "I'm on my way' an instacart question came up asking me if I wanted to set up the location feature. This feature allows Costco to know when my phone in the vehicle is approaching the store. So I said yes to that. And holy cow, it worked. Both times I drove up to the designated pickup area, the Costco employee was already out at the parking spot with my order. It was very slick.

 

[gayl]

Thats how it is at Target. I just stop off on my way home from the dog park