RE: Groceries

[Skywagon]

We are hunkered down and have not hoarded at all.  Trying to be responsible we decided to try our hand at curbside pickup and or delivery.  We went to the 3 major grocery chain websites here, registered, ordered a normal amount, and began to check out.  The earliest we could find for curbside or delivery is one week from today.  So...plan accordingly.  We can hold out that long but after that it will get a bit dicey.  We will wait and hope.  Stay well everyone.

[Marty Hill]

We have been lucky.  Daughter ordered from grocery stores and all was delivered quickly.  Who knows about next time?  Interesting times.  As David said, be well everyone.

 

[Traveler1]

I'm getting same day delivery from my store.   Also they have instituted a 9 to 10 am seniors only time slot.   Definite signs of hoarding around here, but it's tapered off this week.  

[realshelby]

Come on over if you get hungry David!

 

I went to my local HEB and they were waiting in a line to enter. Only letting in so many at a time. Makes sense. Went to the local Kroger and went right in. Not too busy. No toilet paper, but I didn't need any and was just curious. Plenty of meat, milk, even a large stock of eggs. Bread was low, but some breads were available. 

 

My Son is a manager with HEB. They have product to put on shelves. Simply a matter of hoarding for now. They will eventually run low (er) on some items but by then they figure the hoarding will subside........and stock will catch up. 

[Skywagon]

Thanks Terry...we are good for now.  I have my order in for pickup next Friday.  As long as that works we will be fine.  The neighbor went to Randalls today and went right in.  He said the store was a bit picked over but plenty to buy but pretty crowded especially check lines.  He said no paper products at all like TP, paper towels, or even napkins. Paper not an issue for us as we do buy that in bulk and have a good supply on hand.  Cleaning products....forget about it.

[Antimatter]

We generally shop for one week of groceries at a time.  So far I haven't had to make any hard decisions excepting the complete lack of paper products - fortunately, I have a Toto Washlet so I normally use about 1 roll of teep per 6 months.  I'm planning to head out tomorrow at 9 AM - my local grocer has reserved 8AM-9AM as a time for those vulnerable to the virus to do their shopping.  I'll let you know how it goes.  I also have some ramen and soup cached in the basement for tornado season, and we can last a week or two without shopping if needed.

[mickeym3]

4 hours ago, Traveler1 said:

I'm getting same day delivery from my store.   Also they have instituted a 9 to 10 am seniors only time slot.   Definite signs of hoarding around here, but it's tapered off this week.  

Let me know if you need something, I owe you big time and who knows if the beverage and meal offer at the MOA Rally is going to be very satisfying.

[realshelby]

1 hour ago, Skywagon said:

  Cleaning products....forget about it.

I had a pretty good supply of stuff like that. So I didn't run out in a mad dash to get more. 

 

BUT.....when in Krogers yesterday the cleaning isle shelves were pretty much bare. Except for a section that had "Bathroom Cleaner". Well I bought a spray bottle of it. As I suspected, it is simply about the same as 409 or other cleaners. Claims 99.9% of viruses and bacteria killed...just like the other type cleaners. People just didn't think it was usable due to the bathroom label!

[Antimatter]

Let me add an addendum - I went out shopping this morning.  I hit two grocery stores and my local butcher.   The first grocery store I normally stop at because they carry a couple of items the other folks don't, and they had some stock of those items (basmati rice, specifically).  Toilet paper still seems in short supply locally, and at the second store I noticed an employee checking out with one of the few packs of toilet paper that was available in the store.  A new item item that people seem to be panic-buying is dishwasher detergent.  My wife scrounged around the basement and found a big jug of another brand of dishwasher soap that we used to use, so its all good.  Heaven forbid the we have to hand-wash our dishes (eye roll).  The butcher had everything I wanted in stock, and had a nice sign on their display case stating that they were limiting purchases of hamburger to 10 lbs per family, and that they don't support hoarding of items they have in stock.  BTW, I bought a pound so we can have tacos some time this week.

I have to mention the large number of older folks who were driving their carts like they were participating in Death Race 2000.  I'm not quite old enough to start slapping senior citizens, but I was very tempted. 

[Skywagon]

Well what a pisser...I posted this on March 20.  We've stayed home like we are supposed to.  That day I ordered curb side pickup from our Grocery Store.  Pickup is today.  We ordered what we normally consumed in a week being conscious not to hoard.  Well I just got my notice that there is no toilet paper, paper towels, milk, eggs, and a few other things.  What the hell is this deal with people hoarding toilet paper.  If you see us out on the lawn dragging our buts like a dog...you will know why.  Cmon folks, stay home, don't hoard.  Businesses...don't let them hoard.

[szurszewski]

I shopped for us and for my mom on Monday - no TP then (only a few packages of paper towels and the rest of the aisle was empty). I did the shopping for my dad/stepmom later in the week - same deal at the regular (but very large) grocery store on Thursday, but I also stopped in at Costco when they opened Wednesday and they did have TP - in fact, they had associates stationed next to pallets of the stuff right at the entrance and were doling it out one package per cart.  They also had milk, eggs and butter (but no flour) and were also limiting those to one per customer (oddly you could get either a pack of 24 eggs or a pack of 60 - since my dad and wife each wanted 24 I opted for the big-boy box). 

 

Hopefully you can get those staples they were out of soon. Got any younger relatives or neighbors who might be open to helping out and making a run for you to some other store? I know I've put the offer out to not only my parents and other older relatives but also several of my parents' friends who either don't have kids or don't have kids living nearby, and I'm quite pleased when any of them accept. 

 

(If you get desperate for TP let me know about three days in advance and I'll send you a pack!)

 

 

[John Ranalletta]

32 minutes ago, Skywagon said:

Well what a pisser...I posted this on March 20.  We've stayed home like we are supposed to.  That day I ordered curb side pickup from our Grocery Store.  Pickup is today.  We ordered what we normally consumed in a week being conscious not to hoard.  Well I just got my notice that there is no toilet paper, paper towels, milk, eggs, and a few other things.  What the hell is this deal with people hoarding toilet paper.  If you see us out on the lawn dragging our buts like a dog...you will know why.  Cmon folks, stay home, don't hoard.  Businesses...don't let them hoard.

 

There's a 2nd order problem:  People without TP are using substitutes and flushing them, including paper toweling, baby wipes and linens.  Sewer backups are potentially causing an additional health problem.

[chrisolson]

14 minutes ago, John Ranalletta said:

Sewer backups are potentially causing an additional health problem.

 

No problem here ... we're out in the county, no sewer,  septic tank which has its own issues, but at least we control our own destiny ... we are  on Amazon subscription and somehow ended up with a double order of TP a couple of months ago ... was not happy then , but now ...

[John Ranalletta]

4 minutes ago, chrisolson said:

 

No problem here ... we're out in the county, no sewer,  septic tank which has its own issues, but at least we control our own destiny ... we are  on Amazon subscription and somehow ended up with a double order of TP a couple of months ago ... was not happy then , but now ...

 

Shop towels & a bucket of clorox water.  Changed plenty of cloth diapers in the early 70's and rinsed them in the toilet before sanitizing/washing for reuse. 

[AZgman]

Everyone needs to pitch in and conserve. One poop per day per person!

[Skywagon]

You cannot add that amount of "Maker's Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky" to the cart because there is not enough stock (0 remaining).

 

now it's getting serious 

[Antimatter]

14 hours ago, John Ranalletta said:

 

There's a 2nd order problem:  People without TP are using substitutes and flushing them, including paper toweling, baby wipes and linens.  Sewer backups are potentially causing an additional health problem.

If you've got a shower, you have no need to use anything other than toilet paper.

[Selden]

I rode into town this morning, in part to test the intermittent hesitation that I reported yesterday, in part to pick up a few supplies at Walmart. They had an adequate supply of toilet paper, possibly because they have implemented a 1 package per customer rule. The next panic point may be cash, as at 0900 I saw a line of cars wrapped all the way around the Wells Fargo drive thru ATM. 

[realshelby]

Got lucky. Stopped in the local Krogers ( HEB grocery had a line waiting to go in, they were limiting how many in the store..) for a few things. While there the load of Toilet Paper AND paper towels was wheeled in on a pallet! Got a huge package of both. We are set for both for many weeks I think.....

 

But, Mother in law in West Virginia is too old to get out much and certainly not just go to the store on a whim. I put 6 rolls of TP in a USPS Flat Rate box and shipped them to her! Let's see...that works out to about $3 per roll....

[ltljohn]

Went out for groceries this morning.  The meat selection was ok, there was actually TP and paper towels but limited to one per family.  I saw lysol and lysol wipes but have plenty so no issue there. Pasta aisle was almost empty but there was some there.  There was flour and yeast on the shelves but not much, Plenty of bread in the bread aisle.  Our store now has an app where you scan your items as you put them in the cart and when you are done you just scan the bar code at the checkout and pay.  An employee is standing by and wipes down the touchscreen after you use it so no putting anything on the belt or other surfaces.  I wiped down the entire cart before I put anything in it.  We now have plenty for 2 weeks except for fresh produce. On another note PA is considering opening liquor stores again because according to the article I read withdrawal complications could land substance abusers in hospital beds needed for corona patients. School is officially done for the year, they are offering voluntary on line work with your teachers, my son is volunteering even the he doesn't know it yet.  Well stay safe we are working from home so we have no reason to go out in public for 2 weeks.  I live in a rural area so taking a walk is no issue as there are very few people here.

[John Ranalletta]

26 minutes ago, realshelby said:

We are set for both for many weeks I think.....

 

Intermittent fasting helps, too.

[John Ranalletta]

4 minutes ago, ltljohn said:

Went out for groceries this morning.  The meat selection was ok, there was actually TP and paper towels but limited to one per family.  I saw lysol and lysol wipes but have plenty so no issue there. Pasta aisle was almost empty but there was some there.  There was flour and yeast on the shelves but not much, Plenty of bread in the bread aisle.  Our store now has an app where you scan your items as you put them in the cart and when you are done you just scan the bar code at the checkout and pay.  An employee is standing by and wipes down the touchscreen after you use it so no putting anything on the belt or other surfaces.  I wiped down the entire cart before I put anything in it.  We now have plenty for 2 weeks except for fresh produce. On another note PA is considering opening liquor stores again because according to the article I read withdrawal complications could land substance abusers in hospital beds needed for corona patients. School is officially done for the year, they are offering voluntary on line work with your teachers, my son is volunteering even the he doesn't know it yet.  Well stay safe we are working from home so we have no reason to go out in public for 2 weeks.  I live in a rural area so taking a walk is no issue as there are very few people here.

 

Not a TP update, but we shopped for coffee & a few misc items at a Gordon Foodservice Store.  Gordon's is a huge institutional/foodservice supplier (like Sysco).  Their shelves were full in every department.  I'm guessing they've got to move their inventory intended for schools, restaurants, etc.

[Skywagon]

17 hours ago, szurszewski said:

If you get desperate for TP let me know about three days in advance and I'll send you a pack!)

 

That's an awesome offer and I appreciate it...butt ...we should be ok hopefully.  The grass is real green this time of year.

[szurszewski]

 

1 hour ago, Skywagon said:

 

That's an awesome offer and I appreciate it...butt ...we should be ok hopefully.  The grass is real green this time of year.

 

Well, keep it in mind - we had enough for a few weeks already (because our usual TP purchase is a giant Costco pack) and I mainly accepted the one this week so I could have rolls to distribute to the other folks I'm shopping for if needed over the coming weeks. 

 

In fact, this gives me an idea:

2 hours ago, realshelby said:

I put 6 rolls of TP in a USPS Flat Rate box and shipped them to her! Let's see...that works out to about $3 per roll....

 

...I could probably get you six eggs in that package as well by stuffing - gently! - one into the center of each roll.

 

[scout6]

15 hours ago, Skywagon said:

You cannot add that amount of "Maker's Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky" to the cart because there is not enough stock (0 remaining).

 

now it's getting serious 

No stock.  Boooo.  Plan ahead my friends.

[realshelby]

Coffee!!!! An essential food group. 

 

This online ordering thing seems to be holding up. I have not actually ordered groceries, but other stuff is coming in just fine. My parts for my business are coming and going just fine too. 

 

Sooooo...I ordered 5 pounds of coffee. Each pound a different taste. This is the perfect place to tell everyone about Crazy Fox Coffee Roasters. In Virginia. I have ordered there before. I am a coffee snob. Not that I won't drink anything called coffee, so I might not make the wine snob grade?

 

I highly recommend the "Hoot Owl" blend! But any I have tried have been above average and a couple just plain outstanding. 

 

Oh...use the code  "campcook"  for I think 20% off! Shipping was only  $7 for all 5 bags, so they are losing money on that. 16 ounce bags run about $14 before the discount. You won't complain after trying it!

[wbw6cos]

Hey @realshelby, try Don Franciso's Columbian Supremo, found in the store.  I have been drinking that for years and it never gets boring.  Thanks for the mention of the coffee source;  I may order from them.  I like me some good coffee, too.

Cheers,

[Skywagon]

Coffee we are good on.  We are Pete's Coffee Fans.  When I worked I drank a pot every morning.  Since retirement last year I drink 1 cup a day.  We just got a Pete's shipment a couple of days ago.  

[Selden]

I was prescribed a pint of coffee/hour for asthma when I was a kid, and developed a lifelong distaste for the American stuff. But espresso and Turkish coffee are fine. Genuine Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi Turkish coffee is available through Amazon. An order of three 250g cans generally lasts me about 2 months. With COVID-19 cases going up rapidly in Turkey over the past week, I need to keep tabs on supply. Unlike espresso, the only equipment required to brew Turkish coffee is a cezve/ibrik.

 

Also unlike espresso, the grounds are in the bottom of the cup, so you have to be careful toward the end. DAMHIK.

[Antimatter]

10 hours ago, Selden said:

I was prescribed a pint of coffee/hour for asthma when I was a kid, and developed a lifelong distaste for the American stuff. But espresso and Turkish coffee are fine. Genuine Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi Turkish coffee is available through Amazon. An order of three 250g cans generally lasts me about 2 months. With COVID-19 cases going up rapidly in Turkey over the past week, I need to keep tabs on supply. Unlike espresso, the only equipment required to brew Turkish coffee is a cezve/ibrik.

 

Also unlike espresso, the grounds are in the bottom of the cup, so you have to be careful toward the end. DAMHIK.

 

I love Turkish coffee, but there aren't many places around here that make it.  Any tips on making it?

[realshelby]

16 hours ago, Skywagon said:

Coffee we are good on.  We are Pete's Coffee Fans.  When I worked I drank a pot every morning.  Since retirement last year I drink 1 cup a day.  We just got a Pete's shipment a couple of days ago.  

Pete's Major Dickinson's blend is in the grinder at this moment! Pete's decaf stuff is good too. Try you some of the "1850" brand stuff. I think it is a Folgers product. Very good. Available in most grocery stores. 

 

Honestly, the stuff from Crazy Fox is simply what you will compare other stuff to. It is that good. They put the date it was roasted on the bag. 

[BamaJohn]

Sunday morning at 10am may not be the best time to buy groceries  (a riding buddy would tell me there might be some Divine intervention going on here).  But I did that this morning, and without photo proof, there were many entire rows of bare shelves.  The meat market was empty; the dry goods paper products was empty; the eggs were almost totally empty;  etc.  I did manage to find $200 worth of stuff to buy without hoarding any items.  I'm guessing Argentinians would LOVE to have a grocery store that empty.....

[Hosstage]

Just went yesterday about noon, not real busy, plenty of bread, most items in stock except TP.

[Selden]

8 hours ago, Antimatter said:

 

I love Turkish coffee, but there aren't many places around here that make it.  Any tips on making it?

 

There are all sorts of recommendations. Many recipes suggest bringing to a boil 3 times. In my experience, doing so kills the foam.

 

Here is what I came up with after years of experimentation. I like it sweet, and I need to watch my sugar intake so I use Equal, so your proportions may vary accordingly.

 

1) Get a cezve/ibrik. The smaller the better; i.e., don't use a 12 oz cezve to make a single cup of Turkish coffee

2) For each 2.5 oz demitasse cup, use a level tablespoon or heaping teaspoon of coffee and 1 pack of equal (~ 1 teaspoon sugar)

3) Dump both into the cezve, then add cold water and swirl (as you might a wine glass)

4) Heat over a medium high burner. With an electric stove, turn off the burner when it starts making noise, but hasn't yet started boiling. With a gas burner, turn down to low.

5) As the coffee begins to boil swirl. Do this several times, but don't let it come to a full boil.

6) Pour off a small amount in each cup, dividing the foam equally.

 

For a special treat, add a small amount of grappa to each cup. With espresso, the Italians call this "caffe corretto". The combination of hot water and aromatics goes straight to the sinuses.

 

The most important part is to use enough coffee; mine improved noticeably when I increased the amount of coffee I used by 50%. Everybody tastes differently, but for me Equal tastes better in Turkish coffee, and Splenda tastes better in ice tea. 

[Rinkydink]

Wife braved Kroger this am around 8. She said store was pretty much deserted. Had plenty of product except TP, pasta, and dried beans. 

[Skywagon]

a little humor...

[Marty Hill]

Good one!

[AZgman]

I tried that parking lot trick here in AZ, but everyone had one...

[realshelby]

Well, HEB was nearly normal today. No TP, but paper towels everywhere. Plenty of meat, bread, milk, eggs. There were areas that were not well stocked and some stuff just seems to be missing. Checkout was fast. A nice surprise. I wore my N95 mask, safety glasses, nitrile shop gloves. Nobody looked twice. While there IS debate over masks working, what cannot be denied is they keep me from touching my mouth or nose with my hands. Same effect with the glasses. So I am wearing them when out. 

[Paul De]

My wife's nature and toast falling butter side up timing in our normal food prep reoutine has us in pretty good shape for now....This hole'n up looks to get into May.  Wife grew up in a tiny town 45 from a real grocery store (smattering of homes at a T in the road).  She is a stocker up type from that upbringing.  Always had a laugh as life in the city our pantry was always full up with a grocery store a 5 minute walk away.  The football season is our make ahead meal season (make big meals portion out and freeze while watching) so we had a plenty in the freezer to last 6-8 months.  Food staples, home made MREs, TP, paper towel, wipes are good.  I'm getting nervous though as the wine consumption rate has me thinking that I need to get a resupply in about a week.  My Scotch is going too fast as well, but I do have a Makers in reserve.  We had a trip to our Northwooods place planned for March on the calendar since last October and since we figured we would extend up there given the virus we were doing a Costco run for added supplies 3 weeks ago. Beef products were near bare, TP nearly gone, no wipes.  I  had to stand guard on out cart while my wife hit the punch list as I saw at least two B'iaches eye up my cart to swipe the last roaster chick I had scored out of our cart.  Amazing behavior in not a good way.

[RandyShields]

On 4/1/2020 at 11:46 AM, Skywagon said:

a little humor...

shopping.mov

I tried to send this video to some friends, but it wouldn't load and gave an expired notice.  I tried to copy and past, as well as to download it to my PC, then send it.  No luck.  Any ideas why I can continue to pull it up, but can't successfully share it?

 

Thanks.

[RandyShields]

8 hours ago, RandyShields said:

I tried to send this video to some friends, but it wouldn't load and gave an expired notice.  I tried to copy and past, as well as to download it to my PC, then send it.  No luck.  Any ideas why I can continue to pull it up, but can't successfully share it?

 

Thanks.

Skywagon sent me a link that worked.  It is getting howls; even my wife who sometimes doesn't share my sense of humor was laughing hard at this!

[TEWKS]

35 minutes ago, RandyShields said:

 It is getting howls;

 

Same at work, all coffee stains have now been cleaned!  That was done perfectly!!   

[Skywagon]

[wbw6cos]

Hope it does not say BOOM on the last square.  Just sayin'

[szurszewski]

Made my now weekly shopping trip to supply our house but mainly to supply my mom, stepmom and dad. I didn't buy any, but there was a decent selection of paper towels and toilet paper at the grocery store. Saw a dozen or so tiny spray bottles of hand sanitizer, and Costco had a pallet of disinfectant wipes (first time I've seen those since before we all went crazy). None of my parents had much on their shopping lists food wise. My mom got some surprise birthday presents (her birthday is 3/17 and we scrapped plans for a dinner out as that's when restaurants out here were prohibited from serving dine-in meals) - a bottle of tequila, three containers of Laura's homemade sorbet and a sample from a t-shirt design I nixed (one of a kind!). That was yesterday.

 

My dad and stepmom are starting to get bored, I think, and requested some very specific items, which I delivered today on the bike:

 

 

The 18' pole extensions and window cleaning equipment - my dad's request - are easy to spot, but my stepmom's items are a little less obvious. Can you find the 1/2 case of wine, the flatbed scanner and the giant photo album?

 

Here it is all packed up:

 

..and can you tell what's in the ice chest? My dad usually puts in a bunch of cheap annuals around their house this time of year, and starts a vegetable garden that is eaten almost entirely by the neighborhood deer. Since they're at the family vacation house and not at home, I brought out some  surprise plants for him to play with  - he was pretty excited.

 

LOTS of people out for clearly recreational rides today - beautiful day for it here - hopefully everyone is being extra careful and conservative in their riding.