@LindaWhit, thanks so much for bringing this up! It’s funny, because we had just re-watched that part only a couple weeks ago. Yep, they sure do deliver! Happy Day!
A promised and expected package delivery today didn’t arrive. Again, not critical, and again, just reporting.
We’re using Amazon a lot for things we usually buy locally. We’re seeing what appears to be prioritization generally consistent with government guidelines (I think) for what constitutes essential. Pet supplies count. We hit our restock level for cat litter Wednesday and I ordered. It’s shipped and should be here today. I’m wearing a surgical mask with a bandana over when I food shop (‘abundance of caution’). I stumbled across a six-pack of neck gaiter/face mask/hoods that are UV blocking so I’ll get utility out of them post COVID-19. They must count as clothes because delivery is projected as six to eight weeks.
Earlier delayed package just arrived safe and sound at 7:40 am via USPS. Think our often much maligned postal service deserves a shout out here. As essential workers, they’ve been steadfast, although I’m sure many approached their daily jobs with trepidation. Especially when less was known about Covid, and it was thought to live on surfaces far longer than it actually does.
The other delivery is supposed to be here by 8 pm, via FedEx, as was always the shipping method.
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I’ve mentioned that my restock levels are higher and in some cases my “full stock” levels are up also. I have always bought in bulk for the economies.
We’re in pretty good shape for toilet paper since I scored a 36-pack recently (what I have always purchased). I am using our bidet at least half the time which has reduced consumption. Paper towels are doing okay and availability is improving. Facial tissues are okay. Seasonal allergies make me very sensitive to those. grin I have dug out a couple of handkerchiefs which are helping.
The items we’re low on that seem to still be in short supply: disinfecting wipes, liquid hand soap, our laundry detergent of choice (no dyes, no perfumes), sunscreen, and mosquito repellent.
Things I continue to see low stock levels of in stores are convenience and prepared foods. Lots of people apparently still can’t cook.
Dinner tonight is mac & cheese (cavatappi, cheddar, bacon, homemade Panko) and salad. Dried pasta stocks had bounced back on my last shopping trip two weeks ago and I got a little whimsical. I also found dried tortellini which takes pressure off the freezer.
We’re planning our next shopping trip next Wednesday morning. This weekend I’m going through the USDA home canning “bible” for ideas to beef (ha!) up our shelf stable stores. Plenty of pasta sauce and soups. Maybe some chili?
We’re using Amazon and other delivery for things we would usually run out to a store. Food is in person shopping. My wife plans to shop with me next Wednesday morning - her first trip since February. We go when the grocery first opens at 6a and there aren’t many customers and the delivery pickers haven’t started yet.
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We are still getting supermarket home deliveries and expect that to continue for some goodly while. It’s not as much fun as picking your own fruit and veg but it’s a heck of lot safer here at present. Our two usual supermarkets are actively discouraging more than one person from a family group going into the the shop, so not even the pleasure of us jointly choosing the bananas. At least the online order is something we do together so it may just be something we look to continue long term.
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That was the case here for quite a while but is no longer a mandate. I am fully on board with the difference between “required” and “right” and am fully in support of “right.” My wife is claustrophobic and expect that with a mask on she’ll make it through produce and head to the car. I’ll finish the shopping and we’ll go home. Staying home has had a bigger impact on her than me so I understand her wanting to go. Both of us going means we get a full shop in and I don’t have to spend three days settling her down.
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After participating in this thread, I’m realizing that in our upper left hand corner of the US, that supplies don’t seem to be as scarce as some of you are reporting from the East Coast. No real surprise there, considering population density, major growing areas farther away, as well as other factors. While I still haven’t gone to a grocery store since before Christmas, H is reporting near normal levels of most products. I think disinfecting wipes are still scarce, but have become available in some places. I was well supplied on those to begin with, and found some forgotten ones in the garage. Along with a treasure trove of other forgotten supplies, including industrial grade disinfecting bleach. The thing we can’t seem to find anywhere, after H looks faithfully everywhere, each and every time, is household ammonia. I use this mainly as a laundry booster and disinfectant. Sometimes for specific cleaning projects.
I’m not about to go on a foray to the diverse Asian markets in our area, and H isn’t keen to go for me either. So, I’m ordering stuff like that from Amazon, as well as certain things I’d buy at TJ’s (but never TJ’s products) every now and then. The big A is price gouging IMO, but for some items, it’s worth it to me, to lessen possibility of exposure.
That all said, I’ve been having thoughts on possible things that may be in short supply this fall and winter. My feeling is to hope for the best, but prepare for different, potentially darker scenarios.
More people than before novel corona are in fact cooking or learning to cook, and many are also gardening food. I do agree with @Auspicious, in that many people don’t cook, or even want to learn how. It surprised hell out of me when flour and yeast were nearly impossible to find, with sugar also being scarce. My thoughts on possible scarcity of some things include the following. Please note I haven’t read this anywhere, but it may be likely. Canning supplies - for those who may have a 1st time interest in this due to veggie gardens, or putting up their own stock of food stuffs. I’d buy these sooner rather than later, or get them ordered. Another thing that occurs to me is food prepared for holiday traditions. If you have an extra can of pumpkin in your larder, I’d hang onto it, and look for more. Whatever you may use in your holiday meals. Not to hoard, but rather to buy while stocks are still available. It’s supposed to be a hotter than normal summer than usual, everywhere. This will be good for some crops, but not for others. I did read yesterday, that fruit and vegetable pickers and handlers are falling ill with Covid, just as the meat handlers did awhile back. As well, more hurricanes are in the forecast, and we’ve already broken a record for the most named storms this early in the season. Sorry for the length of this post, and I apologize if I’m stating the obvious. These are just my concerns for the next 6 or so months. I’m going to post on the jams, jellies and preserving thread other thoughts specific to putting food by. I’ve got some pointers for re-utilizing commercial jars with rubberized lids for certain things. I do can under current safety guidelines, but don’t pressure can. I’d like to, maybe I’ll learn.
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I think a lot of that was emotionally driven. People bought what they thought they should have even though they had no idea what to do with it. The initial wipe-out of produce was probably the same and I suspect a lot of it went to waste. sigh
The food supply chain worries me.
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i wonder if the yeast shortage came about because of people like me. I know how to make bread and pizza dough etc but just kept a couple packets on hand , i don’t use it on a regular basis. Then when the pandemic hit I thought whoa…If push comes to shove I can always make my own bread. Of course at that point all the yeast was gone. Managed to find a jar several weeks ago and have actually used it a few times. I just feel very secure with a jar of yeast in my fridge right now.
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When bread flour was harder to come by, I bought a bag of vital gluten and made my own combining it with ap flour. No one seems to be buying vital gluten.
Info on the yeast shortage.
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Yes, I think you’re onto something there, most definitely. Posted on a different thread, I think, that I had a strange compulsion during my last grocery shop, which was made before Christmas, to buy about 5 three packs of yeast. Very glad I did this & it was long before hearing about Covid, too. OTOH, we were caught short on both flour and sugar for a bit, but did have enough for a few pizza crusts and the like. When it was time to stock up for Covid, I wasn’t taking the risk of going out, and H isn’t the stocker I am. Try to be well provisioned, but no hoarding. Same with TP, we got a little low for comfort, before we were able to get restocked.
ETA: what is the availability of essentials like in Texas currently?
Flour remains a serious issue in the UK, with supermarkets generally being out of stock of all types. Mrs H has, however, been able to secure supplies from small online sources - generally direct from small mills. Yeast has been no problem of late.
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Thanks for posting, always interesting to learn what different parts of the world are experiencing with novel corona situation.
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After my weekly trip to our local grocery store today, it looks like we’re pretty much back to normal. For the time being anyway. Store was fully stocked (well, except for that one little empty spot in the baking aisle ) and some cleaning supplies. Biggest surprise was the PT/TP aisle. It was literally stocked to the gills. Large eggs are once again available. Just medium for quite awhile. Think they had a Saturday night run on frozen pizza. Plenty of hand sanitizer for sale in what looks like a cheap vodka bottle. Oh yes, I picked up a can of pumpkin today just in case.
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Good girl @Miss_belle! I remember a pumpkin shortage just a few years ago in fact. Who knows what our Covid world will bring? Thanks too for the report on the grocery situation where you are.
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@shrinkrap - Looking at your pic, I’m realizing I’m spacing my garlic way more than I need to (stupid guides!). If all goes well this year, I might be able to double that my garlic crop next year!
My grocery stores are getting somewhat back to normal, except prices. They remain elevated, but the last trip 2 weeks ago stock of items looked almost normal for foods. A little bare here and there, but nothing stark or shocking. Meat was plentiful and had the expected summer specials like ribs or ground meat for burgers. Pastas are readily available
The only aisles I still avoid are the paper goods and cleaners so not sure what’s going on there. I have noticed that my store has kept potato chips on sale every time I’ve been to the store (which is about every 2 weeks or so), so they continue to encourage you to munch and snack throughout your quarantine. And like a sucker, I buy a bag every trip. 
I’ve found more wholesalers who are trying to sell their foods online, including a local seafood wholesaler, so it’s been great stocking up on some fish and seafood. They normally supply restaurants, so I hope that this will continue to some degree even when restaurants open up. You do need the freezer space to cram about 5 packs of salmon in, but the quality so far has been excellent.
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@kobuta, good luck this year and next! I have to admit I was pretty impressed with how they managed to grow well in such cramped quarters. OTOH, I’d be cautious about using my results as a guide, since my results are usually terrible. This is the first year I’ve grown in sub irrigation buckets, and I’m not quite sure why it worked. I did get the spacing from a source online, but it didn’t include much information.
Been some years since I grew garlic. I remember spacing it 3-4" apart and thinning in early season (eat the thinning). Ended up with good sized bulbs 6-8" apart. Garlic is a heavy nitrogen feeder so needs to be fertilized.
Big shop this morning in preparation for a second wave of virus as our state opens. Numbers here are good but better safe than sorry. Grocery still has one-way aisles (which I like) so fastest and easiest is to go up and down every aisle. Still a few odd holes (lots of cheese, but no Swiss; lots of mustard, no Grey Poupon; plenty of sour cream but not the squeeze tubes we like). Prices aren’t up much from January. Paper goods are back with rationing. Convenience foods are recovering stock. Pasta is looking good again, canned goods recovered, frozen dinners and pizza fully stocked.
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