Stocking the cupboards in the event of a pandemic in the USA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All the stores are running out of toilet paper. You can’t find it online any more either. The panic buying is real.

Panic buying created the shortage.

I know. People are terrified of being stuck at home and run out of stuff.

Over the weekend, I went to buy regular stuff at Target. TP isle was empty. I took a pic as did others. Tonight DH went to store to get milk and other random items. He claims (and I believe him) that pretty much everthing was running out at 4:30 when he arrived and the store was stuffed at 5:30 when he left.

In other news...He had like 12 items on his list. An hour? Really?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t read every bit of this, but here’s my prep:

Extra TP, sanitizer, hand soap, etc.
I use a diva cup so feminine hygiene is covered indefinitely.
I keep 3 gallons of water per person on hand anyway for hurricanes, etc.

For food, I have a lot of stuff on hand anyway. I order freeze-dried fruits and veggies all the time from a company called thrive life. My kids will eat “crunchy” (freeze-dried) green beans, peas, corn, apples, peaches and every type of berry. I buy it in big #10 cans and they last for like 20 years unopened, and a year after opening. It’s great to have a healthy, shelf-stable snack for the kids that I can easily throw into a lunch box or snack container. They sell powdered milk and eggs too but we honestly don’t drink that much milk so we wouldn’t bother trying to overlook the powdered taste. I just keep some shelf-stable nut milk since that works fine for baking and some ground flaxseed in case I need eggs for baking.

I made sure we had applejuice, applesauce and crackers since that’s what my kids like when they are sick so if they do get CoVID-19 and feel yucky we have their preferred “I feel yucky” food. I bought some extra pasta and canned tuna and flour so I can bake bread.

Eff you and everyone else hoarding extra sanitizer. You are only as a safe as the weakest link and many families have zero.

I am the poster you are raging against and honestly? I bought sanitizer weeks ago because CDC has been advising us for weeks to start washing and sanitizing more frequently. I don’t usually use sanitizer often, I just wash hands when we get home or wipe with baby wipes if they get messy. But I followed CDC’s guidelines. I didn’t buy an excessive amount, just enough that we can have it on hand in every bathroom (because I’ve seen my 4yo twins wash their hands and trust me they still need to sanitize), and in the car and my purse and a refill for when all of that runs out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Went to Whole Foods today for regular shopping - they are selling applesauce that expired in September. So pissed that I didn't notice. Now I have to go back and face that craziness again! This is a first for WF for me. Harris Teeter did it regularly and I stopped going there.

Or you could just toss it.

Or just eat it...odds are it’s fine

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Went to Whole Foods today for regular shopping - they are selling applesauce that expired in September. So pissed that I didn't notice. Now I have to go back and face that craziness again! This is a first for WF for me. Harris Teeter did it regularly and I stopped going there.

Or you could just toss it.

Or just eat it...odds are it’s fine

+1

Applesauce? If it smells ok I’d eat it.

[Anonymous]

So I've been adding extra foods to my regular shopping over the last couple of weeks and we are fairly well stocked. We are getting low on some fresh foods though (fruits) -- is it too crazy to go get a few basics right now? How mobbed are the stores?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I've been adding extra foods to my regular shopping over the last couple of weeks and we are fairly well stocked. We are getting low on some fresh foods though (fruits) -- is it too crazy to go get a few basics right now? How mobbed are the stores?

It was business as usual at the store near me. But I went in the afternoon. Maybe it would have been different in the evening when people get off work.

[Anonymous]

PSA: Please remember to help the food banks. People who live paycheck to paycheck or cannot make ends meet must be especially worried about feeding their children right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Went to Whole Foods today for regular shopping - they are selling applesauce that expired in September. So pissed that I didn't notice. Now I have to go back and face that craziness again! This is a first for WF for me. Harris Teeter did it regularly and I stopped going there.

Or you could just toss it.

Or just eat it...odds are it’s fine

+1

Applesauce? If it smells ok I’d eat it.

anything that acidic will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All the stores are running out of toilet paper. You can’t find it online any more either. The panic buying is real.

Panic buying created the shortage.

I know. People are terrified of being stuck at home and run out of stuff.

Over the weekend, I went to buy regular stuff at Target. TP isle was empty. I took a pic as did others. Tonight DH went to store to get milk and other random items. He claims (and I believe him) that pretty much everthing was running out at 4:30 when he arrived and the store was stuffed at 5:30 when he left.

In other news...He had like 12 items on his list. An hour? Really?

He needs more practice, you do too much an you are too efficient while he is total amareur.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PSA: Please remember to help the food banks. People who live paycheck to paycheck or cannot make ends meet must be especially worried about feeding their children right now.

At this point fema or states should take over to supplemempnt. huge demand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did my regular weekly shopping at HT last night, and it was absolutely mobbed. I understand stocking up more than normal (I have), but I saw families with four overflowing shopping carts. At a certain point, you have to step back and question the sanity of this.

We were told by the CDC weeks ago to prepare. If you paid attention to the news around the world and believed all humans are somewhat equal in the face of nature, you would have come to that conclusion a month earlier. It's insane that families are only starting to prepare now rather than 2 months ago, and even more insane that anyone would still think it's a bad idea.

Are you really that ignorant to not undertstand that many families can only buy essentials each week. They don’t have the ability to “stock up” or really hoard is what you’re doing.

Lol
So, I shouldn't stock up because some people are poor?
Hell no

Stocking up for six months, no. This isn't the apocalypse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did my regular weekly shopping at HT last night, and it was absolutely mobbed. I understand stocking up more than normal (I have), but I saw families with four overflowing shopping carts. At a certain point, you have to step back and question the sanity of this.

We were told by the CDC weeks ago to prepare. If you paid attention to the news around the world and believed all humans are somewhat equal in the face of nature, you would have come to that conclusion a month earlier. It's insane that families are only starting to prepare now rather than 2 months ago, and even more insane that anyone would still think it's a bad idea.

Are you really that ignorant to not undertstand that many families can only buy essentials each week. They don’t have the ability to “stock up” or really hoard is what you’re doing.

Lol
So, I shouldn't stock up because some people are poor?
Hell no

Stocking up for six months, no. This isn't the apocalypse.

People need to stock up for a couple week’s worth in case they cannot go to the store because both parents are sick at once. Plus once someone in your house is diagnosed you’re probably going to be quarantined. You need to be able to sustain yourself for a few weeks. You don’t need 6 months supplies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did my regular weekly shopping at HT last night, and it was absolutely mobbed. I understand stocking up more than normal (I have), but I saw families with four overflowing shopping carts. At a certain point, you have to step back and question the sanity of this.

We were told by the CDC weeks ago to prepare. If you paid attention to the news around the world and believed all humans are somewhat equal in the face of nature, you would have come to that conclusion a month earlier. It's insane that families are only starting to prepare now rather than 2 months ago, and even more insane that anyone would still think it's a bad idea.

Are you really that ignorant to not undertstand that many families can only buy essentials each week. They don’t have the ability to “stock up” or really hoard is what you’re doing.

Lol
So, I shouldn't stock up because some people are poor?
Hell no

Stocking up for six months, no. This isn't the apocalypse.

People need to stock up for a couple week’s worth in case they cannot go to the store because both parents are sick at once. Plus once someone in your house is diagnosed you’re probably going to be quarantined. You need to be able to sustain yourself for a few weeks. You don’t need 6 months supplies.

NP but most of us are not stocking up for 6 months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All the stores are running out of toilet paper. You can’t find it online any more either. The panic buying is real.

Panic buying created the shortage.

I know. People are terrified of being stuck at home and run out of stuff.

Pandemic + historical consumer behavior + just-in-time inventory systems = shortages

Warnings about this have been in studies by industry, the government and academia for many years. The question is whether grocers/food manufacturers/transportation have good pandemic plans in place for this — to resupply distribution centers and their stores. I’m more concerned about capacity to refill shelves and how long it would take. I’ve seen nothing written on this lately, but if anyone sees something on this, please post!

[Anonymous]

If you buy so much food, you need to buy toilet papers!
Learn to eat at a minimal level. It will be ok. We survived the refugee camp. It's ok.