Anyone stockpiling food?

[OrangeBirdGirl]

Because I hate running errands and going to the store I usually do a large Costco run for meats, chicken and shrimp. Just did that earlier this week. So I am set with that in the event of an outbreak, but that's something I'd be doing anyways.

I'm also in the rationale that in America we won't be completely shutting down or quarantining communities; it'd be more if we got sick. Or, if there was a huge outbreak we may not want to risk going to the store. The only thing I could think of that would prevent us from being able to eat for weeks was milk. We don't drink milk, but some recipes I need for cooking. I might pick up a can of evaporated milk next time I'm at the grocery store to eliminate the need for milk if we can't or don't want to go out. Sure all the fresh produce would suck not having it, but I could get by with frozen that we already have.

 

[b2k1121]

I suppose, but I still find it a nuisance if I need toilet paper and can't find any because everyone has hoarded it all.

Where I live, we don't have hurricanes or snowstorms so we're not really used to dealing with shortages due to mass stockpiling.

I want to know the thought process behind stockpiling for a snowstorm. I've lived in Wisconsin, a state that gets a ton of snow, my whole life, and stockpiling food for a blizzard is entirely unnecessary. But tons of people do it. The grocery stores are crazy here the day before any type of snowfall.

Can someone explain the reason for this? Even in the worst blizzard, the roads are plowed in 1-2 days and grocery stores are open. I can't imagine a scenario where anyone is stuck in their house for multiple weeks because of snow.

 

[kiddo76]

We already have a Zombie Apocalypse stash in the basement. DH greatly overestimates how much canned tomatoes, peanut butter, and dried beans that we eat. Not exactly sure what I'd make with that, but we wouldn't starve for a good while.

 

[mnrose]

We have two stand alone freezers because we order meat once per year from our farmer (thus the need to freeze) and we have a big garden, with lots of frozen produce. With rice and pasta (easy to buy in quantity and store), we're good for a LONG time without stockpiling per se. It's just an everyday thing for us.

 

[Feberin]

I want to know the thought process behind stockpiling for a snowstorm. I've lived in Wisconsin, a state that gets a ton of snow, my whole life, and stockpiling food for a blizzard is entirely unnecessary. But tons of people do it. The grocery stores are crazy here the day before any type of snowfall.

Can someone explain the reason for this? Even in the worst blizzard, the roads are plowed in 1-2 days and grocery stores are open. I can't imagine a scenario where anyone is stuck in their house for multiple weeks because of snow.

I think it depends where you live. More rural areas don't see plows for longer than 1-2 days after a snowstorm. I live in a suburb in Maryland and at our old house we lived off a main road but our street didn't go anywhere. Often everyone would work together to shovel it because it was a low priority for plows.

 

[Hikergirl]

I want to know the thought process behind stockpiling for a snowstorm. I've lived in Wisconsin, a state that gets a ton of snow, my whole life, and stockpiling food for a blizzard is entirely unnecessary. But tons of people do it. The grocery stores are crazy here the day before any type of snowfall.

Can someone explain the reason for this? Even in the worst blizzard, the roads are plowed in 1-2 days and grocery stores are open. I can't imagine a scenario where anyone is stuck in their house for multiple weeks because of snow.

We had a storm here a few years ago that resulted in power outages for over a week for some people. Several stores were effected and not open for days.
Sometimes the unexpected happens, I'd rather be prepared in case it does than not.

I don't go crazy before a snowstorm- my dh will go out and drive in anything. I do grab some essentials though so I don't have to send hi out.

 

[mom2rtk]

All this stocking up should make up for some of the hit to the economy this virus is causing!

 

[SaintsManiac]

All this stocking up should make up for some of the hit to the economy this virus is causing!

I thought the exact same thing.

 

[barkley]

I want to know the thought process behind stockpiling for a snowstorm. I've lived in Wisconsin, a state that gets a ton of snow, my whole life, and stockpiling food for a blizzard is entirely unnecessary. But tons of people do it. The grocery stores are crazy here the day before any type of snowfall.

Can someone explain the reason for this? Even in the worst blizzard, the roads are plowed in 1-2 days and grocery stores are open. I can't imagine a scenario where anyone is stuck in their house for multiple weeks because of snow.

you are fortunate to having plowing that efficient. we live on a private road that comes off a county (paved)-county owned rural roads are the lowest priority after every main arterial and large, medium and small neighborhood is done and done again so it can be a few days between scrapes let alone a full blown plowing of the county roads that lead to the city roads (closest stores) which are operated by a different plowing bureaucracy (so one set may be blocked while the other is clear). we stockpile for snowstorms b/c even if we can get to stores there can be power outages and food shortages (If registers are even working/generators haven't given out and food spoiled).

 

[barkley]

i didn't know about the stockpiling for this when i went shopping this morning but i took note while i was out-people buying larger supplies of not so much food, but stuff you need but usually buy every couple of weeks vs. getting a couple months worth at once (unless it's on a good sale)-diapers, sanitary products, infant formula, cleaning products....it's like people ensuring that they can minimize their future shopping trips as much as possible.

 

[quoo]

We just joined Costco does that count?

 

[b2k1121]

you are fortunate to having plowing that efficient. we live on a private road that comes off a county (paved)-county owned rural roads are the lowest priority after every main arterial and large, medium and small neighborhood is done and done again so it can be a few days between scrapes let alone a full blown plowing of the county roads that lead to the city roads (closest stores) which are operated by a different plowing bureaucracy (so one set may be blocked while the other is clear). we stockpile for snowstorms b/c even if we can get to stores there can be power outages and food shortages (If registers are even working/generators haven't given out and food spoiled).

Makes sense for those in rural areas, but at least in my area, I don't think it's only rural people stockpiling, there aren't that many of them. And I'm not just talking about when a blizzard is in the forecast. It happens when there are 2-4 inches in the forecast.

 

[DLgal]

We just joined Costco does that count?

Only if you walked out with $400 worth of stuff in your cart

 

[quoo]

I mean we might of. We really needed $100 of smoked salmon.

 

[gottaluvPluto]

I'm more worried about a shortage of medicine so I got Motrin, Tylenol, vitamins and some cold medicine. I might pick up my hurricane supplies early, but we will see.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

There's a nice elderly couple a few doors down in our townhouse complex. I've passed by their house a few times when their garage door is open. Those people have enough water, Diet Pepsi and Coors Lights to last a year. There are cases stacked to the ceiling on one entire wall. In case of quarantine or zombie apocalypse, I will be hanging out with them!

 

[low-key]

I eat it as fast as I buy it

 

[mom2rtk]

There's a nice elderly couple a few doors down in our townhouse complex. I've passed by their house a few times when their garage door is open. Those people have enough water, Diet Pepsi and Coors Lights to last a year. There are cases stacked to the ceiling on one entire wall. In case of quarantine or zombie apocalypse, I will be hanging out with them!

My mom stockpiles stuff. I figure as long as I keep enough gas in the car to get to her house, we're good.

 

[Disneylover99]

Only if you walked out with $400 worth of stuff in your cart

That’s not stockpiling at Costco......that’s just what normally happens when you stop by for an item or two. Lol.

 

[hopemax]

There's a nice elderly couple a few doors down in our townhouse complex. I've passed by their house a few times when their garage door is open. Those people have enough water, Diet Pepsi and Coors Lights to last a year. There are cases stacked to the ceiling on one entire wall. In case of quarantine or zombie apocalypse, I will be hanging out with them!

We had that wall in our garage for a couple years. In our case, though, it was because my DH was responsible for the drinks for his MLS team's gameday tailgates. I would shop during Easter, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day sales when soda was cheapest, and buy enough to get us to the next holiday sale. He's passed that job onto other people now, so we aren't prepped for soda disasters anymore.