Pandemic hoarding

[lthenderson]

My condolences on the loss of your pet. I found peanut butter worked best when giving pills to my dog. The stickiness didn't allow him to cough the pill back out. We use Spam mixed with ground pork when making lumpia and a few other filipino dishes. The worst way to eat Spam is by itself no matter how you cook it, kind of like flour. It needs to be one ingredient with other ingredients.

[NotJen]

Speaking of pets and pills, is there a squeeze cheese shortage?

I once got my cat to take pills using Easy Cheese - and needed some again, but it has not been in stock at my local store my last 3 trips.  She's out of pills (got maybe half of them into her), so I don't need it anymore and haven't tried to find it online.

Seems like an odd thing to be out of.

[Roadrunner53]

Thanks all for your kind words.

Believe me, I have tried everything to get pills down my sick dog. Cream cheese and chicken blended, sardines and cream cheese, peanutbutter, marshmallows, ham, deli roast beef, deli turkey, many cheeses, liverwurst, bolony and more I can't think of. He used to be a really good eater but I guess his illness just made him feel sick. The pills were very powerful cancer drugs and others added on top of that. So, his stomach was probably churning from it all.

We all do the best for our animals. Now I have one rickety old dog who will be 17 years old next month! UGH, why do they have to get old!

[Roadrunner53]

Speaking of pets and pills, is there a squeeze cheese shortage?

I once got my cat to take pills using Easy Cheese - and needed some again, but it has not been in stock at my local store my last 3 trips.  She's out of pills (got maybe half of them into her), so I don't need it anymore and haven't tried to find it online.

Seems like an odd thing to be out of.

Amazon has it but some are pricey. Target has it for $3.99 a can if you order on line and $35 worth of products shipping is free.
Scroll about halfway down the page: https://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=easy+cheese

[K_in_the_kitchen]

So ... I found out today that the Instacart markup for Costco using the Instacart app are twice as high as using the Costco website.  It makes sense, since you do have to have a Costco membership to use the Costco website.  But this doesn't seem to be widely known.  I don't love any markup, but on some items the Costco price with markup is still better than Sprouts without a markup, because of bulk pricing.

Also, I did an Instacart Sprouts order today, going in through the Sprouts website instead of the Instacart app -- and I was allowed to use the current $10 off $75 coupon, plus two other digital coupons, 75¢ off 3 avocados and $1 off Earth Balance (for the dairy allergic kid). I chose curbside pickup and there were no fees at all, and no tipping. Sprouts's in-house shopper did a much better job choosing produce (the order was 90% fresh produce) than any "full service" Instacart shopper has ever done. Unlike Target, nothing was missing. In store shoppers are actual employees, from what I understand, some stores use Instacart employees and some use their own. The text I received said a Sprouts Farmers Market Associate was shopping for me, so maybe it wasn't an Instacart employee.

I didn't buy anything to hoard from Sprouts, lol, but this week I did order TP (we have an old house and need paper that dissolves easily) and our preferred medium grain rice from Walmart. I ordered paper towels from Target. I don't want to hoard, but I also don't want to end up not having what we need. Oh, I also ordered meat from our local--ish grass-fed beef rancher, since he had rump roasts half price. That was a stock up.

[Sun Hat]

Yesterday, my province announced that we'll be returning to lockdown Thursday, with non-essential retail closed and essential stores limited to 25% capacity. Wednesday is a statutory holiday, so that left people with just a few hours on Tuesday to stock up. Atypically, I was out and about having my phone battery replaced, and noticed that store parking lots were absolute mayhem. It was a nice feeling to be able to drive right by the crowds and know that I had enough.

[couponvan]

I have a big kitchen.  On the lower cabinets in the "Pre-COVID" times, it held lots of party goods. We're not having a party anytime between now and next Spring, so I moved all the party goods into an upper cabinet that was hard to reach.  I now have so much available pandemic prepping space.  I'm doing a big shop tomorrow. We'll have a load of canned goods to get by with if things get too hairy.  Right now it was more starches and beans along with a big bottle of multivitamins. None of us really like canned fruits and veg though, so once it's back to normal I think we'll make a nice donation to the food pantry.

@Sun Hat that lockdown timing sounds terrible.  Congrats on being ready and prepared.

[Roadrunner53]

I have a big kitchen.  On the lower cabinets in the "Pre-COVID" times, it held lots of party goods. We're not having a party anytime between now and next Spring, so I moved all the party goods into an upper cabinet that was hard to reach.  I now have so much available pandemic prepping space.  I'm doing a big shop tomorrow. We'll have a load of canned goods to get by with if things get too hairy.  Right now it was more starches and beans along with a big bottle of multivitamins. None of us really like canned fruits and veg though, so once it's back to normal I think we'll make a nice donation to the food pantry.

@Sun Hat that lockdown timing sounds terrible.  Congrats on being ready and prepared.

What kind of canned things are you getting? As far as fruit, I did buy some applesauce, pineapples, mandarin oranges. I am thinking of buying canned peaches. The mandarin oranges I plan to put on salads. Not a huge fan of them but they are Vitamin C. The only vegs in cans that I have on hand are green beans and corn. I could tolerate mixed veg if I put them in a soup or stew but never buy them. One other thing that is good is pickled beets and I got them from Walmart. Anyone else know of anything good in a can as far as fruits and veg? I prefer frozen but if we are stocking up there is only so much room in the freezer.

[MudPuppy]

Canned tomatoes for me, mostly. I do have some dehydrated mixed veggies that make good soup.

[OtherJen]

Canned tomatoes for me, mostly. I do have some dehydrated mixed veggies that make good soup.

Yeah, the dehydrated veggies are good in soup. Otherwise, we only buy canned tomatoes and maybe beans. I guess salsa and olives would also technically count.

[GuitarStv]

If you take a daily multivitamin and have powdered fiber mix like Metamucil . . . is there really any reason to eat vegetables/fruit?  Serious question.  I like fruit for the flavour (and vegetables for textural variety), but if you're in a real survival situation is there any reason the above wouldn't work?

[SquashingDebt]

I went to the store today to finish up my pandemic "hoard".  It consists of an extra 4.5 square feet of shelf space in a pantry area where I used to store only mason jars.  My regular pantry is a bit more full too.  I'm now fully stocked with almost every dry good I can think of to make the sorts of recipes I like.  Now I'll switch to system of just replacing what I use up.  Living alone makes a lot of things about this pandemic harder (I miss hugs!), but it does make it easier to stock up on food.

I also bought the non-perishable food I'll need for my (solo) Thanksgiving dinner.  My first away from my family in my 34 years of life :(  My plan is to make all my favorite side dishes I usually make with my mom, and skip the turkey because that seems like a pain.  My only "fancy" cooking planned for the holiday is an apple pie.

My store was pretty normally stocked, except I saw a sign saying that boxed stuffing mix was limited to 4 per person (along with the sign about 2 cleaning products per person that's been there the whole pandemic).

[RetiredAt63]

Canadian Tire finally got 500 ml canning jars in, so there are now 3 boxes (12 each) under my bed for next year, just in case.  Under my bed has turned out to be prime storage space.  My poor cat starts to go under, and has to reroute.  I have enough paper towel to get me through the winter, and enough TP to get me to January.  The freezer is nearly full.  I prefer fresh (meat, veg, fruit) but have enough frozen to get me through some bad weather (standard Canadian refrain, winter is coming, on the prairies it has already come) so the only things I really have to hit the grocery store for on a regular basis are eggs and cream, both of which will keep for a few weeks in the fridge.  As cases have gone up here I am really trying to limit being in buildings, so basically at this point it is the library, the grocery store, and the dentist.  There are a few things I need that I am trying to find online before I venture into a store for them.

[Roadrunner53]

Please tell me what supplier you all use for dehydrated veggies. That is a good idea. I have the boxes of scalloped potatoes which comes in handy as a side dish.

I have been buying 3 dozen eggs each time I am down to the last dozen. Eggs keep a long time. Last week I went to the store and found Jumbo eggs for $1.79 a dozen which I thought was a bargain! Make sure you check the expiration dates. Some stores are sneaky and have old eggs to sell.

As far as not having turkey for Thanksgiving, SquashingDebt, maybe you could get some thick deli slices and warm them up with jarred gravy. It would taste pretty good and you could have a good amount of turkey to enjoy. No real cooking involved. Or buy a roasting chicken and 'pretend' it is turkey! LOL!

Yes, I have canned tomatoes and use them often. They are a must! Full of Vit. C too! I use them in so many things.

Metamucil is great for fiber but not sure if a vitamin pill is enough. But better than nothing I suppose if it was the end of the world and there was no food.

[PMG]

We’re planning  to roast a couple chicken breasts for thanksgiving dinner. The sides really are what I want to eat but my spouse will want some meat. It seems silly to make soooo many sides for just two people. I’m not sure my spouse has ever had stuffing so I got a pack of stovetop. Got a can of cranberry sauce. That’s enough to make it feel very holiday like for me.

Now for Christmas.  I’m hungry for melt in your mouth smoked ham. But not sure I can find one small enough?!  We just have a small freezer and only need so many leftovers.

[couponvan]

Costco today had no turkeys. I wanted to post a picture of their "out of stock" items. "Turkey" made the list. Costco today had 2 hams left.  We don't love ham, so I didn't get that.  I figure expensive Rib Eye roasts will still be around for xmas, and we might be in IL for that festivity so it doesn't make sense to panic and buy that yet.  It may be a very interesting Christmas ala Scrooge in America if not every house can have a Christmas ham that wants one.

I bought peaches and mixed fruit as well as pineapple.  I have no answer to the Metamucil question, but we have no fiber in the house. There seemed to be plenty of canned goods available at Costco in the regular varieties.  Our cereal bins are almost empty, but no one is eating cold cereal in the winter....so meh. It's all put away and there's still room for more. Chocolate syrup decadence? I got a big pack of Swiss Miss hot cocoa.  I figured it's tasty calories. $2.99 on super sale.  That's cheaper than powdered milk.

We're going to limit the sides to just mashed potatoes, jello salad (kids' favorite part), turkey, and green bean casserole.  I did buy stuffing, but don't know if we'll actually make more than what we put in the bird.

[OtherJen]

Costco today had no turkeys. I wanted to post a picture of their "out of stock" items. "Turkey" made the list. Costco today had 2 hams left.  We don't love ham, so I didn't get that.  I figure expensive Rib Eye roasts will still be around for xmas, and we might be in IL for that festivity so it doesn't make sense to panic and buy that yet.  It may be a very interesting Christmas ala Scrooge in America if not every house can have a Christmas ham that wants one.

Well, shoot. I'd better try to get a turkey soon.

[Sun Hat]

@Roadrunner53 You asked about suppliers for dehydrated veggies:
For dehydrated mixed veg that are good in rice and soups, I buy them at a bulk food chain called Bulk Barn. They're dirt cheap.

For dehydrated shiitake mushrooms, which can be used in place of fresh mushrooms in any cooked recipe, I buy them in big packages in the Chinese / Asian section of Superstore my big supermarket, though they're also available at pretty much any Asian grocery store. FAR cheaper than fresh and have a very long shelf life. I generally use them in either rice dishes or to make lentil mushroom pate.

[OtherJen]

@Roadrunner53 You asked about suppliers for dehydrated veggies:
For dehydrated mixed veg that are good in rice and soups, I buy them at a bulk food chain called Bulk Barn. They're dirt cheap.

For dehydrated shiitake mushrooms, which can be used in place of fresh mushrooms in any cooked recipe, I buy them in big packages in the Chinese / Asian section of Superstore my big supermarket, though they're also available at pretty much any Asian grocery store. FAR cheaper than fresh and have a very long shelf life. I generally use them in either rice dishes or to make lentil mushroom pate.

I ordered dehydrated vegetables, beans, and lentils from North Bay Trading earlier this year. The quality has been very good.

[MudPuppy]

If you take a daily multivitamin and have powdered fiber mix like Metamucil . . . is there really any reason to eat vegetables/fruit?  Serious question.  I like fruit for the flavour (and vegetables for textural variety), but if you're in a real survival situation is there any reason the above wouldn't work?

I have beans for fiber. If I was truly desperate for veggies there are many edible plants. Clover is a edible, for instance.

[GuitarStv]

If you take a daily multivitamin and have powdered fiber mix like Metamucil . . . is there really any reason to eat vegetables/fruit?  Serious question.  I like fruit for the flavour (and vegetables for textural variety), but if you're in a real survival situation is there any reason the above wouldn't work?

I have beans for fiber. If I was truly desperate for veggies there are many edible plants. Clover is a edible, for instance.

I was doing a thought experiment for a long term survival scenario.

Oil lasts forever, protein powder (if vacuum sealed) seems to have a pretty long shelf life, there are plenty of shelf stable carbs.  Vegetables and fruit are a problem though . . . but if you could replace them with multivitamins and fiber then you could live a bland existence for an awful long time with minimal planning.  I don't see why it wouldn't provide you with the correct macro and micronutrients.

[RetiredAt63]

If you take a daily multivitamin and have powdered fiber mix like Metamucil . . . is there really any reason to eat vegetables/fruit?  Serious question.  I like fruit for the flavour (and vegetables for textural variety), but if you're in a real survival situation is there any reason the above wouldn't work?

I have beans for fiber. If I was truly desperate for veggies there are many edible plants. Clover is a edible, for instance.

I was doing a thought experiment for a long term survival scenario.

Oil lasts forever, protein powder (if vacuum sealed) seems to have a pretty long shelf life, there are plenty of shelf stable carbs.  Vegetables and fruit are a problem though . . . but if you could replace them with multivitamins and fiber then you could live a bland existence for an awful long time with minimal planning.  I don't see why it wouldn't provide you with the correct macro and micronutrients.

Sprouts are good for fresh vegetables. Dry seeds, add water, and you are set.  So are fermented foods.

[MudPuppy]

If you take a daily multivitamin and have powdered fiber mix like Metamucil . . . is there really any reason to eat vegetables/fruit?  Serious question.  I like fruit for the flavour (and vegetables for textural variety), but if you're in a real survival situation is there any reason the above wouldn't work?

I have beans for fiber. If I was truly desperate for veggies there are many edible plants. Clover is a edible, for instance.

I was doing a thought experiment for a long term survival scenario.

Oil lasts forever, protein powder (if vacuum sealed) seems to have a pretty long shelf life, there are plenty of shelf stable carbs.  Vegetables and fruit are a problem though . . . but if you could replace them with multivitamins and fiber then you could live a bland existence for an awful long time with minimal planning.  I don't see why it wouldn't provide you with the correct macro and micronutrients.

I mean it would definitely help you evade deficiencies for a while. A valuable function.

[BicycleB]

If you take a daily multivitamin and have powdered fiber mix like Metamucil . . . is there really any reason to eat vegetables/fruit?  Serious question.  I like fruit for the flavour (and vegetables for textural variety), but if you're in a real survival situation is there any reason the above wouldn't work?

I have beans for fiber. If I was truly desperate for veggies there are many edible plants. Clover is a edible, for instance.

I was doing a thought experiment for a long term survival scenario.

Oil lasts forever, protein powder (if vacuum sealed) seems to have a pretty long shelf life, there are plenty of shelf stable carbs.  Vegetables and fruit are a problem though . . . but if you could replace them with multivitamins and fiber then you could live a bland existence for an awful long time with minimal planning.  I don't see why it wouldn't provide you with the correct macro and micronutrients.

Maybe it does. But I don't think scientists have really proven that. It's hard to test the effect of generally eating "real foods" vs sets of nutrients.

A lot of people assert that nutrients are metabolized better when they come as part of whole foods. The idea that the various nutrients are really all we need, and that we do process them well their usual food substrates (if you will) is a hypothesis that was trendy for a while. Then it was trendy to point to long lifespans of people who eat lots of vegetables and whole foods instead of food products and isolated nutrients, saying that that "proves" whole foods are better. One variant of this line of thought is that most traditional cuisines have excellent combinations for health, better than "macros plus micros" so to speak.

You call the play. Based on what's available, I guess.

[Roadrunner53]

@Roadrunner53 You asked about suppliers for dehydrated veggies:
For dehydrated mixed veg that are good in rice and soups, I buy them at a bulk food chain called Bulk Barn. They're dirt cheap.

For dehydrated shiitake mushrooms, which can be used in place of fresh mushrooms in any cooked recipe, I buy them in big packages in the Chinese / Asian section of Superstore my big supermarket, though they're also available at pretty much any Asian grocery store. FAR cheaper than fresh and have a very long shelf life. I generally use them in either rice dishes or to make lentil mushroom pate.

I ordered dehydrated vegetables, beans, and lentils from North Bay Trading earlier this year. The quality has been very good.

Sun Hat looks like Bulk Barn is a Canadian store only. I am here in USA.

OtherJen, That is ironic you sent that link for North Bay Trading! I bought their Christmas Lima Beans and some soup mixes back a while ago and kind of forgot about that company. I just made a Christmas Lima Bean cold salad the other day and it was really good. I have some Spicy Southwestern Soup I might just throw in the crockpot today.

I looked at the dehydrated veggies and the mushrooms look interesting but expensive. I guess a little goes a long way. What veggies do you buy from them and do you recommend anything in particular?

[Sun Hat]

Oil lasts forever

Most vegetable oils will go rancid after 12-36 months. If you were to try living off of oil, protein powder, fiber supplements and multivitamins, you'd probably go a bit squirrely long before then though. Add some honey to your austere bunker plan so that you can taste something.

[OtherJen]

@Roadrunner53 You asked about suppliers for dehydrated veggies:
For dehydrated mixed veg that are good in rice and soups, I buy them at a bulk food chain called Bulk Barn. They're dirt cheap.

For dehydrated shiitake mushrooms, which can be used in place of fresh mushrooms in any cooked recipe, I buy them in big packages in the Chinese / Asian section of Superstore my big supermarket, though they're also available at pretty much any Asian grocery store. FAR cheaper than fresh and have a very long shelf life. I generally use them in either rice dishes or to make lentil mushroom pate.

I ordered dehydrated vegetables, beans, and lentils from North Bay Trading earlier this year. The quality has been very good.

Sun Hat looks like Bulk Barn is a Canadian store only. I am here in USA.

OtherJen, That is ironic you sent that link for North Bay Trading! I bought their Christmas Lima Beans and some soup mixes back a while ago and kind of forgot about that company. I just made a Christmas Lima Bean cold salad the other day and it was really good. I have some Spicy Southwestern Soup I might just throw in the crockpot today.

I looked at the dehydrated veggies and the mushrooms look interesting but expensive. I guess a little goes a long way. What veggies do you buy from them and do you recommend anything in particular?

I bought the air-dried mixed veggies. They seem a bit pricey, but I have celiac disease and can’t trust that the food in public bulk bins is safe for me (last time I went to one, I watched someone take a flour scoop and go into other bins with it). If you don’t have a food allergy, it would be worth checking out a local bulk food store.

[StarBright]

So if anyone is interested in nutrient replacement powder just for stocking up, I recommend Huel.  I've had Huel once a day for chunks of the last year as a meal replacement and it hasn't hurt me (according to my bloodwork :) ).

They have flavors, but I prefer the unflavored and usually do a dropper or two of vanilla extract and some honey to make it lightly sweet. Stores for about 18 months unopened.

[GuitarStv]

Oil lasts forever

Most vegetable oils will go rancid after 12-36 months. If you were to try living off of oil, protein powder, fiber supplements and multivitamins, you'd probably go a bit squirrely long before then though. Add some honey to your austere bunker plan so that you can taste something.

Hmm.  I didn't think of the oil going rancid.  It probably does happen at some point.  I'm 100% certain that oils remain perfectly fine to use well past the expiry date listed on the container though.  I've used olive oil more than a year after it 'expired' and it tasted fine.  Same with coconut oil, although it was closer to two years after the expiration date.  Still tasted fine.

[Cranky]

I bought a frozen turkey breast last month, cuz I saw this coming, so I'm all set for Thanksgiving. I got cranberries last week in my Curbside Pickup order, too.

I'm going back to ordering the vegetable boxes from the co-op. They're a great deal. I bought several last spring and then didn't need to over the summer as I had quite a bit of garden produce over the summer, but I'm down to kale, spinach and peas at this point.

I like vegetables, and I'd rather do winter storage veg than live on vitamins and Metamucil.

[OtherJen]

Oil lasts forever

Most vegetable oils will go rancid after 12-36 months. If you were to try living off of oil, protein powder, fiber supplements and multivitamins, you'd probably go a bit squirrely long before then though. Add some honey to your austere bunker plan so that you can taste something.

Hmm.  I didn't think of the oil going rancid.  It probably does happen at some point.  I'm 100% certain that oils remain perfectly fine to use well past the expiry date listed on the container though.  I've used olive oil more than a year after it 'expired' and it tasted fine.  Same with coconut oil, although it was closer to two years after the expiration date.  Still tasted fine.

Storage in a cool, dark place helps.

[Roadrunner53]

Oil lasts forever

Most vegetable oils will go rancid after 12-36 months. If you were to try living off of oil, protein powder, fiber supplements and multivitamins, you'd probably go a bit squirrely long before then though. Add some honey to your austere bunker plan so that you can taste something.

Hmm.  I didn't think of the oil going rancid.  It probably does happen at some point.  I'm 100% certain that oils remain perfectly fine to use well past the expiry date listed on the container though.  I've used olive oil more than a year after it 'expired' and it tasted fine.  Same with coconut oil, although it was closer to two years after the expiration date.  Still tasted fine.

Instead of drinking oil, vitamins and metamucil, why not make pemmican?

"Pemmican was widely adopted as a high-energy food by Europeans involved in the fur trade and later by Arctic and Antarctic explorers, such as Captain Robert Bartlett, Ernest Shackleton, Richard E. Byrd, Fridtjof Nansen, Robert Falcon Scott, George W. DeLong and Roald Amundsen."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pemmican

Many recipes can be found on the internet. Lots of beef, fat and fruits.

[GuitarStv]

Oil lasts forever

Most vegetable oils will go rancid after 12-36 months. If you were to try living off of oil, protein powder, fiber supplements and multivitamins, you'd probably go a bit squirrely long before then though. Add some honey to your austere bunker plan so that you can taste something.

Hmm.  I didn't think of the oil going rancid.  It probably does happen at some point.  I'm 100% certain that oils remain perfectly fine to use well past the expiry date listed on the container though.  I've used olive oil more than a year after it 'expired' and it tasted fine.  Same with coconut oil, although it was closer to two years after the expiration date.  Still tasted fine.

Instead of drinking oil, vitamins and metamucil, why not make pemmican?

"Pemmican was widely adopted as a high-energy food by Europeans involved in the fur trade and later by Arctic and Antarctic explorers, such as Captain Robert Bartlett, Ernest Shackleton, Richard E. Byrd, Fridtjof Nansen, Robert Falcon Scott, George W. DeLong and Roald Amundsen."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pemmican

Many recipes can be found on the internet. Lots of beef, fat and fruits.

I grew up in a small northern community next to a rez.  I've got plenty of experience with pemmican in my life . . . which leads me to believe that drinking oil and vitamins with metamuscil will be about as tasty for less work.  :P

[Roadrunner53]

One of my local grocery stores has turkeys on sale for $0.49 cents a lb. I think there is a limit of 2 turkeys and in the past you had to buy some kind of a dollar amount minus the turkey to get it for that price. They do this every year and last year it was $0.39 a lb. I can't resist!

[lthenderson]

I usually wait for the week after Thanksgiving to buy several deeply discounted turkeys to process in my smoker and freeze for a later date.

[Cranky]

I'm always disappointed - turkeys never go on clearance here!

[GuitarStv]

We buy cheap turkeys after every major holiday that people eat them.  Super versatile food.  It gets made into:

- White turkey chili
- Butter turkey (like butter chicken)
- Turkey stew
- Turkey curry
- Pulled turkey sandwiches (like pulled pork)
- Turkey barley soup
- Turkey pot pie


I mean, you can also just make a traditional turkey, which is fine . . . but there are so many other ways to eat it.

[couponvan]

mmmm-butter turkey.

[Dicey]

Oil lasts forever

Most vegetable oils will go rancid after 12-36 months. If you were to try living off of oil, protein powder, fiber supplements and multivitamins, you'd probably go a bit squirrely long before then though. Add some honey to your austere bunker plan so that you can taste something.

I have frozen coconut oil with good results. Never tried freezing any other types of oil.

[Runrooster]

My grocery store put canned beans and tomatoes on sale for $.34 each for the third time in 2 months, no limit this time.
I already have maybe 30 cans beans plus 12 tomatoes, so my Mom will have a fit if I buy more.
I also stocked up on eggs, remembering the previous shortage.  So they loss leader-ed those as well.

I talked to my supervisors at the tax job, and they said they expect the season to start on time. Our January clients are heavy on EIC, and they'll need the money this year even more.
They usually buy my dinner plus snacks so we have too much (junk) food in tax season.

[Roadrunner53]

Not sure if I am frugal or foolish but I just bought another freezer. This one is smaller than the big one I have in the garage. It is 15.5 CF self defrosting. My big freezer is full up but I replace what I use up so there is never any extra space. I like to buy some extra turkeys when they are on sale and rib roasts, plus other things. My intent is not to fill the new freezer up but to use it for bargains and seasonal purchases. The other one I can't fit a sheet of paper in it!

I have been fighting the urge to buy a freezer for months thinking eventually my freezer would whittle down but that never happened! My Hub keeps it pretty ship shape and rotates the inventory so we are not tossing anything out due to old age.

I was totally shocked that delivery is tomorrow and free! However, I ordered it on line and automatically it added $49.80 delivery charges. The flyer I had said free local delivery. I live about 15 miles away from the store so wasn't sure if I was in their local delivery area. After I place the order I called them. Sure enough, the lady blamed a computer glitch...I wonder...and removed the shipping charge. So if any of you order an appliance on line and you believe you should get free shipping, call to find out why you are being charged.

[TomTX]

I grew up in a small northern community next to a rez.  I've got plenty of experience with pemmican in my life . . . which leads me to believe that drinking oil and vitamins with metamuscil will be about as tasty for less work.  :P

Metamucil has all sorts of garbage mixed into it. Just get some plain psyllium husk.

[couponvan]

We used to have an extra freezer. Now the in laws have it.  I bought a 60" wide refrigerator/freezer combo.  It works really well (when it works, but that is a different story).  We also have a beverage center for drinks. 

[Roadrunner53]

We used to have an extra freezer. Now the in laws have it.  I bought a 60" wide refrigerator/freezer combo.  It works really well (when it works, but that is a different story).  We also have a beverage center for drinks.

I worked for a large food company for many years and we had walk in freezers and refrigerators galore. They were huge and I would die to have even a small version of a walk in refrigerator/freezer. I envy your 60" wide too! Is it a built in?

My Hub and I cook a lot and I keep a lot of food on hand even before the pandemic. Now, that we are trying stay home I have really added to the coffers. Almost to the point of no return!

I have to slow down on the purchasing. But I do feel good I have full freezers, refrigerators and cabinets full of food. Even my dog is all set!

What is your beverage center like? Not familiar with that.

[couponvan]

We used to have an extra freezer. Now the in laws have it.  I bought a 60" wide refrigerator/freezer combo.  It works really well (when it works, but that is a different story).  We also have a beverage center for drinks.

I worked for a large food company for many years and we had walk in freezers and refrigerators galore. They were huge and I would die to have even a small version of a walk in refrigerator/freezer. I envy your 60" wide too! Is it a built in?

What is your beverage center like? Not familiar with that.

It's a whirlpool - not built in, but looks it. One side is a 30" refrigerator, one side is a 30" freezer.  There is a fake grill kit that goes around it and makes it look built in. The refrigerator sprung a refrigerant leak at the 1 year and 2 month mark. It's been off and on for awhile.  I "think" they finally found the leak and fixed it.  Not what you want during COVID. The "Whirpool" emblems on the front come off with a bit of sticker remover, so everyone thinks it's some super fancy thing.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=h7L6eXUz&id=4173F16E984AA751D4112F925DD98B04FF198927&thid=OIP.h7L6eXUzb-QoY4jMaF64VgHaHa&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fs-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com%2foriginals%2f5a%2f35%2f10%2f5a3510d309e123c78dbec0777c2ddd89.jpg&exph=800&expw=800&q=whirlpool+sidekicks&simid=608030351453130036&ck=2F86A26C1DD660C7EEE9F45E6565777B&selectedIndex=45&FORM=IRPRST&ajaxhist=0
The beverage center is a fridge that goes under the counter.
https://www.compactappliance.com/avallon-beverage-coolers-beverage-appliances/ABR241GLH.html?source=msn-pa_ABR241SGLH!c53672146!a4729119540!kavalon%20beverage%20center%20images!me!dc!no&source=msn_!c53672146!a4729119540!kavalon%20beverage%20center%20images!me!dc!no!f&cvosrc=pla.bing.ABR241SGLH&cvosrc=ppc.bing.avalon%20beverage%20center%20images&cvo_cid=53672146&cvo_cid=53672146&cvo_crid=11479484405&cvo_crid=11479484405&cvo_adgroup=4729119540&cvo_adgroup=4729119540&matchtype=e&cvo_uniqueid=ABR241SGLH&utm_source=pla&utm_source=ppc&utm_medium=bing&utm_medium=bing&utm_term=ABR241SGLH&utm_term=avalon%20beverage%20center%20images&gclid=385e4fc6103f1bea9da01068f74b4582&gclsrc=3p.ds&k_clickid=_kenshoo_clickid_&msclkid=385e4fc6103f1bea9da01068f74b4582
When the big fridge broke, we made do with the little fridge and ice filled water bottles in the big fridge for items that didn't need perfect refrigeration (veggies and cans)

[OtherJen]

Here we go again, grocery shopping the day after big statewide COVID press conferences. Aldi wasn't too poorly stocked this afternoon, but they were definitely running low on some things and are probably sold out of paper towels by now. The store wasn't as chaotic as it was on March 13 (the day after the statewide school shutdown announcement), but it was way more crowded than it was two weeks ago.

I grabbed canned pumpkin and fresh cranberries so I can at least make some proper Thanksgiving food in case those sell out.

[Roadrunner53]

We used to have an extra freezer. Now the in laws have it.  I bought a 60" wide refrigerator/freezer combo.  It works really well (when it works, but that is a different story).  We also have a beverage center for drinks.

I worked for a large food company for many years and we had walk in freezers and refrigerators galore. They were huge and I would die to have even a small version of a walk in refrigerator/freezer. I envy your 60" wide too! Is it a built in?

What is your beverage center like? Not familiar with that.

It's a whirlpool - not built in, but looks it. One side is a 30" refrigerator, one side is a 30" freezer.  There is a fake grill kit that goes around it and makes it look built in. The refrigerator sprung a refrigerant leak at the 1 year and 2 month mark. It's been off and on for awhile.  I "think" they finally found the leak and fixed it.  Not what you want during COVID. The "Whirpool" emblems on the front come off with a bit of sticker remover, so everyone thinks it's some super fancy thing.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=h7L6eXUz&id=4173F16E984AA751D4112F925DD98B04FF198927&thid=OIP.h7L6eXUzb-QoY4jMaF64VgHaHa&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fs-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com%2foriginals%2f5a%2f35%2f10%2f5a3510d309e123c78dbec0777c2ddd89.jpg&exph=800&expw=800&q=whirlpool+sidekicks&simid=608030351453130036&ck=2F86A26C1DD660C7EEE9F45E6565777B&selectedIndex=45&FORM=IRPRST&ajaxhist=0
The beverage center is a fridge that goes under the counter.
https://www.compactappliance.com/avallon-beverage-coolers-beverage-appliances/ABR241GLH.html?source=msn-pa_ABR241SGLH!c53672146!a4729119540!kavalon%20beverage%20center%20images!me!dc!no&source=msn_!c53672146!a4729119540!kavalon%20beverage%20center%20images!me!dc!no!f&cvosrc=pla.bing.ABR241SGLH&cvosrc=ppc.bing.avalon%20beverage%20center%20images&cvo_cid=53672146&cvo_cid=53672146&cvo_crid=11479484405&cvo_crid=11479484405&cvo_adgroup=4729119540&cvo_adgroup=4729119540&matchtype=e&cvo_uniqueid=ABR241SGLH&utm_source=pla&utm_source=ppc&utm_medium=bing&utm_medium=bing&utm_term=ABR241SGLH&utm_term=avalon%20beverage%20center%20images&gclid=385e4fc6103f1bea9da01068f74b4582&gclsrc=3p.ds&k_clickid=_kenshoo_clickid_&msclkid=385e4fc6103f1bea9da01068f74b4582
When the big fridge broke, we made do with the little fridge and ice filled water bottles in the big fridge for items that didn't need perfect refrigeration (veggies and cans)

OMG, I LOVE the refrig/freezer! Gorgeous! I am jealous! I would need a new kitchen to fit that! My next life...

[couponvan]

We used to have an extra freezer. Now the in laws have it.  I bought a 60" wide refrigerator/freezer combo.  It works really well (when it works, but that is a different story).  We also have a beverage center for drinks.

I worked for a large food company for many years and we had walk in freezers and refrigerators galore. They were huge and I would die to have even a small version of a walk in refrigerator/freezer. I envy your 60" wide too! Is it a built in?

What is your beverage center like? Not familiar with that.

It's a whirlpool - not built in, but looks it. One side is a 30" refrigerator, one side is a 30" freezer.  There is a fake grill kit that goes around it and makes it look built in. The refrigerator sprung a refrigerant leak at the 1 year and 2 month mark. It's been off and on for awhile.  I "think" they finally found the leak and fixed it.  Not what you want during COVID. The "Whirpool" emblems on the front come off with a bit of sticker remover, so everyone thinks it's some super fancy thing.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=h7L6eXUz&id=4173F16E984AA751D4112F925DD98B04FF198927&thid=OIP.h7L6eXUzb-QoY4jMaF64VgHaHa&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fs-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com%2foriginals%2f5a%2f35%2f10%2f5a3510d309e123c78dbec0777c2ddd89.jpg&exph=800&expw=800&q=whirlpool+sidekicks&simid=608030351453130036&ck=2F86A26C1DD660C7EEE9F45E6565777B&selectedIndex=45&FORM=IRPRST&ajaxhist=0
The beverage center is a fridge that goes under the counter.
https://www.compactappliance.com/avallon-beverage-coolers-beverage-appliances/ABR241GLH.html?source=msn-pa_ABR241SGLH!c53672146!a4729119540!kavalon%20beverage%20center%20images!me!dc!no&source=msn_!c53672146!a4729119540!kavalon%20beverage%20center%20images!me!dc!no!f&cvosrc=pla.bing.ABR241SGLH&cvosrc=ppc.bing.avalon%20beverage%20center%20images&cvo_cid=53672146&cvo_cid=53672146&cvo_crid=11479484405&cvo_crid=11479484405&cvo_adgroup=4729119540&cvo_adgroup=4729119540&matchtype=e&cvo_uniqueid=ABR241SGLH&utm_source=pla&utm_source=ppc&utm_medium=bing&utm_medium=bing&utm_term=ABR241SGLH&utm_term=avalon%20beverage%20center%20images&gclid=385e4fc6103f1bea9da01068f74b4582&gclsrc=3p.ds&k_clickid=_kenshoo_clickid_&msclkid=385e4fc6103f1bea9da01068f74b4582
When the big fridge broke, we made do with the little fridge and ice filled water bottles in the big fridge for items that didn't need perfect refrigeration (veggies and cans)

OMG, I LOVE the refrig/freezer! Gorgeous! I am jealous! I would need a new kitchen to fit that! My next life...

It's not mustachian, but yes, it required a new kitchen to fit it.  Appliances are cheaper than cabinets....hence we have two dishwashers as well. LOL.

[StarBright]

Here we go again, grocery shopping the day after big statewide COVID press conferences. Aldi wasn't too poorly stocked this afternoon, but they were definitely running low on some things and are probably sold out of paper towels by now. The store wasn't as chaotic as it was on March 13 (the day after the statewide school shutdown announcement), but it was way more crowded than it was two weeks ago.

I grabbed canned pumpkin and fresh cranberries so I can at least make some proper Thanksgiving food in case those sell out.

We live in the same corner of the world. I feel like panic shopping in NW OH and SE MI is like a badge of honor? I was blown away the first time we had a snowstorm. The pandemic has topped that and then some. All my friends are sending me pictures of empty shelves. And I'm sort of like, how did y'all run out of TP since the last round of stocking up?!

We have been using Kroger pick up since March and I'm pretty pleased with. We did stop buying our meat there because it was too hit or miss with curbside. We've been buying meat from a local butcher with curbside pick up and that has worked nicely.

Good idea to buy the thanksgiving stuff though!

[mm1970]

Our pantry and closets are so stuffed that I'd feel bad stocking up more...if I do, I totally will have to hide it from my husband, ha!  He just reorganized everything...