Author Topic: Pandemic hoarding  (Read 262137 times)

GuitarStv

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #200 on: August 15, 2020, 11:59:26 AM »
Can you recoup some of the losses by eating the moths?

:D Now THAT is an idea! Maybe it will turn out that they produce a mystery chemical that stops Covid in its tracks! Actually a long time ago we did eat quite a few moth larva by mistake... box of Special K... maybe you didn't want to hear that.

Like the old saying goes . . . When life gives you moths, teach 'em who's higher up the food chain!  This was a frugality forum once upon a time, before the emergence of the vitamin blender . . .

:P

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #201 on: August 15, 2020, 12:26:51 PM »
I only have one gross ham left and it is just one lb. I might try grilling it till it is brown and crispy on the edges. Otherwise BLEH! Never again. I said that about 15 years ago and then I go and buy two of them recently thinking they would be good to add to something like macaroni and cheese or soup. Well, they didn't get any better!

RetiredAt63

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #202 on: August 15, 2020, 01:01:02 PM »
I buy the small tins of flakes of ham.  Two uses, mashed with mayo and relish for sandwich filling, or mashed as the base for quiche.  Maybe some quiche is in your future?

Hadilly

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #203 on: August 15, 2020, 01:54:48 PM »
Thanks to you fine people, I found myself buying $450 worth of food at Berkeley Bowl the other day. It’s all stuff I will use, but still. The clerk assured me I wasn’t be extravagant because it all fit in the cart!

GuitarStv

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #204 on: August 15, 2020, 01:57:26 PM »
I only have one gross ham left and it is just one lb. I might try grilling it till it is brown and crispy on the edges. Otherwise BLEH! Never again. I said that about 15 years ago and then I go and buy two of them recently thinking they would be good to add to something like macaroni and cheese or soup. Well, they didn't get any better!

Cut the ham up into little cubes, freeze it in the freezer, and add a few cubes of ham to baked beans/Hawaiian pizza whenever you make either.  That's what we do.

moneypitfeeder

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #205 on: August 15, 2020, 06:47:56 PM »
@Poundwise , I have had pantry moths and they are a pain. We left birdseed in the house when we went on vacation and came home to a nightmare. If you are still having issues getting rid of them, I got pantry moth traps, basically thin cardboard open-ended boxes with sticky tape and a lure on the inside. They helped tremendously. I got them from Amazon, but they are probably locally available. Best of luck!

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #206 on: August 17, 2020, 10:02:14 AM »
Okay, this pantry moth thing has got me worried! I went to the garage shelves and discovered I have a ton of different pastas in the regular boxes they come in. So, I vacuum packed about 10 packages of spaghetti and put in some bay leaves. My vac sealer is not one that you lift the lid but slide the bag in and it sucks it into the machine to seal. Well, It sucks in so much that I am wasting too much bag with a two inch seal on each end. I have lots more things to vacuum seal so I ordered another more manual vac machine where you manually lift the lid and align the bag to the seal bar. I can see I have become a bit of a hoarder with all the vac sealing I need to do. I have instant mashed potato flakes too to seal and some flour. I already sealed up my rice. I realized I have split peas I will have to seal too. I will do a little at a time. I keep ordering stuff and the Hub puts it away so I didn't realize I had so much of everything! LOL!

Poundwise

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #207 on: August 17, 2020, 11:08:48 AM »
If my sad tale can prevent 5 other people from making the same mistake, it is good!

I used to prevent moth infestations by pre-freezing bags of flour and other items (especially corn meal and ice cream cones), then sealing in ziplock bags, but the pandemic and other extra burdens have made me more careless this year. Mistake!

My wonderful husband went through the pantry and cleaned it because he saw I was too demoralized to do anything but doomscroll this week.  Unfortunately, I find that some items that he thought were okay, like the corn starch, are infested. 



Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #208 on: August 17, 2020, 11:47:40 AM »
Poundwise, chalk it up to a learning experience and move on. Easy for me to say but nothing you can do but chuck the stuff and buy more. You are much wiser now and if anything, you have opened up my eyes to this. I have had those bugs years ago before I started this semi hording thing. The stuff was pasta that was on the shelf for a long, long time like years. It did not infest the house though!

AnnaGrowsAMustache

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #209 on: August 17, 2020, 06:24:58 PM »
Okay, this pantry moth thing has got me worried! I went to the garage shelves and discovered I have a ton of different pastas in the regular boxes they come in. So, I vacuum packed about 10 packages of spaghetti and put in some bay leaves. My vac sealer is not one that you lift the lid but slide the bag in and it sucks it into the machine to seal. Well, It sucks in so much that I am wasting too much bag with a two inch seal on each end. I have lots more things to vacuum seal so I ordered another more manual vac machine where you manually lift the lid and align the bag to the seal bar. I can see I have become a bit of a hoarder with all the vac sealing I need to do. I have instant mashed potato flakes too to seal and some flour. I already sealed up my rice. I realized I have split peas I will have to seal too. I will do a little at a time. I keep ordering stuff and the Hub puts it away so I didn't realize I had so much of everything! LOL!

OK, person who has worked in a commercial kitchen for some years back in the day here. You don't need to vacuum seal etc. When you get dry goods in:

- Take it out of the original packaging and into a sealed plastic container! This is key. Packed goods are stored in massive warehouses at various points in the supply chain and there are tiny bugs and vermin all over the place. They're more likely to lay eggs in the packaging than in the food. And any rats and mice crawl over that packaging.

- Use a hot or cold treatment for particularly susceptible items. Flour is susceptible to flour mites and various other things. Stick the plastic container in the freezer for 48 hours. That's all that is needed. Dried beans/peas/lentils are very susceptible to weevils. These lay eggs in the plant when it is growing. Same thing, stick the sealed container in the freezer for 48 hours.

- Manage your pantry. This means rotating food. When you refill a plastic container, make sure any old product is on the top of the container to be used first. Wash empty containers before refilling. Clean up any spills on shelving. A tiny spill of flour on a shelf is food for a month for a weevil.

You should never have ANY open packs or folded over paper packs in a pantry. You don't need to spend any money. My pantry is all old ice cream containers - they stack, they hold a full packet from the supermarket, and you can just write on them with a permanent marker.

If you follow those rules you have waaaaay less chance of getting an infestation, and if you do get one you have waaaaay less chance of it spreading through your pantry.

Dicey

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #210 on: August 17, 2020, 08:05:16 PM »
Thanks to you fine people, I found myself buying $450 worth of food at Berkeley Bowl the other day. It’s all stuff I will use, but still. The clerk assured me I wasn’t be extravagant because it all fit in the cart!
Oh, Berkeley Bowl is a heavenly place! Alas, I rarely have need to squeeze through the Caldecott's bores since hitting FIRE nearly eight years ago. I used to have an account just up the street and it was a highlight of my day to stop there on the way home, and on the company's mileage.

It's one of my favorite places to take people from out of town, except we're not doing much of that these days...

Linea_Norway

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #211 on: August 19, 2020, 01:32:48 AM »
I only have one gross ham left and it is just one lb. I might try grilling it till it is brown and crispy on the edges. Otherwise BLEH! Never again. I said that about 15 years ago and then I go and buy two of them recently thinking they would be good to add to something like macaroni and cheese or soup. Well, they didn't get any better!

Here in Norway they sell hams cooked with spices around easter and christmas. I always buy a small one. We use it cubed in lots of dishes, one favorite is cubed ham, cubed potatoes, cubed vegetables, all stirfried with herbs. We also use it in thin slices on homemade pizza. It tastes okay, but not too often. And I make sure I buy a small size.

Hadilly

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #212 on: August 19, 2020, 11:39:50 AM »
Dicey, I hope you can make it over again one day.  It really is a great place to shop. Have you been to Berkeley Bowl West? Make a day of it and hit The Cheeseboard, Fournee, get some Indian food at Vik’s or Mexican at Casa Latina. You can tell what I like to do in the East Bay!!!

I am pro ham, but I like to freeze it so I can use small amounts. Linea_Norway, that sounds like a yummy dish!

Dicey

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #213 on: August 22, 2020, 09:11:28 AM »
No, I haven't. I shopped the original store, in a former bowling alley, hence the name, and then they opened the new store. I think I was aware of the newest location (CA. 2009), but it wasn't on my route. If I ever find myself in Berkeley, I'll plan to check it out. When I was single, I ate out more and threw more down for fancy/exotic ingredients. BB was a handy place to grab something quick and fresh for dinner for one, as was the nearby Whole Foods. Once I was married and feeding a family of four, my shopping and dining habits definitely shifted. Thanks for the recommendations!

I should add that I used to live in Orinda, so BB was closer. I've moved further east and retired, so it's not "on my page" any more. For you young folks, before we had ubiquitous GPS, there was a thing called a Thomas Guide. If something was on your page, it was relatively local.
« Last Edit: August 22, 2020, 09:15:14 AM by Dicey »

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #214 on: October 13, 2020, 09:40:42 AM »
So, how is everyone doing on their stock piles of supplies?

It has been about 1 1/2 months since any updates on this subject.

Have any of you found new resources to buy supplies from or come up with some unique items you have stockpiled?

I have have purchased items from Foodservicedirect.com  They sell food in large quantities.  It could be of interest to some of you. I have purchased from them for a few years and the food is good. Plus, the frozen food is packed really good with dry ice. The shipping can get a little pricy, just be aware of that. They are a supplier for restaurants, deli's but will ship to home addresses.

Still have not found Lysol or Clorox wipes. Bought some generic brand at a drug store. Just one container. Did buy a bottle of concentrated Lysol which I don't like because it is too wet when sprayed and the aroma is YUK. But it is Lysol!

Is everyone still hunkering down or have some of you gone out to the stores and restaurants. Stuff has opened up in most states but no way I am going to eat at a restaurant!

Went out the other day and got a flu shot.

As predicted, the virus ramped up again as soon as school started up. Seems like this virus is never going to go away...

Cranky

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #215 on: October 13, 2020, 11:16:55 AM »
I did go out a few weeks ago and got a flu shot, and bought all the stuff that had accumulated on my "drug store" list.

And I went to Sams at the end of August? Beginning of September? and stocked up on coffee, and they had 5 packs of Chlorox Wipes, which really should last me pretty much forever.

I'm glad I made my spreadsheet at the beginning of summer, and I'm glad that I actually stocked up, because it's starting to look like we have another bad round coming. I've been doing things outside (walked the picket line this morning!) but am definitely not going into stores.

The one thing that seems to be out of stock everywhere is toilet bowl cleaner. There's some on Amazon for about $15/bottle. No, thanks. NB - I have plenty of toilet cleaning options, so am not stressed about this, but dh like an easy squirt bottle...

GuitarStv

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #216 on: October 13, 2020, 11:24:55 AM »
I'm not getting a flu shot this year.  Given that we're never near other people (and none in my family have had any sort of cold this entire year), I just don't see flu as being a real concern for us.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #217 on: October 13, 2020, 11:33:55 AM »
Winter is coming* so going into squirrel mode is standard.  I've always bought ahead, along the lines of "just started a container of something, time to buy its replacement".

I'm stocking up on some Metro store brand items I like because once I stop going to the community garden I wont be near a Metro very often.

My odds of being exposed to the flu this year are pretty low, but I'll get the shot anyway.  Aging into a higher risk category means more "better safe than sorry" choices.

*seasons: winter is coming, winter is here, winter is still here, winter might be over, oops no it is still here, spring was short this year, everything grow like mad because winter is coming, winter is coming.

NotJen

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #218 on: October 13, 2020, 11:39:08 AM »
I'm not getting a flu shot this year.  Given that we're never near other people (and none in my family have had any sort of cold this entire year), I just don't see flu as being a real concern for us.
I had the same thought (why do I need this if I'm taking more precautions than usual this year anyway), but my local grocery store gave me a $10 gift card for getting my shot at their pharmacy, so I gladly got one last month.  I'm still hopeful that I'll get to see my family for Christmas, and I'm working the November election, so it probably does make sense to have the shot after all, just one more layer of protection.

the_fixer

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #219 on: October 13, 2020, 11:55:46 AM »
Still have a good stock of dry foods such as rice, oatmeal, nuts and beans have a decent amount of meat that we have been eating down.

Still doing curbside, insta cart and online shopping where possible. Figure curbside and delivery are good for the employees health as well with less people coming and going so win win.

We have been eating well, having dessert each night and making a point to mix it up so we do not feel deprived since we are not eating out for other reasons.

We have done what we can to hoard good times by getting out to ride the bikes, camp and visit family in a socially distanced way to hold us over for the winter.

As things / products have been more available I have started to slide and use up some of our supplies hope it does not bite me in the rear this winter but we have enough to survive.

FYI, I have been able to get Lysol and Clorox wipes from Office Depot. I have the app on my phone and would check it several times a day and managed to get enough to make it through the winter. Night time seems like the best time to score some...

Some things still seem to be hit or miss, Coke life has been out of stock since spring, daily shower cleaner is hard to come by and other products seem to go away for a week or two but come back.


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PoutineLover

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #220 on: October 13, 2020, 11:57:43 AM »
I bought a new storage shelf because I had been accumulating more food than usual and it was overflowing my existing spaces. Made a world of difference and now everything is nice and organized. Been batch cooking and freezing, maintaining a good supply of non perishables, and still trying to limit trips to the grocery store and stock up when I see sales. Just wondering whether I should get an extra pack of TP beyond the extra I already have in case there's another shortage..

mntnmn117

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #221 on: October 13, 2020, 12:06:46 PM »
Word of caution with those chest freezers. You really can go overboard and end up with stuff going bad. Not like getting sick, but that ham from March is pretty unappealing after a while. I recommend doing at least 1 meal out of the freezer a week or go on a freezer meal binge/super low grocery bill month.

I'm currently annoyed with canning lids being completely out of stock everywhere since early September. I've got 10 gallons of apples and no canning lids.

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #222 on: October 13, 2020, 12:36:58 PM »
Canning lids, try here: https://www.lehmans.com/search?w=canning+lids#

In case you have not seen this article, it is a wake up call! https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-australia-study-idUSKBN26X03F

I have stocked up on canned:
roast beef
chicken
ground beef
pork
pork with BB sauce
tuna
salmon
corned beef
corned beef hash
spam...this is not something I would typically buy but trying to give my dogs pills in it. They don't like it! LOL!
cream of mushroom soup
cream of chicken soup
various types of tomatoes, diced, whole peeled
veggies
jarred, Alfredo sauce
jarred, Spaghetti sauce
Condensed milk


I am thinking of buying canned turkey. Most of the canned meats are on a wait list. I just got the pork in 28 oz cans after a long wait.

I am still getting Imperfect Foods delivered here about once a week. I seem to have a lot of issues with them. My delivery days are supposed to be on Fridays but for some reason, the last few weeks it was delayed to Tuesdays. They use Fedex and we sometimes get late deliveries around 8 pm from them. Who really wants to be playing with a box of veggies at that hour! NOT ME!

Flu shots not only protect you but others. My dad, years ago, had a stroke and was frail from it. His doctor insisted that family members get the flu shot to protect him from it. It takes two weeks for the shot to kick in. Please, all of you think about getting the shot. We already have a pandemic and this is just one more thing to help protect us. It is covered by most health insurance.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/when-to-get-your-flu-shot-in-2020-%E2%80%94-timing-matters/ar-BB194jzT

BicycleB

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #223 on: October 13, 2020, 12:56:20 PM »
Got my flu shot 2-3 weeks ago.

It's been a couple months since I had trouble finding anything at the locally dominant grocery, HEB.

I do take specific care to be ahead on TP and a little ahead on cleansers. That should get me through a few weeks' shortage if one occurs, or an outbreak that bumps our household usage for a week. I imagine that even if America's COVID debacle keeps ramping up, the reduced surprise factor will allow a relatively steady flow of most goods, including staples. I respect the planning ahead everyone is doing though!!

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #224 on: October 13, 2020, 01:00:26 PM »
Word of caution with those chest freezers. You really can go overboard and end up with stuff going bad. Not like getting sick, but that ham from March is pretty unappealing after a while. I recommend doing at least 1 meal out of the freezer a week or go on a freezer meal binge/super low grocery bill month.

I'm currently annoyed with canning lids being completely out of stock everywhere since early September. I've got 10 gallons of apples and no canning lids.

I was on youtube and found this video on organizing a small chest freezer. Really great idea!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydbsVS5rbSM

LetItGrow

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #225 on: October 13, 2020, 01:13:18 PM »
Word of caution with those chest freezers. You really can go overboard and end up with stuff going bad. Not like getting sick, but that ham from March is pretty unappealing after a while. I recommend doing at least 1 meal out of the freezer a week or go on a freezer meal binge/super low grocery bill month.

I'm currently annoyed with canning lids being completely out of stock everywhere since early September. I've got 10 gallons of apples and no canning lids.

I was on youtube and found this video on organizing a small chest freezer. Really great idea!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydbsVS5rbSM

Maybe eats up some storage space, but being able to easily find the food you want far outweighs that.

Definitely struggled in the past sifting through to get last pound of bacon that I know is there somewhere.

Cranky

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #226 on: October 13, 2020, 04:21:58 PM »
I'm not getting a flu shot this year.  Given that we're never near other people (and none in my family have had any sort of cold this entire year), I just don't see flu as being a real concern for us.

My dh is teaching one class in person.

Also, there was a gift card.

nereo

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #227 on: October 13, 2020, 04:51:13 PM »
I'm not getting a flu shot this year.  Given that we're never near other people (and none in my family have had any sort of cold this entire year), I just don't see flu as being a real concern for us.

While I agree you are probably extremely low risk for getting the flu, what’s the argument against getting a free (to you) vaccination? 
Time saved? Avoiding the needle prick and resulting soreness? Minute chance of complications?

GuitarStv

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #228 on: October 13, 2020, 05:10:12 PM »
I'm not getting a flu shot this year.  Given that we're never near other people (and none in my family have had any sort of cold this entire year), I just don't see flu as being a real concern for us.

While I agree you are probably extremely low risk for getting the flu, what’s the argument against getting a free (to you) vaccination? 
Time saved? Avoiding the needle prick and resulting soreness? Minute chance of complications?

Typically I go in to my family doctor to get the shot.  I'm trying to stay away from medical places this year, just seems prudent.  I guess I could get the shot elsewhere, it just isn't a burning need.

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #229 on: October 14, 2020, 04:29:46 AM »
The Hub and I went to a drive thru Flu Shot clinic at the local VNA. We stayed in the car, filled out our paperwork, showed our medical cards, got the shot by one nurse and off we went. Very organized, simple process and quick. The nurse had on protective gear, we had our masks on and she even told us to keep the pens we used that she gave us so she didn't have to touch them.

Our VNA has 3 Friday's scheduled. First one was Oct. 9th, second one, Oct. 16th, third one Oct. 23rd. Check in your local area for VNA Flu shot schedules. Or some other places may have drive thru.

Just like a lot of people have no idea how they got the Covid-19 virus, the same with the flu. You just never know where these things are lurking!

I was really sick in February this year. I held off going to the doctor like I normally do because I hate going and hoped to fight it off. It got worse. The Hub was sick too but not as bad. I chalked it up to bronchitis. I couldn't lay down to sleep due to coughing. I slept sitting up for 4 nights and finally caved and called the doctor. They prescribed medicine and an inhaler prescription. I did get over it but I still wonder if I had Covid-19. At that time it was in the early stages and on the West coast. I am on the east coast. I have heard that there were cases on the east coast but at the time they didn't recognize it. So...who knows what I had but since there is not vaccine for it yet, I will protect myself...hopefully, from the flu!

So, let's all stay healthy so we can enjoy our hoarded supplies!

PMG

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #230 on: October 14, 2020, 07:16:52 AM »
I haven’t chimed in here before, so here’s a wall of text to make up for that.

Flu Shot Dilemma:

We got our flu shots last week. I almost posted about it here on the Mustachian People Problems thread, it was a bit of a dilemma. The big chain pharmacy offered a $5 off $20 coupon with flu shot, but we never shop that pharmacy and it’s quite over priced. If we got two coupons we’d have to put quite a bit of work (and time in the store) into spending them on things that we might or might not otherwise buy.  So I decided it would be better to get our vaccines from the locally owned pharmacy. Keep our insurance spending close to home and it’s a much smaller pharmacy with a robust delivery service, so much less foot traffic. Great choice but oh the siren call of “free” money.  I tried to look at it like skipping spending $30-40.

Upgrading some Kitchen Gear:

But on the way home from the pharmacy we stopped at Walmart to buy a bag of dirt so we could transplant the house plants and bring them inside… quick in and out of the store, don’t have to touch anything except the dirt… but if we’re in the store we’d better grab some frozen fruit and the things that were in the bag they clerk forgot on our last grocery order… because this is pandemic, and it’s hard to get by without milk and eggs! One thing lead to another and we bought a clearance Kitchen Aid Mixer marked down from $375 to $190… So I didn’t really save that $30-40 dollars did I? hah.  This all ties to pandemic hoarding I swear. We handmade bread and pasta and baked goods in normal times and have really been looking forward to increasing that with cooler weather…

Keeping track of so much food:

Limiting our grocery shopping due to pandemic has made us pay attention to how much food we eat, how often we need treats and variety. It's hard for us to separate how many of the changes in our food lifestyle this past year have been related to buying a house, growing family or pandemic, but I’m expecting these changes to stick around at least until we have another large lifestyle changing event.

We've always cooked mostly from scratch and didn't eat out often, but now we're getting better at it and we keep so much more food on hand. I counted 25 pounds of dried beans recently. We are down to about a pound of rice, so time to restock that. Previously we’d run out of things for a while and just eat something else, but now we’re keeping everything in stock. We got a large-ish box of dry milk. Hoping we don’t have to use it, but nice to have on hand. We used to buy mostly fresh fruits and vegetables, but now we also buy a variety of frozen to stretch things out.  Same thing with meats.

Meal Planning and recipe organization:

We’ve started meal planning to help make sure we spread variety out between shopping trips and to help alleviate the stress of decision making on long days. I love it. We don’t always follow it, but it’s still invaluable. I do it in three week chunks to match our shopping trips.

I’ve also been working on getting our favorite recipes into a binder. My spouse is getting much more interested in following recipes and creating complex flavors. We even sometimes manage to be in the kitchen together without sniping at each other!

Upgrading Kitchen Gear Continued:

We’ve bought more bulk and leftover storage containers.  It was time, but we might not have, or at least not bought as many as we did if we weren’t keeping so much extra around. I found weevils in a bag of rice and that prompted a bit of a frenzy.

Bulk orders vs Grocery pick up:

We’ve done some online or bulk orders via Target and Amazon, but have stepped that back since starting to do a grocery pick up in a town an hour away about every 3 weeks. No local stores offer pick up. I love grocery pick up. Want to continue it forever. Pairs so nicely with menu planning.

Garden:

We grew a small garden this year and have a little bit of fall greens trying to make it, and we’re hoping to manage some salad greens in a plastic tub over winter.

Balancing Risk:


He WFH full time, pre-pandemic. Due to pandemic I WFH and go in to the office one day a week (or so). We have gotten lax and done more non-urgent in store shopping. We know we need to stop… but there are a lot of excuses.

We did go to two outdoor restaurants in August/September. We’ve had two social events with friend that were outdoors and mostly safe but maybe not, and another two bonfires that were really great and a model for how we’d like to keep up social interaction during winter.

Spouse has also started up his voice lessons again just this week. I have huge reservations about it, but, I’ve decided to just bite my tongue and get more serious about reducing risk in other ways I’ve mentioned that we got more lax. He has made a lot of sacrifices this year and is full time WFH, gave up the gym even though it’s back open… this is his one outlet and it seems necessary even if I do worry about it a lot. They do wear masks the whole time and stay spread apart, but that might be the riskiest activity yet. That and my once a week office time with my boss who thinks it’s all a conspiracy…

GuitarStv

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #231 on: October 14, 2020, 07:25:50 AM »
For everyone new to using a chest freezer, here's a tip from someone who has had one for many years:

- Get a magnetic whiteboard and dry erase marker.
- Stick the whiteboard on the front of your chest freezer.
- Every time something goes in/out of the freezer your whiteboard gets updated.
- Date the items

This way you never forget what you've got in there, and can plan meals without leaving the lid open for long periods of time shuffling things around.  It also helps you keep track of which items need to be used up.

nereo

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #232 on: October 14, 2020, 07:43:59 AM »
For everyone new to using a chest freezer, here's a tip from someone who has had one for many years:

- Get a magnetic whiteboard and dry erase marker.
- Stick the whiteboard on the front of your chest freezer.
- Every time something goes in/out of the freezer your whiteboard gets updated.
- Date the items

This way you never forget what you've got in there, and can plan meals without leaving the lid open for long periods of time shuffling things around.  It also helps you keep track of which items need to be used up.

I like it!!
We also keep a roll of painter's tape and a marker nearby.  Everything which goes in gets labeled with what it is and the date.  We wind up freezing a lot of things in yogurt containers and mason jars

GuitarStv

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #233 on: October 14, 2020, 07:49:38 AM »
For everyone new to using a chest freezer, here's a tip from someone who has had one for many years:

- Get a magnetic whiteboard and dry erase marker.
- Stick the whiteboard on the front of your chest freezer.
- Every time something goes in/out of the freezer your whiteboard gets updated.
- Date the items

This way you never forget what you've got in there, and can plan meals without leaving the lid open for long periods of time shuffling things around.  It also helps you keep track of which items need to be used up.

I like it!!
We also keep a roll of painter's tape and a marker nearby.  Everything which goes in gets labeled with what it is and the date.  We wind up freezing a lot of things in yogurt containers and mason jars

Oh yeah.  We do the same.  Masking tape and a sharpie are your friends, otherwise it can be hard to figure out which frosty bag or plastic take out container is full of frozen tomato soup and which one is full of three alarm chili.

Just Joe

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #234 on: October 14, 2020, 08:33:48 AM »
Not a substitute for a back-up generator, but an effective stopgap is to create and keep blocks of ice in the freezer as a matter of course. I like quart milk cartons with screw caps for small spaces and warehouse size plastic containers (salsa, popcorn) where there is more room. They will buy you a few hours, more if you don't open the freezer. Pro Tip: if you use large containers, choose heavy plastic and don't overfill or they will crack.

I use the quart milk jugs to grocery shop. I toss them in a cooler and carry insulated bags. Once I shop, I pop a couple milk jugs on the bottom, then fill the insulated bags. That way I can batch errands without worry. Once home, they go right back in the freezer. They cost me nothing and work all the time.

I'm reading to catch up on this thread. Has anyone owned the fancier than usual extra high efficiency refrigerators? I believe one brand is "Sub Zero". How do these fare in a power outage? Are they slower to lose their cool than a typical fridge? I assume they are insulated better than the average fridge?

I grew up in the boonies and most of our power outages were in the winter so my parents could put food outside in coolers, sometimes in the cold garage to prevent thawing. Outages could be a week or more. Never had a genny.

These days DW and I rarely have power outages but our house came with a permanently installed automatic generator (Generac) that powers the HVAC, family room, the master bedroom, and the fridge. Its not a big generator but it gets the job done. We moved a microwave to the family room during the last outage and it really put a load on the motor - so I know that we can't run much more than what is already on those circuits. So no deep freezer additions unless we invest in a larger generator. I might consider a quieter one but really, I don't want to spend the money until this one ages out. 

Most of our outages so far since we've lived here have been less than eight hours. Genny runs on propane. We could go weeks but then we'd need to order more propane at $3 a gallon. 

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #235 on: October 14, 2020, 08:48:37 AM »
If it is summertime and your house has cooled down, can you turn off the breaker to the HVAC and if you had a freezer, flip on the breaker on to the freezer? Freezers usually keep stuff frozen for 48 hours if the door isn't opened. If you cycled it on for maybe 4 hours at a clip, you could keep everything frozen and keep the house cool. Invest in some fans maybe to keep the house cool when the HVAC is turned off.

I have no experience with Sub Zero refrigerators but they are nice!

LaineyAZ

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #236 on: October 14, 2020, 08:55:36 AM »
I've been continuing to stock up on canned goods and paper goods.  We're a small household and don't have a separate freezer.  Also I know that there will be holiday food drives soon, so anything that we can't eat within a reasonable time will be donated.

No flu shot yet - the two places I've tried don't have the senior version.  I didn't realize until this year that if you are age 65 or older that's a different shot.  I still want to get it because having the flu makes you that much more vulnerable to getting a worse outcome if you get Covid-19. 

I've gotten some takeout food but only had one sit-down indoor restaurant meal.  It was a quick breakfast with family. 

I do believe there will be shortages this winter so I'm keeping an eye on store shelves generally when I shop.  And it seems like we all agree that "hoarding" is wrong, but "stocking up" is prudent.

 



Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #237 on: October 14, 2020, 09:11:33 AM »
I've been continuing to stock up on canned goods and paper goods.  We're a small household and don't have a separate freezer.  Also I know that there will be holiday food drives soon, so anything that we can't eat within a reasonable time will be donated.

No flu shot yet - the two places I've tried don't have the senior version.  I didn't realize until this year that if you are age 65 or older that's a different shot.  I still want to get it because having the flu makes you that much more vulnerable to getting a worse outcome if you get Covid-19. 

I've gotten some takeout food but only had one sit-down indoor restaurant meal.  It was a quick breakfast with family. 

I do believe there will be shortages this winter so I'm keeping an eye on store shelves generally when I shop.  And it seems like we all agree that "hoarding" is wrong, but "stocking up" is prudent.

Check out The Visiting Nurses Association (VNA). That is where I got the curbside 'Senior flu shots' and they have an abundance they told me. Last year I called all the stores with pharmacies and no one had the senior shot. I found VNA by chance and they were fully stocked with senior flu shots too.

Just Joe

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #238 on: October 14, 2020, 10:09:26 AM »
We uncharacteristically got flu shots this year - us and the kids. No reason we figure to dodge the flu germs and the COVID germs. Could a person get both at the same time? We went to the local pharmacy and insurance paid for them I think. DW did the reservations.

Starting to stock up on the staples a little more. Aldi was empty stock in a couple aisles. Don't know what that means going forward.

More of the things the discussion participants have detailed.

I know the Republican leadership wants to continue on as if there isn't a COVID threat and the Dems want to be more cautious - but I figure this virus could really be such a problem that everything NEEDs to shut down again regardless of what the politicians want. I'm in a red state/county with perhaps a 50% mask participation rate and our numbers are climbing again.

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #239 on: October 14, 2020, 10:12:25 AM »
The shortages are due to hoarding, but also due to supply chain disruption.

I think many people didn't keep sufficient back-up supplies and were caught off guard.  The pandemic was a wake-up call.

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #240 on: October 14, 2020, 11:52:15 AM »
I've been continuing to stock up on canned goods and paper goods.  We're a small household and don't have a separate freezer.  Also I know that there will be holiday food drives soon, so anything that we can't eat within a reasonable time will be donated.

No flu shot yet - the two places I've tried don't have the senior version.  I didn't realize until this year that if you are age 65 or older that's a different shot.  I still want to get it because having the flu makes you that much more vulnerable to getting a worse outcome if you get Covid-19. 

I've gotten some takeout food but only had one sit-down indoor restaurant meal.  It was a quick breakfast with family. 

I do believe there will be shortages this winter so I'm keeping an eye on store shelves generally when I shop.  And it seems like we all agree that "hoarding" is wrong, but "stocking up" is prudent.

How do you know if you're a hoarder?
According to the Mayo Clinic, some key symptoms to watch out for if you believe you or someone you know may be a hoarder are: Cluttered living spaces. Moving items from one pile to another without the ability to throw anything away. Acquiring useless items, including trash, newspapers, and magazines.

Definition of stock up
: to get a large quantity of something for later use —often + on

So, instead of hoarders, we are stocker uppers! Our items are definitely not useless!


GuitarStv

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #241 on: October 14, 2020, 11:56:17 AM »
Useless is partly a function of use rate.

Stocking up on 150 lbs of flour is useless (at least for our family).  Although flour itself is useful, in large enough quantity it becomes useless.

Cranky

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #242 on: October 14, 2020, 01:41:58 PM »
I go through 150 lbs of flour most winters!

GuitarStv

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #243 on: October 14, 2020, 02:16:57 PM »
I go through 150 lbs of flour most winters!

There's got to be a better way to simulate snow in warm areas . . .


:P

Cranky

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #244 on: October 14, 2020, 04:29:49 PM »
I hate winter, so I just stay inside and bake. ;-)

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #245 on: October 16, 2020, 04:34:01 AM »

GuitarStv

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #246 on: October 16, 2020, 07:10:28 AM »
Canned corn may be scarce.

https://nypost.com/2020/10/15/heres-why-canned-corn-might-be-tough-to-find-in-stores/

Oh no.  What will we do without old bits of corn swimming in a putrid sick sweet gloop?

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #247 on: October 16, 2020, 08:20:43 AM »
No idea what GuitarStv is getting at "old bits of corn swimming in a putrid sick sweet gloop". Must be some brand I never have seen before.

Canned corn is packed normally in water with salt or sea salt or no salt. Most vegetable manufacturers process the foods directly from the fields to their plants that are typically located on site. The vegetables are picked and processed quickly to retain a good fresh quality.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #248 on: October 16, 2020, 08:33:36 AM »
Maybe he is thinking of creamed corn? To me that is the standard canned corn.

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #249 on: October 16, 2020, 08:35:38 AM »
Haha, to me non creamed corn is the standard!