Author Topic: Pandemic hoarding  (Read 262153 times)

Poundwise

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #600 on: December 04, 2020, 06:49:20 PM »
Grocery stores, even huge ones like Costco or a Walmart Supercenter, are now limited to 75 people max. And if more than 4 employees test positive for COVID they shut the store down for two weeks. Obviously with hundreds of employees that doesn't take much and in some cities where there are only 4-5 grocery stores to begin with, having 1-2 shut down and limiting the rest to 75 means lines out the door for an hour or more. My last trip to a Costco to stock-up two weeks ago was an hour and 15 minutes in line and they were only allowing one person per household - i.e. no parents with kids, no couples, just one per household so they could get a full 75 paying customers in at a time.

That sounds awful. The Costcos up here don't have the 75 person limit, and the limit is two people per household (though I have started to do two trips per visit, that is, I fill up one cart, check out, then do it again so that we have only one person exposed.)  I haven't been there for a few weeks because both nearby Costcos are now in areas exceeding 6% positivity rates.

Are there any food deliveries or farm shares in your area?  We get a Misfits box every two weeks, and I'm thinking of getting milk deliveries (which also deliver other fresh goods such as eggs, OJ, sausage, fresh bagels and cream cheese.) Not the cheapest option, but we can afford it for a few months and it will save us trips to the store.

The kids continue to be snacking scourges. At least hybrid school has started up again so they are out of the house a couple of times a weeks (and school lunch is free to every child in New York State for now, it's great).  Ordinarily we don't eat so much frozen or prepared food, but my time is disrupted a lot with remote schooling and volunteer work.

NotJen

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #601 on: December 04, 2020, 08:35:40 PM »
The virus is really ramping up, anyone finding empty shelves in the stores? I am planning on a curbside grocery run maybe next week. I could put it off longer though.

I did my usual shop on Thursday morning, and I didn't see any empty shelves, even though things are ramping up in my area.  Meat was full, baking products were full, lots of everything (except cucumbers, shrug -- oh, and the one flavor of wet cat food my cat will eat).  The TP aisle was sparse, but there were still big packs available in several different brands.

I'm still shopping in person because my store is never crowded in the mornings.

I am trying out a Misfits box next week, thanks to a Black Friday 50% discount.  I haven't worked out how much more expensive it is than my normal veggie purchases, but they do seem to have some things right now that my local store doesn't.

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #602 on: December 05, 2020, 03:50:22 AM »
I don't know about all of you, but many times I buy a bag of potatoes and next thing I know they are soft, wrinkled and growing legs. If they are firm, I will cut off the uglies and use them. Once they are too far gone they go in the trash. I hate throwing them out but never seem to be able to keep on top of the tater situation. I was on Youtube and this woman demonstrated how you can freeze taters. What she did was have a big pot of boiling water on the stovetop. Then, into a basket she could lower into the pot of water she cut up the taters into 1/2 inch squares. She did about 2 lbs. per batch. She dropped the diced taters into the boiling water (in the basket) and waited till the water came back to a boil then timed it for 2 minutes. After that, she dropped the basket into a pot of cold water to quickly cool down the taters. Then after a minute or so, let the basket drain. She would cut up an onion into dices and a pepper into dices and add them to the ziplock with the potatoes. She would remove as much air as possible from the bag then put in the freezer. She said she would make potatoes O'Brian with them. She lets them defrost overnight in the ziplock in the fridge. Boiling the taters stops the enzyme activity which can cause the potatoes to turn brown while frozen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz5Zj2SOMpg

I have some taters that are in need of either eating or freezing so I might give this method a try.

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #603 on: December 05, 2020, 04:07:26 AM »
Poundwise, I am also getting Misfits. I like it so much more now that I can pick and choose what I want. I am not a big fan of kale or zucchini or many squashes and in the beginning you had no choice but to get the 'mystery box' of veggies and fruits. I tried to think outside the box on the kale and unusual stuff that I never buy but it got old and I still wasn't liking kale or squash all that much. Now that I can choose what goes in the box, it is really great. I get the Madness box every two weeks and I did have to throw one thing out due to not realizing it would go bad so quick. Now I know and will be aware of that. But other than that, I am using it all up and actually, have very little left and my next delivery isn't till next week. So, onto the frozen veggies.

WOW, K_in_the_kitchen $2.99 for chuck roast!!! I would figure out a way to grab up a few of those to stick in the freezer!

Glad the Paula Deen cooking method for prime rib came out for you! We have used it for years and for us, it is the only one we will use. The Hub sometimes puts a coffee rub on the outside and always sticks garlic into it. Now, if I can only find some of these prime ribs without breaking the bank!

NotJen

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #604 on: December 05, 2020, 05:42:57 AM »
I have some taters that are in need of either eating or freezing so I might give this method a try.

I used to freeze potatoes when I had a lot from my CSA, or when one was too big for the individual serving I wanted.  Just parboil or even par-cook in the microwave, and freeze  - cut to whatever size you want to use later.  I’ve also frozen a tray of mashed potatoes, which heats up well in the oven.

Poundwise

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #605 on: December 05, 2020, 07:33:14 AM »
I don't know about all of you, but many times I buy a bag of potatoes and next thing I know they are soft, wrinkled and growing legs. If they are firm, I will cut off the uglies and use them. Once they are too far gone they go in the trash. I hate throwing them out but never seem to be able to keep on top of the tater situation.

Do you store onions in the same location as your potatoes? Since I found a separate location, my potatoes last longer (though they still occasionally go bad). Many also say that storing an apple with your potatoes helps a lot; I may have tried it in the past but probably let the apple go bad and stopped.  Has to do with plant hormones.

Poundwise

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #606 on: December 05, 2020, 07:42:53 AM »
Poundwise, I am also getting Misfits. I like it so much more now that I can pick and choose what I want. I am not a big fan of kale or zucchini or many squashes and in the beginning you had no choice but to get the 'mystery box' of veggies and fruits. I tried to think outside the box on the kale and unusual stuff that I never buy but it got old and I still wasn't liking kale or squash all that much. Now that I can choose what goes in the box, it is really great. I get the Madness box every two weeks and I did have to throw one thing out due to not realizing it would go bad so quick. Now I know and will be aware of that. But other than that, I am using it all up and actually, have very little left and my next delivery isn't till next week. So, onto the frozen veggies.

Same!  It was the jicamas that broke me down.  We tried one and didn't like it... I think we ended up throwing out three jicamas which is wasteful. With kale, I do a very good winter greens soup from Annie Somerville's Field of Greens cookbook.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5150aca3e4b0b73e823496d6/t/51c38482e4b09752bb438325/1371767938079/WinterGreensSoup+%281%29.pdf

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #607 on: December 05, 2020, 07:58:18 AM »
I don't know about all of you, but many times I buy a bag of potatoes and next thing I know they are soft, wrinkled and growing legs. If they are firm, I will cut off the uglies and use them. Once they are too far gone they go in the trash. I hate throwing them out but never seem to be able to keep on top of the tater situation.

Do you store onions in the same location as your potatoes? Since I found a separate location, my potatoes last longer (though they still occasionally go bad). Many also say that storing an apple with your potatoes helps a lot; I may have tried it in the past but probably let the apple go bad and stopped.  Has to do with plant hormones.

Yes, potatoes and onions are in close proximity. Really have no where else to store them. I will try an apple. My luck it will rot and attract fruit flies!

Poundwise

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #608 on: December 05, 2020, 08:12:24 AM »
@Roadrunner53 Yeah, the onions are ruining your potatoes.  Is it possible you could hang the onions from a hook somewhere farther from the potatoes?

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #609 on: December 05, 2020, 08:18:47 AM »
@Roadrunner53 Yeah, the onions are ruining your potatoes.  Is it possible you could hang the onions from a hook somewhere farther from the potatoes?

Mmmm, will have to think about that!

the_fixer

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #610 on: December 05, 2020, 11:35:38 AM »
I don't know about all of you, but many times I buy a bag of potatoes and next thing I know they are soft, wrinkled and growing legs. If they are firm, I will cut off the uglies and use them. Once they are too far gone they go in the trash. I hate throwing them out but never seem to be able to keep on top of the tater situation. I was on Youtube and this woman demonstrated how you can freeze taters. What she did was have a big pot of boiling water on the stovetop. Then, into a basket she could lower into the pot of water she cut up the taters into 1/2 inch squares. She did about 2 lbs. per batch. She dropped the diced taters into the boiling water (in the basket) and waited till the water came back to a boil then timed it for 2 minutes. After that, she dropped the basket into a pot of cold water to quickly cool down the taters. Then after a minute or so, let the basket drain. She would cut up an onion into dices and a pepper into dices and add them to the ziplock with the potatoes. She would remove as much air as possible from the bag then put in the freezer. She said she would make potatoes O'Brian with them. She lets them defrost overnight in the ziplock in the fridge. Boiling the taters stops the enzyme activity which can cause the potatoes to turn brown while frozen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz5Zj2SOMpg

I have some taters that are in need of either eating or freezing so I might give this method a try.
That is what we do with potatoes. We use the fresh ones for a while and as they start getting a little older and we think they are nearing the peak we cut them up and thrown them into boiling water for 2 mins, into an ice bath then vacuum pack them and into the freezer they go. (FYI do not vacuum pack with onions the onions and garlic are not able to be vacuum packed unless cooked)

We use them for breakfast skillets or in the oven with EVOO and some spices.


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the_fixer

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Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #611 on: December 05, 2020, 12:00:07 PM »
This weeks theme - the Grocery gods giveth and the grocery gods taketh. Blessed be the grocery gods.

 Kroger curbside has been pretty good most of the time but seems like the grocery stores are getting pummeled in my area probably due to record deaths, record case counts and non essential things getting capacity cut back.

This weeks order I received most of what I ordered (even paper towels) but the quality was horrible.

Celery was soft like rubber and had mold / rot all over it, romaine lettuce was black and rotting and 2 of the 4 cans I ordered had a huge dents in the side like someone had stomped the side of them.

Called the store and they said sorry, we would be happy to replace them or refund but you have to go into the store and to customer service. I thought about it but it was under $4 so it did not seem worth the risk / effort.

Upon reviewing my receipt to see how if it was worth going in I noticed they did not charge me for the ~ $12 worth of  chuck roast.

—- still in need of celery for batch cooking today Kroger was out 2 days and I do not trust that I will get decent celery so placed an order with Walmart.

Was able to get everything I needed and when I got home i noticed there was a 5 lb bag of oranges that I did not order or pay for. Called them and they said I could keep them.

Blessed be the grocery gods


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« Last Edit: December 05, 2020, 12:02:02 PM by the_fixer »

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #612 on: December 05, 2020, 12:33:55 PM »
the_fixer I am surprised that they wouldn't refund you over the phone. I have had issues with things delivered to my house thru Peapod division of Stop & Shop and they have always refunded me. You should call again later in the day and get someone else on the phone. Or ask for a manager. It does make you wonder if things are flying off the shelves, how you could get rotten veggies! Seems it would be fresh as could be. The one time I was totally disgusted is when I got ground meat and it was brown and red. It had an old smell to it too. I am totally convinced that they took old meat and mixed it with new and sold it to me. I was not going to eat that meat no way, no how! I called them up and told them exactly what I thought about it and was promptly refunded. I also order veggies from Misfits and have ordered from Imperfect foods. I have had many mishaps with Imperfect foods. Missing items, boxes delivered a day late in the summer and the meat was warm. I called them up, complained and they were so good and refunded me too. They were having growing pains I think. The delivery service is a well known one and for some reason they just didn't care that the package had perishables and just decided to deliver when it suited them. Imperfect foods selects the delivery day and the delivery company is supposed to abide by it. They must have crabbed to them because my packages started arriving on the correct date and no warm stuff. This of course was during the summer when temps went to 90 degrees for days on end. Ice packs only last so long!

K_in_the_kitchen

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #613 on: December 05, 2020, 01:54:08 PM »
This weeks theme - the Grocery gods giveth and the grocery gods taketh. Blessed be the grocery gods.

 Kroger curbside has been pretty good most of the time but seems like the grocery stores are getting pummeled in my area probably due to record deaths, record case counts and non essential things getting capacity cut back.

This weeks order I received most of what I ordered (even paper towels) but the quality was horrible.

Celery was soft like rubber and had mold / rot all over it, romaine lettuce was black and rotting and 2 of the 4 cans I ordered had a huge dents in the side like someone had stomped the side of them.

Called the store and they said sorry, we would be happy to replace them or refund but you have to go into the store and to customer service. I thought about it but it was under $4 so it did not seem worth the risk / effort.

Upon reviewing my receipt to see how if it was worth going in I noticed they did not charge me for the ~ $12 worth of  chuck roast.

—- still in need of celery for batch cooking today Kroger was out 2 days and I do not trust that I will get decent celery so placed an order with Walmart.

Was able to get everything I needed and when I got home i noticed there was a 5 lb bag of oranges that I did not order or pay for. Called them and they said I could keep them.

Blessed be the grocery gods


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In the early months of the pandemic we ordered our produce from a local business, which is a combination produce wholesaler / deli sandwich shop / prepped produce and meal kit company.  During the pandemic they added in retail produce (not prepped) and then other perishables and staples.  Without a doubt, the produce was fresher than what we could buy at the grocery store in non-pandemic times.  Once we returned to going to stores I was surprised by the lower quality of produce during the pandemic, which has been even worse when someone else is choosing for us.

The local place is more expensive, but we may very well return to them if produce goes farther downhill this winter.

the_fixer

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #614 on: December 05, 2020, 01:56:48 PM »
the_fixer I am surprised that they wouldn't refund you over the phone. I have had issues with things delivered to my house thru Peapod division of Stop & Shop and they have always refunded me. You should call again later in the day and get someone else on the phone. Or ask for a manager.

I am sure if I persisted or asked to speak to a manager they would have done it over the phone. I know they did it a few years back when I arrived at home to find my steak and salmon did not make it back to the cart while being bagged.

With everything that is going on in the world it just did not seem worth pushing the issue.


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the_fixer

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #615 on: December 05, 2020, 01:58:12 PM »
This weeks theme - the Grocery gods giveth and the grocery gods taketh. Blessed be the grocery gods.

 Kroger curbside has been pretty good most of the time but seems like the grocery stores are getting pummeled in my area probably due to record deaths, record case counts and non essential things getting capacity cut back.

This weeks order I received most of what I ordered (even paper towels) but the quality was horrible.

Celery was soft like rubber and had mold / rot all over it, romaine lettuce was black and rotting and 2 of the 4 cans I ordered had a huge dents in the side like someone had stomped the side of them.

Called the store and they said sorry, we would be happy to replace them or refund but you have to go into the store and to customer service. I thought about it but it was under $4 so it did not seem worth the risk / effort.

Upon reviewing my receipt to see how if it was worth going in I noticed they did not charge me for the ~ $12 worth of  chuck roast.

—- still in need of celery for batch cooking today Kroger was out 2 days and I do not trust that I will get decent celery so placed an order with Walmart.

Was able to get everything I needed and when I got home i noticed there was a 5 lb bag of oranges that I did not order or pay for. Called them and they said I could keep them.

Blessed be the grocery gods


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In the early months of the pandemic we ordered our produce from a local business, which is a combination produce wholesaler / deli sandwich shop / prepped produce and meal kit company.  During the pandemic they added in retail produce (not prepped) and then other perishables and staples.  Without a doubt, the produce was fresher than what we could buy at the grocery store in non-pandemic times.  Once we returned to going to stores I was surprised by the lower quality of produce during the pandemic, which has been even worse when someone else is choosing for us.

The local place is more expensive, but we may very well return to them if produce goes farther downhill this winter.
Good to know, I will have to see if I can find a place like that but not really sure where to look.


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K_in_the_kitchen

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #616 on: December 05, 2020, 04:24:20 PM »
Poundwise, I am also getting Misfits. I like it so much more now that I can pick and choose what I want. I am not a big fan of kale or zucchini or many squashes and in the beginning you had no choice but to get the 'mystery box' of veggies and fruits. I tried to think outside the box on the kale and unusual stuff that I never buy but it got old and I still wasn't liking kale or squash all that much. Now that I can choose what goes in the box, it is really great. I get the Madness box every two weeks and I did have to throw one thing out due to not realizing it would go bad so quick. Now I know and will be aware of that. But other than that, I am using it all up and actually, have very little left and my next delivery isn't till next week. So, onto the frozen veggies.

WOW, K_in_the_kitchen $2.99 for chuck roast!!! I would figure out a way to grab up a few of those to stick in the freezer!

Glad the Paula Deen cooking method for prime rib came out for you! We have used it for years and for us, it is the only one we will use. The Hub sometimes puts a coffee rub on the outside and always sticks garlic into it. Now, if I can only find some of these prime ribs without breaking the bank!

We bought 14 roasts, for a total of 32# (they weren't that big) / $94.  After I wrapped and bagged them I realized I could have bought twice as many and still fit them into the freezer.

I wasn't going to go out, but I really wanted these roasts.  So I doubled masked, took my hand sanitizer, and told myself I wouldn't stay if there was a long line to get in or if it was crowded.  DH offered to come with but I didn't see any reason to have two of us go.  No line, and while it wasn't empty, it wasn't Saturday busy, either.  It was easy to stay socially distant, and I was able to get out in under 30 minutes (a threshold I've seen referenced).  There was plenty of meat in the cases, although I didn't look to check varieties.  TP and paper towels were sparse, but not non-existent.  I didn't go down every aisle, but I didn't see any obvious empty spots.  Oh, except for lard -- no lard.  It's tamale making season, so I suppose that's why, but I was a bit bummed.  DH did a Whole30 in November and I was thinking we'd fry our annual New Year's Eve tacos in lard since he isn't eating corn oil.

They even had 91% isopropyl alcohol, which the guys use for bike maintenance and electronics.  I saw hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes, but I didn't need any.  They had heavy cream (with polysorbate 80, but at this point I give in).  And I remembered to get mineral oil for the cutting boards so I wouldn't have to pay outrageous online prices.

MustacheExplorer

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #617 on: December 07, 2020, 02:53:31 PM »
Anytime I order cans from Walmart or Target they come dented. Walmart is number one the worst when it comes to securely packaging items. Target is a close second. Heaven forbid if you order something like spaghetti sauce in a glass jar! I have had total glass shards and goopy sauce at the bottom of the box. I now load up when I do curbside to avoid disaster.

I think Walmart ships cans that are already dented.  I usually  have to go through a few cans to find an undented one on the shelves inside the store.  I don't understand why that is.

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #618 on: December 07, 2020, 02:59:40 PM »
MustacheExplorer, In my case, they just throw a bunch of cans in the bottom of the box with one air filled tiny pillow. No cardboard to protect anything, no dividers, no attempt at all to try to protect anything. Just one big box of cans smashing into each other for their long journey. When they arrive it looks like they shoveled them out of a bombed out building. Fortunately, I am stocked up and when I need more stuff, I will get it thru curbside shopping or Costco. Costco sells the cans in six packs or 8 packs bundled together so they are not smashing around in the box.

GreenSheep

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #619 on: December 07, 2020, 03:49:07 PM »
Meanwhile, I've ordered pillows from Amazon a couple of times recently, and they came packed in a big box with... air pillows. So that my pillows... don't break on the way here...?

GuitarStv

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #620 on: December 07, 2020, 04:22:41 PM »
I was forced to return some broken pillows just the other day.  They bounced around too much in the box.

MyAlterEgoIsTaller

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #621 on: December 07, 2020, 05:08:20 PM »
Yesterday I got an Amazon package that had 2 big stickers on the box saying that it could not be shipped by airplane, due to containing lithium batteries. It was my order if yarn and vitamins. 

K_in_the_kitchen

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #622 on: December 07, 2020, 07:26:26 PM »
My regional chain is doing another "lowest prices of the year" sale on meat.

Beef Rib Rib-Eye Roast Bone-in (Standing Rib Roast) $4.99/#
Whole Trip Tip, Trimmed $3.99/#
Bone-in NY Steak $3.99/#
Pork Shoulder Butt 99¢/#
B/S Chicken Breast 99¢/#

But ... none of these are marked "Choice" in the ad.  Indeed, inside the ad the have Choice Beef Rib Bone-In Rib-Eye Roast for $8.99/#.  So these aren't exactly the lowest prices if they aren't Choice, because we've had these prices for Choice beef in the past year.  It is the lowest price for pork butt and b/s chicken breast.

I don't think it's enough to tempt me into the store.

Dicey

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #623 on: December 07, 2020, 07:31:18 PM »
MustacheExplorer, In my case, they just throw a bunch of cans in the bottom of the box with one air filled tiny pillow. No cardboard to protect anything, no dividers, no attempt at all to try to protect anything. Just one big box of cans smashing into each other for their long journey. When they arrive it looks like they shoveled them out of a bombed out building. Fortunately, I am stocked up and when I need more stuff, I will get it thru curbside shopping or Costco. Costco sells the cans in six packs or 8 packs bundled together so they are not smashing around in the box.
I think I mentioned upthread that I recently bought an eight-pack of black beans at Costco and every damn can was dented. I just grabbed a random case when I was there and never imagined what horrors the shrink wrap and cardboard were hiding. I could return them, but the waste would be ridiculous. We'll just make a concerted effort to use them up, which is of course, the opposite of why I bought them.

SunnyDays

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #624 on: December 07, 2020, 08:29:48 PM »
I learned from volunteering at a food bank that dented cans are okay as long as the dent isn’t so long or deep that it comes to a point at the ends or as long as the sealed area isn’t dented.  These are more likely to cause tiny holes that allow air in and can cause bacteria to grow.  A modest, shallow dent on the side isn’t likely to be harmful.

Sibley

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #625 on: December 07, 2020, 08:52:15 PM »
I was curious and checked. Last grocery store trip was mid October. Since then, I've gone to the little corner store type place about every 2 weeks for milk, and once to the local butcher for a turkey. I do need to go to the store before Christmas, because I'm getting chocolate for some gifts. I plan to restock at that point, then hopefully ride it out til February. Or March. We'll see.

I have been going to the pet store regularly, but I have determined that the cat has a problem with fish! Trial and error requires frequent trips. I should be able to stock up now.

Dicey

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #626 on: December 07, 2020, 11:48:45 PM »
I learned from volunteering at a food bank that dented cans are okay as long as the dent isn’t so long or deep that it comes to a point at the ends or as long as the sealed area isn’t dented.  These are more likely to cause tiny holes that allow air in and can cause bacteria to grow.  A modest, shallow dent on the side isn’t likely to be harmful.
The hyperbole was in response to...hyperbole. My intent in purchasing them was to keep them on hand as back up food, not something to be consumed quickly. Also, some of the dents are on the rims, not the sides of the cans, ergo, IMO, more likely to be problematic. Instead of a little convenience food splurge, I have eight dented cans. Well, seven now.

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #627 on: December 08, 2020, 05:39:59 AM »
I’ve had a good experience ordering a huge variety of food stuff from target and a little bit from Walmart. I try not to order glass but the couple times I have it came intact. Someone upthread mentioned that quite a few target staples aren’t available for shipping right now. That’s hurting me too!  I’m hoping it’s not a permanent change. We don’t have any pick up options locally and being able to supplement grocery trips with target orders is really helpful. We also find some nice variety there that we can’t buy locally.


Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #628 on: December 08, 2020, 05:50:34 AM »
I’ve had a good experience ordering a huge variety of food stuff from target and a little bit from Walmart. I try not to order glass but the couple times I have it came intact. Someone upthread mentioned that quite a few target staples aren’t available for shipping right now. That’s hurting me too!  I’m hoping it’s not a permanent change. We don’t have any pick up options locally and being able to supplement grocery trips with target orders is really helpful. We also find some nice variety there that we can’t buy locally.

Boxed is a pretty good place to order from too. Mostly bulk type purchases. https://www.boxed.com/

SquashingDebt

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #629 on: December 08, 2020, 06:22:18 AM »
I learned from volunteering at a food bank that dented cans are okay as long as the dent isn’t so long or deep that it comes to a point at the ends or as long as the sealed area isn’t dented.  These are more likely to cause tiny holes that allow air in and can cause bacteria to grow.  A modest, shallow dent on the side isn’t likely to be harmful.

That's helpful to know!  What do you mean by "sealed area"?  The edges where the top meets the sides?

SunnyDays

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #630 on: December 08, 2020, 09:40:48 AM »
I learned from volunteering at a food bank that dented cans are okay as long as the dent isn’t so long or deep that it comes to a point at the ends or as long as the sealed area isn’t dented.  These are more likely to cause tiny holes that allow air in and can cause bacteria to grow.  A modest, shallow dent on the side isn’t likely to be harmful.



That's helpful to know!  What do you mean by "sealed area"?  The edges where the top meets the sides?

Yes, the rims.

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #631 on: December 09, 2020, 04:15:13 PM »
So, tomorrow starts a new sale at one of our grocery stores and Prime Rib Roast is on sale for $4.99 a lb! I plan to pick up around 4 of them so we can eat them during the year. They seem to be on sale only once a year so now is the time to get a few to tuck away.

I have a curbside grocery order in at another store and will swing by the other store to pick up the prime ribs and a few other things on sale. Really don't want to go into the store but they don't have curbside. I am going early so there should not be many people in the store. I want to get in and out as fast as possible! I will be armed with my alcohol wipes!

Cranky

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #632 on: December 09, 2020, 04:35:01 PM »
Rib roasts go on sale here at Easter, too.

Not going in any stores here.

K_in_the_kitchen

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #633 on: December 09, 2020, 06:06:35 PM »
So, tomorrow starts a new sale at one of our grocery stores and Prime Rib Roast is on sale for $4.99 a lb! I plan to pick up around 4 of them so we can eat them during the year. They seem to be on sale only once a year so now is the time to get a few to tuck away.

I have a curbside grocery order in at another store and will swing by the other store to pick up the prime ribs and a few other things on sale. Really don't want to go into the store but they don't have curbside. I am going early so there should not be many people in the store. I want to get in and out as fast as possible! I will be armed with my alcohol wipes!

Woohoo! I'm so glad for you that you finally found the roasts at a good price!

K_in_the_kitchen

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #634 on: December 09, 2020, 06:16:08 PM »
Rib roasts go on sale here at Easter, too.

Not going in any stores here.

Same here, I do expect them to go on sale at Easter.  But unless I've been fully vaccinated including the necessary waiting periods, I won't be going into the store to buy them.  With a fairly early Easter in 2021 and a huge population, I'm not holding my breath.  While I'm glad I got chuck roast for $2.99 last week, I've decided not to look at the sales ads anymore, except for Sprouts if I'm ordering that week.

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #635 on: December 10, 2020, 09:35:28 AM »
Got my Prime Rib Roasts. Bought 4 of them. They were nice looking but not as big as I had hoped. They only had 5+ and under. No 6 or 7 lb. ones. Today was the first day of the sale and I was early to the store. They didn't seem in any hurry to fill the meat counter with various sizes. Oh, well, will be some good eating!

Cranky

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #636 on: December 10, 2020, 11:57:27 AM »
For future reference, I’d ask at the meat department for a larger roast if that’s what you’re looking for. They are used to people wanting a specific size for holidays.

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #637 on: December 10, 2020, 12:25:27 PM »
For future reference, I’d ask at the meat department for a larger roast if that’s what you’re looking for. They are used to people wanting a specific size for holidays.

Yes, this is true but I wanted to get in and out of there as quickly as possible.

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #638 on: December 10, 2020, 03:13:27 PM »
For future reference, I’d ask at the meat department for a larger roast if that’s what you’re looking for. They are used to people wanting a specific size for holidays.

Yes, this is true but I wanted to get in and out of there as quickly as possible.
  Pre-Covid, I've called ahead and asked them if they had a certain size of a certain cut available.  They were willing to set it aside for me for a short while to give me time to come in.  Did this with a large beef tenderloin one year.  It was a size (very large) they didn't usually cut, but they had the larger pieces so they set them aside for me to pick up. 

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #639 on: December 11, 2020, 01:44:40 PM »
hooplady, can you post your recipe for hummus? I buy chickpeas with that intention and then just don't. It is a bit out of my element but would like to try because when I buy it, already made, I do like it!
It's one of those things that I've been making forever so I don't measure most of the ingredients but here's my best guesstimate.

Two 15-oz cans of chickpeas/garbanzos. Drain and reserve the liquid from one can, add back as much as needed to bring to consistency of your liking.
1/4 -1/2 cup tahini
4-5 garlic cloves (note - I like it pretty garlicky!)
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbl olive oil
splash of lemon juice

Whomp it all together. I finally splurged on a Blendtec but in the past I've used a regular blender or a food processor. Heck, when I first started I was taught to make it by hand, smashing the chickpeas with a glass jar; this creates a very lumpy hummus which is how I prefer it, I find most Americanized versions to be too runny. Hope you like it!

Hooplady just made your hummus recipe and it came out very good! Thank you! Finally got the Tahini yesterday. Now my question is does tahini need refrigeration? My can says nothing about refrigeration so I assume it is like peanut butter and doesn't need it.

Aegishjalmur

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #640 on: December 11, 2020, 07:04:57 PM »
A trick we learned for making really creamy hummus(Either from canned or dried chick peas)- Boil the chick peas until you can remove the skins, then blend them.
« Last Edit: December 11, 2020, 07:07:33 PM by Aegishjalmur »

GuitarStv

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #641 on: December 11, 2020, 07:18:35 PM »
A trick we learned for making really creamy hummus(Either from canned or dried chick peas)- Boil the chick peas until you can remove the skins, then blend them.

Protip:  Blend into hummus while the chickpeas are still boiling hot and you don't need to remove the skins.  Makes very smooth hummus.  If you wait until they cool, the skins kill the smoothness.

GreenSheep

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #642 on: December 12, 2020, 07:23:12 AM »
A trick we learned for making really creamy hummus(Either from canned or dried chick peas)- Boil the chick peas until you can remove the skins, then blend them.

Protip:  Blend into hummus while the chickpeas are still boiling hot and you don't need to remove the skins.  Makes very smooth hummus.  If you wait until they cool, the skins kill the smoothness.

Another "creamy hummus" tip I learned from chef Dreena Burton: Add a few ice cubes at the very end of blending. Seems crazy, but it works.

OtherJen

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #643 on: December 12, 2020, 07:51:00 AM »
Yesterday was the first time that I have ever seen a complete absence of paper towels at Costco. Aldi only had a few two-roll packs. Apparently paper towels are the trendy paper product for hoarding this fall.

Food seemed to be in good supply at both stores, though, except for the lack of rotisserie chickens at Costco at 11 am on a weekday.

Dicey

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #644 on: December 12, 2020, 07:58:18 AM »
A trick we learned for making really creamy hummus(Either from canned or dried chick peas)- Boil the chick peas until you can remove the skins, then blend them.

Protip:  Blend into hummus while the chickpeas are still boiling hot and you don't need to remove the skins.  Makes very smooth hummus.  If you wait until they cool, the skins kill the smoothness.

Another "creamy hummus" tip I learned from chef Dreena Burton: Add a few ice cubes at the very end of blending. Seems crazy, but it works.
That probably works better if you have a really good blender... I'll show myself out.

GreenSheep

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #645 on: December 12, 2020, 08:42:40 AM »
A trick we learned for making really creamy hummus(Either from canned or dried chick peas)- Boil the chick peas until you can remove the skins, then blend them.

Protip:  Blend into hummus while the chickpeas are still boiling hot and you don't need to remove the skins.  Makes very smooth hummus.  If you wait until they cool, the skins kill the smoothness.

Another "creamy hummus" tip I learned from chef Dreena Burton: Add a few ice cubes at the very end of blending. Seems crazy, but it works.
That probably works better if you have a really good blender... I'll show myself out.

Maybe I should have said "at the end of processing," since I use a food processor. Even though I have a Vitamix (now I'll be the one showing myself out), I find that hummus just works better for me in the food processor, even in the $25 one I had before the current fancy-pants one (which was a gift... okay, I'm leaving...).

Roadrunner53

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #646 on: December 12, 2020, 09:41:42 AM »
I did refrigerate my tahini but will take it out. I can imagine it will be hard to handle.

I used my ninja blender container and used canned chickpeas. I didn't even notice any skins when I poured them out of the cans! They looked very smooth. Once blended, I never saw any skins either.

I may add cayenne pepper next time to jazz it up.

Imma

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #647 on: December 12, 2020, 10:39:04 AM »
We are facing a steep increase in Covid cases where I live, combined with empty shelves in stores because of supply chain issues - farmers are blocking distribution centers because they feel they don't get paid enough for their products. I know the farmers are right about that and I support them, it's very painful to see many farmers going under while supermarkets make even bigger profits than they normally do. They have been blocking locations on and off for a year. But with Christmas and Covid coming up I feel this is a big risk. There's talk about a stricter lockdown which in itself already causes an increase in hoarding, and this may increase hoarding even more, and all those people in stores are great for the virus.

We talked about how ethical keeping supplies on hand is. So just for clarity: I don't support panic buying and clearing out shelves. I do believe in keeping at least a couple of weeks of food on hand, bought over a longer period of time during which there are no shortages, and in donating food or money to those who are food insecure. Especially with Christmas coming up. I've been donating money to various charities and my Christmas card to a friend who uses the food bank will include a gift card to a supermarket.  I am staying home myself and not going into any stores.

Imma

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #648 on: December 13, 2020, 05:44:31 AM »
They have been blocking locations on and off for a year.

Wow, Imma, I had no idea that farmers were protesting in Europe! Farmers' protests in India are big news here, but I had missed rumblings from Europe.

A local story forecasted a 5-7% increase in vegetable prices here next year, partly because of COVID, and partly because of climate change. The idea makes me shudder, as produce is already quite expensive here. I fear that it's going to put healthy eating even further out of reach of a lot of people. I already grow a vegetable garden at home, but whenever I read about supply chain issues and steep price increases, I get a fear response in my gut that tells me to move to the country so that I can have a bigger garden and grow enough to give to family and food banks. It's not an entirely rational feeling, since I have no experience in agriculture beyond a few years of tending a backyard plot.

Does anyone else have "back to the land" instincts when reading bad news?

The farmers protests have been going on for a while in the Netherlands, even pre-pandemic. They're pissed off at supermarkets because they don't pay enough and abuse their power, and they're angry at the government because of new environmental policy. That policy is necessary and I completely support it but it's unfair to ask farmers to pay the bill.

I'm from a rural background, my family used to farm, so I totally get your back to the land feelings. I've always felt that, but land is extremely expensive here so it's not happening. I already have a veggie patch.

In my country, produce, meat and dairy are all extremely cheap. We are very good at growing lots of food and it's a big export product. But feeding out entire continent is damaging our air and soil, so something needs to be done. In the past, farmers were pressured by the government and banks to expand, expand, expand, which caused lower and lower prices and bigger loans. Many farmers feel backed into a corner by government regulations, banks and supermarkets. My family was lucky to walk away with empty hands instead of debts after farming at that farm for a century.

Queen Frugal

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Re: Pandemic hoarding
« Reply #649 on: December 13, 2020, 10:04:26 AM »

Does anyone else have "back to the land" instincts when reading bad news?

I occasionally yearn to grow my own but I have tried gardening and determined I like the idea of gardening way more than I like actual gardening. Come summer, I want to be out hiking or traveling. Not tending a garden.

Luckily I do like cooking.

At the beginning of the pandemic, I did a lot of stocking up when prices were at a premium and supplies were low. I felt like I was going to waste a lot more money buying food with the pandemic. I bought a deep freeze and some storage buckets so I could buy more things in bulk.

Over the summer, I casually continued to stock up until I had roughly a 3 month supply of non-perishables.

I am pleasantly surprised that now I am saving money and TIME buying food. I am shopping in person but only every two weeks. I have never managed to wait two weeks before grocery store visits as I can't figure out how to make produce last that long. But now that I have done it and become use to it, it's fine. It's comfortable. It's normal.

I am saving money by buying many staples with long shelf life in bulk and also stocking up on items with a long shelf life while they are on sale. In the past, I bought things only as I needed them. Now that I am all stocked up, I am seeing a big difference in my grocery bill. It's great!

We are such creatures of habit when it comes to eating. I love knowing how other people shop, cook, and eat. It helps me think outside of the box. Love this forum for getting a glimpse of all of your food consumption habits.

A few years ago, I was staying in a hostel in Costa Rica. I loved watching what other travelers cooked and ate. The girl who I remember best was maybe 18, all on her own from Germany. She said she didn't have any money but she wanted to see the world so she ate cheap. She only ate once a day. The first night she arrived she was tired and hadn't gone shopping so she ate 1/2 a bag of boiled rice. Just rice. And ate every bite. The next day she boiled 3 potatoes and a head of broccoli. I try to keep her habits in mind when shopping and eating, but changing my own habits has still been hard.

Pandemic has helped with that. A sliver of a silver lining.