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canyonwalker"I'm turning into my mother-in-law!" I lamented after I came home from a grocery shopping trip this morning and shoved new purchases into our fridge and freezer until they were practically bursting at the seams. MIL is an eat-at-home person plus a big packrat; she really hates to throw things out. Her fridge is pretty much always full, plus a separate freezer, plus her pantry area. She's stocked up like she has a big family to feed when it's just two older adults living there. Well, we're just two (getting older) adults ourselves, and here's our fridge and freezer:
The pantry is pretty full, too.
,..Not that these were anywhere close to empty while we were out, but after trips to Costco, Safeway, and TJs they're full. They're so full we had to choose not to buy things we wanted because we knew there wouldn't be room in the freezer for them.
So what did I do about my fretting that I'm turning into my MIL? I texted these pictures to her and quipped, "I'm turning into you!" 😂 Yes, we have a friendly ongoing joke about it.
And she responded, "You've got me beat!" She's been drawing down her supplies since we visited over Thanksgiving, 5 weeks ago. ...It's not because she's changed her ways, though, but because with the Coronavirus Omicron surge she's reluctant to go out shopping except for necessities. I understand that; my inlaws live in a region where masking in stores is voluntary and below 50%. I'd make fewer shopping trips there, too. Though I'd probably still go on a BIG trip once every two weeks and fill the fridge & freezer!
With our larder full we're going to have to lay off shopping for a while. We're going to have to eat some stuff to make room!
It will help to clear out space faster that we're shifting back to eating pretty much all meals at home again. Late last year I was easing back toward my old eating-out habits. I'd gotten back up to going out for lunch 4-5x per week and dinner 2-3x. Now with the Coronavirus winter surge, even in our area where the rates are lower than the national average and masks are required and compliance is very high (but proof of vaccination for dining-in in restaurants is not), I'm going to prepare and eat most of my meals at home again.
The pantry is pretty full, too.
,..Not that these were anywhere close to empty while we were out, but after trips to Costco, Safeway, and TJs they're full. They're so full we had to choose not to buy things we wanted because we knew there wouldn't be room in the freezer for them.
So what did I do about my fretting that I'm turning into my MIL? I texted these pictures to her and quipped, "I'm turning into you!" 😂 Yes, we have a friendly ongoing joke about it.
And she responded, "You've got me beat!" She's been drawing down her supplies since we visited over Thanksgiving, 5 weeks ago. ...It's not because she's changed her ways, though, but because with the Coronavirus Omicron surge she's reluctant to go out shopping except for necessities. I understand that; my inlaws live in a region where masking in stores is voluntary and below 50%. I'd make fewer shopping trips there, too. Though I'd probably still go on a BIG trip once every two weeks and fill the fridge & freezer!
With our larder full we're going to have to lay off shopping for a while. We're going to have to eat some stuff to make room!
It will help to clear out space faster that we're shifting back to eating pretty much all meals at home again. Late last year I was easing back toward my old eating-out habits. I'd gotten back up to going out for lunch 4-5x per week and dinner 2-3x. Now with the Coronavirus winter surge, even in our area where the rates are lower than the national average and masks are required and compliance is very high (but proof of vaccination for dining-in in restaurants is not), I'm going to prepare and eat most of my meals at home again.
