Ready, Set, Hoard?

[canyonwalker]

Shoppers thronging stores and buying out the stocks of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, etc., was a big issue back in March. Even frozen foods sold out amid panic-buying. Runs on paper products left long rows of empty shelves in supermarkets that took weeks to refill. Well apparently 🎵 it's ba-ack!



That was the scene last night at a local Safeway when I looked down the aisle for paper towels. All they had left was one brand, at the far end; the overall lowest quality product, selling at a mid-range price. Thankfully I didn't need paper towels urgently; I was looking to pick up a package 2-3 weeks before we run out as part of our "Keeping the Kitchen Full" strategy.

BTW, this is exactly why we agreed on the strategy of refilling necessities a few weeks before we scrape bottom. Or, more accurately, it's one of four reasons why we keep the pantry full that we identified literally nine months ago. And nine months later, all those concerns are literally still true.

Comments

[silmaril]

I haven't thought about it so analytically, but I've been doing that since March too. I didn't clear out grocery shelves; I got to online big box stores in April and May. As it is, I don't need paper goods for at least another six months and I could get by on the food I have for two months. I'm still shopping while I can for milk and produce, obviously, but I could just... not, if things got there.

[canyonwalker]

I haven't cleared out any grocery shelves personally... well, except that one time I bought 16 jugs of iced tea... and that wasn't really "clearing the shelf" as I only bought out 2 varieties of one brand of product, leaving multiple other varieties and brands for other people to buy....

[culfinriel]

I did do a stock up last month when I thought for sure we were going into lock down again. But that was more because I knew this is what would happen because it happened last time and if you hadn't done it, you were really in trouble. It's a pain because of all the space it takes up, but I don't want to be desperate for TP again.

[glados]

Bidets work quite nicely. Better in some ways than TP. Not sure why everyone goes berserk and buys up all the TP when water and a cloth can get the job done. I have a little portable one from a company called “Tushy”.

[missyb]

I bought my Tushy attachment just over a year ago, and I love the hell out of it.

It definitely cuts down TP use a lot.

[canyonwalker]

People in an elsenet forum I follow rave about buying bidets at Costco. ...Well, they rave about bidets, and think it's great Costco sells them at a great price. It's not like, "OMG, I swing by Costco to pick up a four-pack at least once a month!"

[missyb]

😂

A couple years ago, they had the super-fancy Toto Washlet for some ridiculously good price. Heated seat, deodorizing mister, warm air dry, the ideal throne.

Haven't seen one there since, but bidet attachments are showing up, and carrying them is a brilliant move on Costco's part.

[missyb]

I've been in the habit of keeping my freezers and pantry stocked ever since getting out on my own. This drove Maus straight bonkers for years, it's a compulsion stemming from food scarcity as a child.

Since the pandemic hit, he has come to appreciate that compulsion.

[canyonwalker]

For years I regarded keeping the pantry stuffed as a fool's errand because I preferred eating out and did so most of the time. Why pay to fill the fridge, freezer, and pantry? Most of it would spoil and have to be thrown out, uneaten. That equation changed rapidly in early March when we went into safer-at-home mode and switched to preparing almost all of our meals at home. Now we keep stocked up because we use it.