“There’s not a shortage of food in the U.S.,” said Benjamin Ruddell, a professor with expertise in supply chains at Northern Arizona University. “But we all need a little buffer ... at least three days’ worth of necessities on hand.” source
I agree that there should not be a shortage of food in our nation. I personally like a longer buffer on things we use frequently.
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What the members of the groups I am on now are showing through their walkthrough videos and pictures of the stores they shop in is very, very low stock on shelves and in stock rooms throughout different parts of the country. In some places, some of the freezer cases have been closed or removed. There appear to be bigger gaps on the shelves in most stores now. I believe some of the stores have been impacted by winter storms, but not all of them are in those areas.
Some of the people posting freak out big time if they can't buy a certain type of soda. I don't consider soda food. One lady was upset because her favorite candy bar was out of stock. Another was very afraid because her brand of fresh milk was out. There were smaller jugs in another brand in the picture she shared.
People are reporting that the quality of any fresh produce in stock is down.
Friends in Suffolk told me that the OTC and herbal medicine aisles are very sparse.
Where I am, I am getting about 85% to 90% of my online grocery orders which is about normal. The 3 pounds of fresh green beans I received last week were a bit past their prime but still edible. The fresh broccoli I purchased was in very good condition. I did not get the six pounds of carrots I ordered.
Today, I was adding to an existing order and noticed the fresh chicken breasts I buy are out of stock. There were other brands of fresh chicken available. There is also plenty of canned and frozen chicken. Other meats were readily available.
After overusing my hips, knees, and ankles (climbing, kneeling, crawling, sitting on the floor for two days) I had to buy a name-brand joint formula instead of the store brand. I am taking triple the dose so I went back to purchase more. They did not have what I had bought earlier, but they had another form of the same brand with a slightly different formulation.
My perspective: I tend to be very practical and can adapt to changing situations, so my take on it is different than some of the people posting in the groups. I could care less if there are no potato chips to purchase, but I'm happy to see real potatoes are well stocked. I know I can take those fresh potatoes and make potatoes chips and many more different dishes from them. I can also take some of those potatoes and grow more.*
The pickup times at my store are harder to get than they use to be. I found a way to ensure I get a timeslot that works for our schedules. If you want that tip, send me a text or an email.
Concerning: There have been more reports of people being robbed of their groceries. I know some have happened in parking lots as the people were loading their cars. One person had food taken out of their arms as a gang ran past. There were some cases of people who were followed home and then had their groceries stolen. A man I know has changed his family's shopping habits because of these reports. We use the pickup service, so I am not too concerned. When I shop at night, there is a little friend that goes with me.
Very concerning: Prices are still going up. This makes it very hard for those on low or fixed incomes. Please look a little harder at those around you and help where you can. It is very easy to have groceries anonymously delivered. You can anonymously mail a grocery store gift card. You can also drop off groceries yourself. Even $25 can provide several nutritious meals using basic ingredients.
*The last time I mentioned this, I was told "You can't take grocery store potatoes and grow them!!!" How do you think people grew potatoes before certified seed potatoes came along? I've done it many years. So have plenty of others. I saw my dad do it eons ago when I was a small child. Certified seed potatoes are potatoes, usually smaller ones, that have been inspected and tested for diseases. The concern is that you can introduce disease into your garden by using grocery store potatoes. Carefully inspect the potatoes as you cut them into pieces to chit. Anything weird, throw out, clean your knife and surfaces with vinegar, and keep going. I have not seen the benefit of paying so much more for certified seed potatoes, but that is just me and my experiences.
My love to all!
