Groceries and Self-Isolation

[ratter75]

I go to the store when it’s not busy - our local store manager posts regularly on Facebook about their stock and their traffic levels. Super helpful. The guy’s a hero in my book. I take a Clorox wipe with me, to wipe off the cart handle and I use it to pick things up. I don’t pick anything up unless I’m going to buy it. I do my best to keep my distance at the register and from other customers.

When I get home I unpack everything, wipe it down (probably not as well as I should), throw away the bags. My clothes go in the washer and I shower. Every time. And I regularly wipe down the interior of my car. Wife is an asthmatic, youngest kid was once hospitalized with pneumonia. I'm not letting anybody go anywhere. Which means I can't. get. sick. Because if I get sick, and my wife has to shop for us, or my parents have to shop for themselves, then I've failed.

There aren’t any curbside/delivery options where I live, so it is what it is. Starting this week I’m limiting shopping to one trip a week. Tricky, because I’m shopping for my family of five as well as for my mom and dad, who are divorced. Three lists, three different pantries to manage. It’s a pain.

Starting next week I might mask and glove up, since cases are starting to pop in this area.

Might also investigate the scan/pay app from Sam’s Club that lets you skip the checkout. Totally guessing but I feel like the checkout process, face to face with the cashier, is the most likely source of infection. It's also nearly an hour away, so...tradeoffs...

(I also routinely remind myself what my grandmother would say. She lived through the Great Depression. One of the kindest souls to ever walk the face of the earth. She would be highly disappointed if she heard me complaining that I had to shop at a certain hour, or my favorite brand of ___ wasn't available. I'm thankful for what I have and that my life has been so, so NOT interrupted compared to so many others.)

[Grey]

Word on the street is that instacart folks are going to strike, make sure you have an alternative.

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[hufnagel]

Around here in Austin Randals, Heb, walmart, costco, and Aldis are doing curbside pickup. Whole foods has a home delivery service. All of them are difficult to get a timeslot. We also have ended up getting a fraction of what we ordered and many substitutions.
My wife was told when picking up a walmart order that a timeslot earlier in the morning is more apt to get all its contents.
You may have to go further afield. We've been going up to cedar park and leander.

An overlay of population density and store locations near you, could prove fruitful. Even if you have to drive an hour each way, with some planning (think, coolers and ice packs) you could easily do a large run. I mean, we used to do that when my dad was alive; the nearest commissary was 45+ minutes away, and we'd come back with a Plymouth Reliant wagon loaded with food, and us 3 abreast on the bench seat up front. It's amazing how much food $400 could buy back then.

[farscott]

What works for us is going when the store first opens as there are few shoppers. We did our weekly grocery shopping this morning at 7:00 and the store was mostly empty. I suggest finding out when your store of choice opens and being in the parking lot when the doors are unlocked.

[vcdgrips]

My next order is due to be delivered SUN. Hopefully, it will get done before any strike.

Thanks for the heads up G.

DB

[Chance]

Well, I hope Instacart doesn't lose its workforce, because it looks like a good option to try. Grubhub seems to have virtually every restaurant in the area, but I didn't see straight groceries.

[Stephanie B]

No offense, but I'm not going to discuss my own preparedness, or lack thereof, on an open board.

[ranger]

My wife is going to COSTCO to get away from me and because TJ Maxx is closed.

[Chance]

https://twitter.com/@twitter/status/1243612935022358536

[RJ]

Suburban Tampa here.

Generally the stores we've been to the last two weeks are stocked, albeit lightly. Staples like Bread are about 1/2 shelf space of normal, rice is gone. No TP. Prominent signs all over indicate "one of (item) ONLY" (I wish that had started earlier.) We got some eggs as the guy was putting them out - just random chance we walked by.

So far I don't feel like the food is going to run out and we are only buying what we need to eat in the next week or so. As compared to a week ago, there is "plenty" of food. I mean, it is not like it used to be a month ago; but I get the sense that they are slowly getting stock in.

Our grocery trips are much more oriented to long term; our freezer is full with basics which we've accumulated over the last couple weeks. We are older, so are very careful to keep distance away from other customers. Most everyone seems to get it. I admit, I find it very unnerving. I mean, I am not sure what I would do if someone sneezed in my face. Fortunately everyone at the store appears to be well enough. But you do think about asymptomatic carriers. We wash up with sanitizer and wash hands frequently. I'm amazed how often my nose itches now. But I am really trying not to touch it. Geez.

Our last "dining out" was a carry out meal from Longhorn. Even though it was luke warm by the time we got it home, it sure tasted good. Sign of the times I guess.