Grocery shopping tips during Coronavirus quarantine

[MajorHoople]

I went to Costco and Walmart today. Both were pretty empty. But plenty of food on the shelves, at rock bottom prices. Especially fresh veggies.

Costco had some winter socks on sale, super sale.

Walmart was interesting, again, rock bottom prices on produce. Lots of the Walmart shoppers going around with blue boxes, filling up online orders. No empty shelves, tons of food, TP.

I did "self check", and noticed that it is not as sensitive as it used to be. It used to always have one or two issues. Now, no problems.

I haven't been to the store in three weeks. And pretty much, don't plan on going for another 3 or 4 weeks.

Same here, I've been to the store one time in the last five weeks.

 

[katydid23]

l


Hi there: we are fellow Detroit suburbanites!! you talk about the places I go too when I am home there (right now I am in Florida);, like Salvaggios and such. I do have a question, does Mucinex actually work? I have heard various opinions: does it actually loosen the mucus? Until I got down to Florida I have not had any asthma type problems for years. But since being here in Florida since November I have gunk in my chest-- until November I didn't have to use Ventolin inhaler but once a year: now I take one puff daily (along with Flovent inhaler once daily).
Take care and stay safe!!!

Mucinex works great for me. I prefer the tablets to the liquid though.

My doctor told me to begin using it for my asthma. It helps prevent my lungs from getting gunked up and triggering asthmatic reactions. I swear by it. Be sure and drink 8 ounces of water as you take the mucinex pill though.

 

[ButForFortune]

You can find them used on e-bay or etsy. Here's one: Used SOAP SAVER Bent Wire Hinged Soap Bar Re-User Dish Detergent Kitchen Tool | eBay

Lots of different designs out there. You can get the same results by repurposing a mesh produce bag. Or they sell reusable drawstring mesh bags for soap: https://www.amazon.com/VNDEFUL-Exfo...words=soap+sliver+saver&qid=1587226993&sr=8-4

Don't know if it has been mentioned yet, but if you still have any pantyhose or knee-hi stockings left around those work perfectly! Put the soap slivers in and tie a knot!

 

[MajorHoople]

My Great Grandmother had a little wire box, with a handle. She put all of the slivers of hand soap in there. And when it was time to do dishes, she put hot water in the sink, and swished around her "dish soap" dispenser until the water was frothy.

In high school I had a science teacher (Mr. Spiva) who told us that he made all his family's dishwashing detergent by putting soap slivers into an old kitchen blender. Then he used a funnel to pour the liquid into the bottle. He didn't tell us what his wife thought of this notion.

I thought it was a cool idea, but I noticed some of the girls in the class were rolling their eyes.

 

[acutename]

@Laughing - Thank you, I will do that! It may just be pollen. Ditto on the doctor... If it comes down to it you have to do what you have to do. But I hope what is plaguing us is run-of-the-mill allergies or maybe just the onset of asthma in my case. We'll see.

check pollen.com w/ your zip code to see what pollen levels are in your area for the week

 

[oviedo]

Family in northern Indiana reported everything available at their Meijer including paper and cleaning products - no limits on food either while here we are limited at Aldi and Publix to 2 (pasta, canned goods, beans etc )- last 3 visits to different stores - no TP or paper products or cleaning items except toilet bowl cleaner and now I’m having trouble finding French vanilla coffee creamer - produce is plentiful so far

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

DH made a quick trip to Meijer this morning to shop during senior hour. We're not completely out of TP, but neither of us likes the Angel Soft brand that he got a couple of weeks ago. I know, I know: Beggars can't be choosers, but the AS TP is awful. There were two 12-packs of Charmin (jumbo rolls) on a pallet at Meijer, and DH could have bought two, but he left one for someone else. We will be fine for a while.

DH likes Zatarain's bean/rice mixes and wanted to get some of those, but there were none. He got a large avocado for fish tacos (mahi mahi) tonight: One avocado was $2.50

 

[PayrollNerd]

DH made a quick trip to Meijer this morning to shop during senior hour. We're not completely out of TP, but neither of us likes the Angel Soft brand that he got a couple of weeks ago. I know, I know: Beggars can't be choosers, but the AS TP is awful. There were two 12-packs of Charmin (jumbo rolls) on a pallet at Meijer, and DH could have bought two, but he left one for someone else. We will be fine for a while.

DH likes Zatarain's bean/rice mixes and wanted to get some of those, but there were none. He got a large avocado for fish tacos (mahi mahi) tonight: One avocado was $2.50

$2.50 for an avocado? Good grief. My oldest lives near a park in a very old neighborhood. On Sat she noticed an empty lot with 3 avocado trees - loaded with baby avocados. She says "I have to watch them so the birds don't get them all." I laughed and said, No, more like rats, raccoons, snakes, etc. She was like, Oooohhhh. Okay. LOL! nope, this is Florida.

 

[oviedo]

$2.50 for an avocado? Good grief. My oldest lives near a park in a very old neighborhood. On Sat she noticed an empty lot with 3 avocado trees - loaded with baby avocados. She says "I have to watch them so the birds don't get them all." I laughed and said, No, more like rats, raccoons, snakes, etc. She was like, Oooohhhh. Okay. LOL! nope, this is Florida.

I think I would be looking up that lot owner on the tax collector's website - would love some fresh avocados- spoiled that Aldi has them so inexpensive - now, not so much.

 

[PayrollNerd]

I think I would be looking up that lot owner on the tax collector's website - would love some fresh avocados- spoiled that Aldi has them so inexpensive - now, not so much.

Oh shoot, I goofed!!! Sorry!!! They’re mango trees, not Avocado trees!! But still, you’re correct. I need to see if the owner is listed anywhere and if they’ll mind.

 

[Suglo]

I read an article last week (Can’t find it again) that California avocado farmers were expecting a surplus with plummeting prices due to restaurant closures throughout the nation. I have noticed that the average price for avocados locally has gone down to about $1 a piece. Here’s a look at how the avocado industry is doing worldwide:

OVERVIEW GLOBAL AVOCADO MARKET

 

[ilovewings]

Family in northern Indiana reported everything available at their Meijer including paper and cleaning products - no limits on food either while here we are limited at Aldi and Publix to 2 (pasta, canned goods, beans etc )- last 3 visits to different stores - no TP or paper products or cleaning items except toilet bowl cleaner and now I’m having trouble finding French vanilla coffee creamer - produce is plentiful so far

Publix is particularly disappointing here in Fort Myers. they never have paper products; we have to go to Walmart or Costco for that: their shelves are often depleted - one day we wanted to make spaghetti: no tomato sauce or paste.
Nobody and I mean no store that i have been to has disinfectant wipes or hand sanitizer. it is frustrating. I purchased a 32 oz bottle of Isopropol Alcohol which will be shipped this week from Amazon. I am embarrassed to tell you how much i paid for it but you cannot find a bottle of alcohol for disinfecting in any store at all. I can understand stores running out of stuff but i don't understand not getting restocked on so many items.

 

[mickey2942]

Yes, I was wondering about that, 6 avocados at Costco the other day were $5.00

 

[neesaki]

Publix is particularly disappointing here in Fort Myers. they never have paper products; we have to go to Walmart or Costco for that: their shelves are often depleted - one day we wanted to make spaghetti: no tomato sauce or paste.
Nobody and I mean no store that i have been to has disinfectant wipes or hand sanitizer. it is frustrating. I purchased a 32 oz bottle of Isopropol Alcohol which will be shipped this week from Amazon. I am embarrassed to tell you how much i paid for it but you cannot find a bottle of alcohol for disinfecting in any store at all. I can understand stores running out of stuff but i don't understand not getting restocked on so many items.

I don’t get this either. These items should have been restocked by now, there are limits of one or two per person, so where are the products going? Someone within the system doing the hoarding? Not saying it’s a conspiracy of some kind, but something seems off to me, has for a while.
Otherwise, why are these products after all this time, still missing from the shelves ? We’re talking something as simple as rubbing alcohol and toilet tissue. Doesn’t make sense, jmo.

 

[ilovewings]

I don’t get this either. These items should have been restocked by now, there are limits of one or two per person, so where are the products going? Someone within the system doing the hoarding? Not saying it’s a conspiracy of some kind, but something seems off to me, has for a while.
Otherwise, why are these products after all this time, still missing from the shelves ? We’re talking something as simple as rubbing alcohol and toilet tissue. Doesn’t make sense, jmo.

it is puzzling!

 

[katydid23]

I read an article last week (Can’t find it again) that California avocado farmers were expecting a surplus with plummeting prices due to restaurant closures throughout the nation. I have noticed that the average price for avocados locally has gone down to about $1 a piece. Here’s a look at how the avocado industry is doing worldwide:

OVERVIEW GLOBAL AVOCADO MARKET

I just bought a bag of avocados for 4 bucks. Cheapest I have ever seen them. I made a huge bowl of guacamole and heated up some homemade corn tortillas, and we had little quesadillas for dinner.

It was delicious and easy. added a fresh salad and a glass of chardonnay....nice little dinner on the patio.

 

[Suglo]

I just bought a bag of avocados for 4 bucks. Cheapest I have ever seen them. I made a huge bowl of guacamole and heated up some homemade corn tortillas, and we had little quesadillas for dinner.

It was delicious and easy. added a fresh salad and a glass of chardonnay....nice little dinner on the patio.

That sounds delicious! Homemade corn tortillas? You should post your recipe in the recipe thread

 

[Jax49]

Finally managed to order Charmin TP from Walmart just after midnight. By 1 am they were out again.

 

[JaneEyre]

Mucinex works great for me. I prefer the tablets to the liquid though.

My doctor told me to begin using it for my asthma. It helps prevent my lungs from getting gunked up and triggering asthmatic reactions. I swear by it. Be sure and drink 8 ounces of water as you take the mucinex pill though.

So do you take it regularly as a preventative, as opposed to just when you have symptoms?

I’m having severe allergy and sinus issues right now. Sometimes that turns into bronchitis for me. I’m thinking about taking this at least once a day.

If you are using it as a preventative, are you just doing a single dose a day, or are you doing the maximum dose?

 

[Gardenista]

Help Groceries Stay Fresh Longer with These Clever Tips