Grocery stores

[PrincessFiona]

I went to three grocery stores to find food for my family. I should have hoarded. It was nearly impossible to find meat, rice, noodles, yogurt, spaghetti sauce, cereal, milk, cream, bread, you name it. I felt so awful going all over town. This is not social distancing. I should have hoarded all the things a week ago. I hope they restock, because we’ll need food next weekend.

Kris


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[Meenah]

Our stores are restocking regularly.

[OrionGrad]

I haven’t been out for a week, but on my last trip to the grocery store they were totally out of rice. I’ll be interested to see what the stock is like on my next trip on Monday morning.


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[alotofyarn]

I think it's gotten better here - J went to the store yesterday morning and got everything on my list except red beans. We're starting to get creative, like we made our own pasta yesterday, and we got yeast to try making our own bread today. Of course, I forgot to tell him to get more flour, so I may send him back out for that today.

[Pollyanna]

Kris, we get our meat from Grass Roots Coop. It’s 100% grown and processed in the USA. Butcher Box is not. Even in this crazy time it only took 2.5 days to get my order. The staples are more difficult. Stores here are better stocked now but with folks talking national lockdown there may be another round of panic buying. I didn’t hoard either so I had to get creative when I went to the store last weekend. But it’s a ginormous pita. This wouldn’t be an issue if folks would just buy like usual.

[spotty_dog]

This was in our local community FB. "Update for all of you. Just spent the last 12 plus hours running a load of pork from Iowa to Nashville. It was a plant to plant transfer for further processing and packaging then it'll be headed to a grocery warehouse then on to the stores. Tomorrow I'll be picking up a load here in Tennessee of fresh chicken and taking it to a distribution warehouse in Missouri for further transfer to the stores. The food is out here folks and we are working hard to get it on the shelves for you. Other products are being delivered day and night to the distribution centers for further transfer to the stores. Please be patient while we do what we do for you. Don't feel the need to over buy because that sets us drivers farther behind. Trust that all the shelves will soon be back up to capacity. Buy only what you need for the week and let the other people get some of what they need. Critical supplies are taking the front seat right now so some of the other things might not show up right away but they will soon. We truckers and your neighbors in general thank you for your cooperation on this matter. Remember we are all in this and we will be all right with a little time."

We're shopping once a week and getting a week's worth of stuff. We're only shopping one store and if they don't have what we want, we don't get it. I already keep flour and rice and beans and stuff in my pantry regularly, so temporary shortages of those haven't impacted us. I'm also going to local farm stands for produce (it's still early but there are baby hardy greens for salad and braising, kale, collards, etc.) and we have several sources of local meat and eggs and even milk and yogurt if we want to pay a premium. So I'm fine food-wise. We bought a 12-pack of TP on 3/11 so we have a few more weeks before we're desperate, but I'm refreshing my knowledge of washing routines in case we end up needing to turn to "family cloth".

This is a terrific time to bake bread and simmer pasta sauce. Nothing but time on our hands!

[scrub-jay]

And yogurt, homemade yogurt is really yummy! (We used the Instant Pot and fage 2% plain for starter culture)

[spotty_dog]

And yogurt, homemade yogurt is really yummy! (We used the Instant Pot and fage 2% plain for starter culture)

We don't use much milk around here, but I got extra this week because I thought I'd try IP yogurt!

Here's the pasta sauce I used to make when I had a little more time for watching things simmer. https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/01/t...er-and-onions/

[scrub-jay]

We don't use much milk around here, but I got extra this week because I thought I'd try IP yogurt!

Here's the pasta sauce I used to make when I had a little more time for watching things simmer. https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/01/t...er-and-onions/

Let it strain for a few hours with cheesecloth if you like it thick.

[MarissaNicole]

I need to use this time to learn how to make homemade bread. Any idiot proof recipes out there?

[spotty_dog]

I need to use this time to learn how to make homemade bread. Any idiot proof recipes out there?

My 11yo just opens up Joy of Cooking and follows the Quick Bread recipe using the dough hook on the KitchenAid mixer.

[alotofyarn]

We did this recently and it was great:

All you have to do is stir together 4 ingredients, let it sit for a while, and then pour onto a baking sheet. No kneading required.


Fool Proof Focaccia
1 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
Olive oil
Toppings (I use dried rosemary, kosher salt, and dried onion flakes)

In a medium bowl, combine yeast and warm water, and let sit until dissolved (about 5 minutes). Stir in salt and a splash of olive oil. Then stir in flour, 1 cup at a time. This is important - don’t dump it all in at once like the impatient beast you are, like I did the first time. The texture gets weird and lumpy. ONE CUP AT A TIME!

Once all the flour is stirred in, sprinkle a little olive oil on top of the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and then you have 2 options: 1) store in the fridge overnight (it has more flavor if you go this route, in my opinion), or 2) place in a warm spot in your kitchen for an hour or two. When I go for option 2, I turn my oven to its lowest temp (170 degrees), let it preheat for 2-3 min, and then shut it off and stick the bowl in there. Makes it nice and toasty for the yeast, like a giant bread sweater.

Once the dough has doubled in size, wipe a little olive oil on a baking sheet, and gently pour dough onto it. Splash a little more olive oil on top, and sprinkle with your favorite toppings - dried rosemary, dried onion flakes, kosher salt, Everything Bagel Seasoning, etc.

Bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes.

[MrsInTheMiddle]

I’ve been doing grocery pickup. The only problem is that the pickup dates are 2 weeks out, and it’s difficult trying to plan that far in the future. I feel like I’m buying the same basic items. I enjoying cooking, but miss going out!


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[medpedspouse]

Along with providing takeout, our local restaurants are selling staples such as eggs, meats, breads, flour etc. Are restaurants in other states not able or not doing this?

We eat 75%-ish plant based and I’ve always made my own stuff (like pasta) since we try to limit the amount of prepackaged foods. I think we are weirdos because no one is buying out the stuff we usually buy. I haven’t done without anything other than Topo Chico...(in TX this is a tragedy. )

[OrionGrad]

Along with providing takeout, our local restaurants are selling staples such as eggs, meats, breads, flour etc. Are restaurants in other states not able or not doing this?

We have at least one restaurant doing this, maybe more. (CA) They’re selling pantry staples like milk and eggs in the hospital cafeteria now, too.