Food Rationing

[Faith]

Is anyone buying up some flour, cooking oil and rice now while it's still available? Or do you think this is not really a concern?

 

http://nysun.com/news/food-rationing-confronts-breadbasket-world

[astrid]

What do you mean by, "now while it's still available" ?

What are your concerns?

[Faith]

What do you mean by' date=' "now while it's still available" ?

What are your concerns?[/quote']

 

 

Did you read the link I put in the post?

[astrid]

I"ll read it now.

[JFSinIL]

I do not think it will be a concern here...unless folks do panic buying and cause a false shortage. I kinda recall Johnny Carson waaay back when I was a kid joked about a t.p. shortage on his show. The next day my Mom commented on how due to that joke folks would be buying up all the t.p. thinking there would be a real shortage. So of course she had to run out and buy a bunch before everyone else did. :) And, guess what? The store ran out of t.p.!

[Faith]

I do not think it will be a concern here...unless folks do panic buying and cause a false shortage. I kinda recall Johnny Carson waaay back when I was a kid joked about a t.p. shortage on his show. The next day my Mom commented on how due to that joke folks would be buying up all the t.p. thinking there would be a real shortage. So of course she had to run out and buy a bunch before everyone else did. :) And, guess what? The store ran out of t.p.!

 

That's funny! I guess we shouldn't be too concerned then. We were wondering if we should run out and buy up now. lol Okay, better not. Thanks.

[Gretchen in NJ]

I can live without rice, but TP. I definitely could not live without TP. Now, that is something to worry about!:lol:

[tinkgumby]

I'm not super-concerned, but I do also think it's a good idea to have a decent supply of food on hand (maybe three month's worth) in case of economic hardship or natural disaster.

[RebeccaC]

Back in the mid 80s I worked in the glorious field of garbology as an intern for National Geographic. We excavated modern garbage dumps looking at sites that were at least 10 years old. Well in the mid 70s there was a shortage of beef and know what we found? That people began to hoard more beef than they could eat and that most of that beef ended up in the garbage. Beef is decays through aerobic bacteria the beef we dug up was in excellent shape. The dumps we worked at capped each days fill with a layer of clay at the end of the day and the beef we dug up was firm and red after 10 long years in the dump.

 

Y2K was suppose to do all kinds of bad things and media had it all over the place. Why because fear sells paper, boosts ratings, and fuels election years rhetoric. Every thing I read I take with a huge grain of salt. Maybe there are shortages but hoarding is not the answer, neither is fear or worry. This too shall pass and it is not the end of the world or civilization as we know it.

 

All that written once in awhile we put back a few MREs or dehydrated foods. That however due to scouts and my dh and boys love for camping does not last long around here. The beans tho that I put back for Y2K are still in their huge glass jars in the pantry maybe some day I will learn how to cook using them :001_huh:

[CLHCO]

I already put in a very large order for grains, beans, etc. I did this a month ago before anyone else started worrying but not because I think we'll have a shortage. I do, however, think we'll have inflation. I don't think that can be helped in the current climate. I want to get some inexpensive options while they're still inexpensive.

 

Oh, wait. They're not still inexpensive. Okay, before they're outrageous.

 

Then I found out they may not be able to get us our orders of wheat. That's what I really wanted too. Must be too many others thought the same thing I did.

 

Unlike the beef shortage, which I could personally live with, the grain, powdered milk and other items I'm getting will be in bags, cans or buckets that would easily store 10+ years or more. Not that I got enough for 10 years. 3-6 months is all, really, but I know it'll get used.

[6packofun]

Is anyone buying up some flour, cooking oil and rice now while it's still available? Or do you think this is not really a concern?

 

http://nysun.com/news/food-rationing-confronts-breadbasket-world

 

 

Isn't it a concern that with limited supplies THAT behavior is the concern? I'm not sure I understand the problem with the supply itself, but I don't like the idea that a shortage, temporary or not, causes some people to decide that they deserve to have larger portions of the food than everyone else.

 

I dunno. I must be missing something here. Slowly building up stock is one thing, making the shelves go empty sooner based on speculation is another.

[Kari C in SC]

I did this a month ago before anyone else started worrying but not because I think we'll have a shortage. I do, however, think we'll have inflation. I don't think that can be helped in the current climate. I want to get some inexpensive options while they're still inexpensive.

 

Oh, wait. They're not still inexpensive. Okay, before they're outrageous.

 

 

 

This is what I have been doing. I am not stocking up on things because I think they won't be available. I am stocking up on things before gas prices get even higher forcing prices to go up on everything even more. Last month, I bought 80lbs ground beef and 22 jars of sauce. This month I am buying a case of chicken and putting together about 6 lasagnas, etc. I am not hoarding, just purchasing ahead. My dh makes a base salary plus commission as a mechanic. Praise God that the bonuses have been good lately. We feel we need to stock up now in the event that the recession gets worse and we end up needing to live on his base pay.

[Old Dominion Heather]

I find this sentence really funny...

 

"shoppers grew frustrated and occasionally uttered expletives as they searched in vain for the large sacks of rice they usually buy."

 

The thought of all those shoppers roaming around Costco swearing like sailors... why does this make me have the giggles?

[Plaid Dad]

The thought of all those shoppers roaming around Costco swearing like sailors... why does this make me have the giggles?

 

Just the idea of shopping at certain stores makes me want to use choice language. ;)

[melissel]

I find this sentence really funny...

 

"shoppers grew frustrated and occasionally uttered expletives as they searched in vain for the large sacks of rice they usually buy."

 

The thought of all those shoppers roaming around Costco swearing like sailors... why does this make me have the giggles?

 

:smilielol5: It didn't make me giggle at first, but it does now!

 

 

Just the idea of shopping at certain stores makes me want to use choice language. ;)

 

Amen to that.

[Vida Winter]

that we used to get in Virginia when it would (rarely) snow. We would go to our semi-rural grocery and everyone would be buying up all the milk, bread, etc. that was available. Sheesh. Then it would snow an inch or two (and immediately melt) and I would wonder if the horarders were happy that they had created these shortages over nothing.

 

On the other hand, I do believe in having sufficient supplies to last for a good long while if need be. So I have a few bulky things like a huge sack of pinto beans, extra flour, and a good amount of canned food. But I didn't go out and buy it all at once, I just maintain the extra amount and gradually replace it as I use it. I usually throw in a few extra cans of food when I am doing weekly shopping (whatever's on sale).

[Kelli in TN]

We don't actually eat rice that often. Do most people eat a lot of rice?

 

If I was going to hoard something it would be coffee beans. I can live without rice, but coffee? No. Can't do it. No way.

[chiguirre]

I'm a pretty experienced hoarder having lived in Venezuela for 10 years. If I were in Caracas right now, I would have immediately run to the supermarket to buy as much rice as I could before it disappeared for a couple of months. In the US, I really doubt that rice will disappear from the shelves, it will just be really expensive.

[Jean in Wisc]

Instead of worrying about the crashes and shortages, I simply buy most of my supplies in bulk: 50 lbs of rolled oats, gallons of oil, 25 lbs. salt, etc.

 

I figure if we ever do have a crises (more likely to be a personal thing than a national thing, but whatever), we will have something to eat--maybe 50 lbs. of rolled oats, but at least we'd have something.

 

Then, on the other hand, we do have a whole herd of beef cows outside our window, and many months of the year we have a couple of grain bins filled with corn. La!

[abbeyej]

We don't actually eat rice that often. Do most people eat a lot of rice?

 

If I was going to hoard something it would be coffee beans. I can live without rice, but coffee? No. Can't do it. No way.

 

Well, it's a staple in many cultures. Yes, anglo-Americans tend to rely more on wheat, but rice is eaten at nearly every meal in many cultures.

 

For my family, rice is vitally important since we use very little wheat.

 

If I'm truly honest, we could survive on nothing but brown rice and some sort of dry beans (and salt!) indefinitely. I mean, in some sort of post-apocalyptic, disaster scenario. (And I'd be willing to fight to get my family whatever produce I could.) It's not terribly appealing ;) but it's certainly doable.

 

But losing rice? It would be an enormous challenge for my family. (And I'm assuming that means no rice products at all would be available...)

[Kelli in TN]

Well, it's a staple in many cultures. Yes, anglo-Americans tend to rely more on wheat, but rice is eaten at nearly every meal in many cultures.

 

For my family, rice is vitally important since we use very little wheat.

 

If I'm truly honest, we could survive on nothing but brown rice and some sort of dry beans (and salt!) indefinitely. I mean, in some sort of post-apocalyptic, disaster scenario. (And I'd be willing to fight to get my family whatever produce I could.) It's not terribly appealing ;) but it's certainly doable.

 

But losing rice? It would be an enormous challenge for my family. (And I'm assuming that means no rice products at all would be available...)

 

I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be snarky. I was just being sillly.

 

But I really would be miserable if all the coffee beans disappeared.

[Plaid Dad]

We don't actually eat rice that often. Do most people eat a lot of rice?

 

It's a staple grain in some ethnic cuisines; the article referenced Latino and Asian shoppers specifically.

 

ETA: Sorry, I should have read to the end of the thread!

[KristineIN]

We don't eat a ton of it, but eat it about once a week, we probably eat more potatoes than rice. I do have a lot of different kinds of beans, we get them from our local food co-op. We could live for quite a while on those things if we had to.

 

Kristine

[abbeyej]

I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be snarky. I was just being sillly.

 

But I really would be miserable if all the coffee beans disappeared.

 

lol ;) :D

[Myrtle]

Is anyone buying up some flour, cooking oil and rice now while it's still available? Or do you think this is not really a concern?

 

http://nysun.com/news/food-rationing-confronts-breadbasket-world

 

I haven't noticed any shortages at all here in Houston.

 

However, I will say that there is always panic grocery shopping whenever anyone suspects a hurricane is headed our way and while the shelves are empty of products for a few days afterward, the following days after that there more than enough food since all those folks that would normally buying groceries are still eating their stored food.

 

I guess if the prices go up too high and the shortage is real I'll turn my suburban back yard into a veggie garden and go into business.

[Faith]

I find this sentence really funny...

 

"shoppers grew frustrated and occasionally uttered expletives as they searched in vain for the large sacks of rice they usually buy."

 

The thought of all those shoppers roaming around Costco swearing like sailors... why does this make me have the giggles?

 

:lol::lol::lol:

[Faith]

I haven't noticed any shortages at all here in Houston.

 

However, I will say that there is always panic grocery shopping whenever anyone suspects a hurricane is headed our way and while the shelves are empty of products for a few days afterward, the following days after that there more than enough food since all those folks that would normally buying groceries are still eating their stored food.

 

I guess if the prices go up too high and the shortage is real I'll turn my suburban back yard into a veggie garden and go into business.

 

Great idea about the garden!

[Kari C in SC]

We don't actually eat rice that often. Do most people eat a lot of rice?

 

If I was going to hoard something it would be coffee beans. I can live without rice, but coffee? No. Can't do it. No way.

 

This is what I was wondering. I did actually cook rice tonight, but generally we maybe have rice once a month. My stockpile would have to be chocolate for me, Mountain Dew for dh, and poptarts for my little guy. My other two kids don't really have any vices. LOL!

[Leah]

Me too! :) It almost made me wish I had gone shopping at THAT Costco this weekend (I was right there and thought about it-and now, bummer, I missed it!)

[Mekanamom]

I find this sentence really funny...

 

"shoppers grew frustrated and occasionally uttered expletives as they searched in vain for the large sacks of rice they usually buy."

 

The thought of all those shoppers roaming around Costco swearing like sailors... why does this make me have the giggles?

 

LOL, that was us! (No expletives, just frustration and a little bit of wailing.) I didn't know a thing about all this. We were doing our normal shopping earlier this week and we had gotten everything on the list except for rice.

 

I had told the girls we would go and get our lunch after we found the rice, which, darn it all, seemed to have been moved from the spot where they usually kept it.

 

So we were wandering around searching for it while the kids pitifully moaned "Where is the rice? Where is the rice?" Not because of the shortage (which we knew nothing about) but because they wanted to get out of there to go get their lunch!

 

I guess we're not getting a big sack of rice anytime soon. Shoot. We should have run out of rice just a couple weeks sooner!

[1bassoon]

We don't actually eat rice that often. Do most people eat a lot of rice?

 

If I was going to hoard something it would be coffee beans. I can live without rice, but coffee? No. Can't do it. No way.

 

That reminds me of the passage in Across Five Aprils - due to the Civil War, the mom decides to go without coffee to save the family money. After a few days of her in bed, the Dad sends for some! Remember that. . . . . . ?

[LadyAberlin]

I eat rice everyday. It is the only grain I can eat. I basically live on rice, beans and ground beef.

[battlemaiden]

From what I understand the shortages are real and attributed to two main reasons:

 

1. The dollar is currently weak so foreign buyers are swooping in to buy up grains.

 

2. The threat of future higher costs have people stockpiling- not apocolyptic fears, just avoiding future higher prices.

 

I'm tempted to stock up on certain items for price purposes, but my teeny tiny fridge/freezer and bity pantry can't hold much.

 

Jo

[Kelli in TN]

That reminds me of the passage in Across Five Aprils - due to the Civil War, the mom decides to go without coffee to save the family money. After a few days of her in bed, the Dad sends for some! Remember that. . . . . . ?

 

YES!! I felt for her. I really did.

[Elm in NJ]

I better stock up on rice them. We eat rice most days(dh and I anyway, not the kids). I remember when I took the kids to Freetown a few years back, they couldn't believe that most people ate rice twice a day. We buy a couple of the big bags every few months from the Chinese supermarket.

 

Elmeryl(J12,C9,R7,L7)