Hoarding and Keeping a Stocked Pantry are Very Different Things...

[Ann.without.an.e]

ETA: I know this may seem simplistic to some and I apologize. I just keep seeing some confusion here lol.

Even on here, I sometimes see them equated. They are far different and I would like to explain why. 

Hoarding: oh no, toilet paper is running out of stock. I then run from store to store and buy all that I can so that *I* have plenty even if that means I already have 4 cases at home and some people have none.  This isn't good for society. It causes shortages and panic, it keeps people from the supplies they need.  

Pantry Stocking: I have room in storage for 2 cases of tp so I keep that filled, and I refill as it empties when supplies are ample. I then live off the supply I have if store supplies are low. This is beneficial to society. If you have money and space to keep a decent stock of things (things you actually use regularly) then you are helping everyone. When chicken breast was low in stock, I just didn't buy any and I left what was there for others. When supplies were back up, I slowly built my stock back up as well. I was able to share with friends who needed it. 

I will be brave enough to suggest that if you have money to buy extra and you have room to store it, it is somewhat irresponsible in present day society to not keep some extra on hand. By doing so, you are allowing those without extra money or space to have the supplies when there is a shortage. 

Some pantry stocking tips:

Have a good system to rotate your stock. If you always put the new stuff in front, things will expire and the goal here is less waste. 

Use masking tape and a sharpie to clearly mark expiration dates on things that don't have a very visible date. 

Only stock what you use. Even if you order large sealed pails of things you would never use, that is wasteful. Stick with what you use routinely. 

Gamma Seal lids on buckets will keep mice and bugs out of dried goods if you have them stored in places prone to those issues. 

You don't need to be stocking for the end of the world in order for it to be helpful. If your pantry only allows 10 cans of beans, just keep that space full. The bleak truth is, if the end of the world came, someone would kill you for your resources anyway lol. 

I want to repeat it, don't stock up on things when there is a shortage. That causes more problems. Try to stock when there is ample and keep your stock filled when there is ample. 

Stock when items are on sale so you keep your food costs low @MissLemon

If you buy in bulk online, you keep stock strong in your local stores @Katy

Learn to make things from scratch because it's easier to store ingredients than packaged foods @Carrie12345

Don't forget to stock spices and seasonings @Murphy101

Use concentrates so you don't waste space storing bulky liquids: drink mix powders, broth powders, laundry detergent concentrates, etc @Clemsondana

Some added bonuses:

Oftentimes if there is a recall, we haven't gotten to it yet. The peanut butter jar we are eating now, I probably bought 3-6 months ago and we already know about a recall. 

If money is tight, you can eat from your stock and just rebuild it when you have more money. 

If sickness (or a pandemic) hit then you don't have to run to the store. I don't think I went to the store for a month or two after covid hit.

You can give to others who are in need

You don't have to brave trips in bad weather @Faith-manor

You don't need to make big shopping trips as often @shawthorne44

 

What are your pantry stocking tips or bonuses? 

I may try to add some of your tips and bonuses to my list so we have a nice list 🙂 

Edited May 16, 2022 by Ann.without.an.e

[Faith-manor]

Yes. This. It isn't like there is a year's worth of food for ten people in the house. For us, it is about acknowledging the fact that in the winter, we have terrible, horrible no good road situations, and long storms lasting many days. I hate going out in that. I hate having to think about grocery shopping or running out of personal care items, and then having to slip and slide to town. My son in law has food allergies and some things he needs are hit and miss at times. So Dd keeps them in the pantry. No, there are not twenty boxes of GF pasta on the shelf. But there are four, 11 oz boxes in the pantry. Therefore if the next time she shops, it isn't available, no worries.

I do though feel like a well stocked pantry may be a more urgent thing for people to have in the future if they have the storage and time. Between shipping disruptions, the war, and climate change, and now avian flu (something like 40 million poultry culled and that will keep growing), I think grocery stores will continue to have odd outages and issues. Some folks can easily adjust for what is available. With my son in law's many food allergies, that just isn't possible so we have decided to stock the pantry. But Dd and I both feel morally, we are just not going to hoard like desperate people because it takes food away from others. 

One thing I do like about a well stocked pantry is that when the neighbor across the street who is so kind and helpful to my mom was down from knee surgery, I did not have to traverse blizzard roads to make nice meals to take to him. Poor dude is a widower and never cooked. Totally dependent on his wife. It never occurred to him to grocery shop before his surgery, and put up food that could be easily prepared, thawed and warmed. He told me he would have been a rather hungry patient if mom and I had not fed him. Happy to do it. But the only way that happened for three weeks this winter that had two, four day blizzards in that span, was that my pantry and freezer were full.

Edited May 16, 2022 by Faith-manor

[Ann.without.an.e]

5 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

 My son in law has food allergies and some things he needs are hit and miss at times. So Dd keeps them in the pantry. No, there are not twenty boxes of GF pasta on the shelf. But there are four, 11 oz boxes in the pantry. Therefore if the next time she shops, it isn't available, no worries.

 

 

We also have a lot of food allergies and supplies that are safe are definitely hit and miss for us as well. 

[shawthorne44]

Another advantage.   You can need to do big shopping trips less frequently.  I'm not one that replaces as I use.   I should be, but I'm not there yet.   But, I'll buy about a year's worth of iced tea when I buy it.   When we first married I was running to the store for his tea and he'd fuss at me when I bought more than one.  There is one and precisely one brand of Stevia that he likes.   Fortunately it been on subscribe-and-save from Amazon and we had a stockpile when it had shortages for about a year and a half.  

[Shoeless]

I stock up when sales hit. This week, I am stocking up on mayo and spices because there are coupons and sales. I don't need them now, but we use them all the time, so it's better to get them now, when cheap. 

Don't stock things you don't like. If you know in your heart that you won't eat canned veggies or dry beans, then stocking them is pointless and a waste of money.

[Katy]

If you want to quickly stock your pantry especially with food allergy shelf-stable items you can buy in bulk online and have dozens of packages of every kind of gluten free pasta without causing shortages on local grocery store shelves.

The same is true for buying canned items or detergents by the case from Warehouse clubs, especially if your goal is to buy only when they’re on sale. Just be sure to tell your spouse if you’re stocking up on or you might accidentally get years of detergent instead of 6 months. 

If you have plenty of shelf-stable items far from their expiration date and find suddenly your kids hate canned pears, a food bank will gladly take them and leave you extra space for the peaches they will eat. 

[Ann.without.an.e]

Just now, MissLemon said:

I stock up when sales hit. This week, I am stocking up on mayo and spices because there are coupons and sales. I don't need them now, but we use them all the time, so it's better to get them now, when cheap. 

Don't stock things you don't like. If you know in your heart that you won't eat canned veggies or dry beans, then stocking them is pointless and a waste of money.

I'm so glad you mentioned this because I do the same thing. I buy extra when on sale so I never have to buy when it isn't on sale. 

And yes, yes, yes to not stocking what you don't eat. That is the biggest mistake people make. Don't stock canned tuna and saltines unless you routinely eat those things 😜 I have a friend who panic purchased spam but they never eat (or have any interest in eating) spam. 

[Katy]

Just now, Ann.without.an.e said:

I'm so glad you mentioned this because I do the same thing. I buy extra when on sale so I never have to buy when it isn't on sale. 

And yes, yes, yes to not stocking what you don't eat. That is the biggest mistake people make. Don't stock canned tuna and saltines unless you routinely eat those things 😜 I have a friend who panic purchased spam but they never eat (or have any interest in eating) spam. 

Food banks routinely don’t get enough protein items, she should donate!

[Faith-manor]

1 minute ago, Ann.without.an.e said:

I'm so glad you mentioned this because I do the same thing. I buy extra when on sale so I never have to buy when it isn't on sale. 

And yes, yes, yes to not stocking what you don't eat. That is the biggest mistake people make. Don't stock canned tuna and saltines unless you routinely eat those things 😜 I have a friend who panic purchased spam but they never eat (or have any interest in eating) spam. 

LOL, Spam! I know so many people who spam on the shelf just in case, and then have said, "Why on earth did I buy spam?" Don't be tempted!

[Ann.without.an.e]

8 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

LOL, Spam! I know so many people who spam on the shelf just in case, and then have said, "Why on earth did I buy spam?" Don't be tempted!

I feel like it was you who I had the convo with about accidentally buying too many honey nut Cheerios after the pandemic. At least it wasn't spam 🤣

[Terabith]

5 minutes ago, Ann.without.an.e said:

I feel like it was you who I had the convo with about accidentally buying too many honey nut Cheerios after the pandemic. At least it wasn't spam 🤣

My oldest kid has sensory issues and is a VERY picky eater.  (They weren't a picky eater as a toddler or preschooler.  The older they've gotten; the more foods they've dropped.). Before the pandemic, one of the foods oldest kid was living on were honey nut cheerios.  The hive had me thinking about the pandemic and gradually stocking up on things for six weeks before everything shut down.  So every time I went to the store in that six weeks, I bought some staples:  a box of honey nut cheerios, the brand of peanut butter I eat a lot of, a box of pasta, some toilet paper, whatever else there was plenty of at the store that we use a lot.  We started the lock down with something like 3 or 4 giant boxes of honey nut cheerios, which would have been fantastic, except about the time the pandemic hit, oldest kid dropped that as one of the foods they would eat.  

ARG!

And it felt like such a waste!

[Faith-manor]

2 minutes ago, Terabith said:

My oldest kid has sensory issues and is a VERY picky eater.  (They weren't a picky eater as a toddler or preschooler.  The older they've gotten; the more foods they've dropped.). Before the pandemic, one of the foods oldest kid was living on were honey nut cheerios.  The hive had me thinking about the pandemic and gradually stocking up on things for six weeks before everything shut down.  So every time I went to the store in that six weeks, I bought some staples:  a box of honey nut cheerios, the brand of peanut butter I eat a lot of, a box of pasta, some toilet paper, whatever else there was plenty of at the store that we use a lot.  We started the lock down with something like 3 or 4 giant boxes of honey nut cheerios, which would have been fantastic, except about the time the pandemic hit, oldest kid dropped that as one of the foods they would eat.  

ARG!

And it felt like such a waste!

I am so sorry! That is really hard. I feel for you.

[AmandaVT]

One thing I have found helpful is to have household items on subscribe and save w/ Amazon. Laundry detergent, floss, toothpaste, soap, dishwasher soap, garbage bags, lotion, vitamins, cat food, and shower curtain liners are some of the things I get delivered. They tend to come slightly more often than I need, so I typically have extra. If something is out of stock one month, we'll have enough if they can't ship. We also get a 15% discount for subscribing to multiple items.

[Terabith]

Just now, Faith-manor said:

I am so sorry! That is really hard. I feel for you.

It's fine.  Irritating, but fine.  They eat enough variety that I don't worry greatly about nutrition.  But little enough that I find myself going "calories are calories, even if they come from Little Debbie Zebra Cakes."  

I have a cousin who has only eaten six items in her entire life.  She has genuine issues.  

What I really wish is that I could get oldest, who has had vitamin D levels low enough to cause rickets and psychosis before, to regularly take some form of vitamin D that their body can absorb.  That's the thing I think is going to cause problems.  

[Arcadia]

21 minutes ago, Ann.without.an.e said:

I have a friend who panic purchased spam but they never eat (or have any interest in eating) spam. 

Spam is useful for fried rice. Also Koreans would gladly take the spam if your friend wants to donate. We find spam too salty but would use it up if given by family or friends.

[Ann.without.an.e]

3 minutes ago, AmandaVT said:

One thing I have found helpful is to have household items on subscribe and save w/ Amazon. Laundry detergent, floss, toothpaste, soap, dishwasher soap, garbage bags, lotion, vitamins, cat food, and shower curtain liners are some of the things I get delivered. They tend to come slightly more often than I need, so I typically have extra. If something is out of stock one month, we'll have enough if they can't ship. We also get a 15% discount for subscribing to multiple items.

Yes, this. I always time it so that my items come while I still have some on hand. They have been out of stock on my laundry detergent for the last two deliveries but it isn't a big deal, I've had extra. I wasn't scrambling or worried. If they miss it this month then I'll need to find an alternative for sure. 

[Faith-manor]

2 minutes ago, Terabith said:

It's fine.  Irritating, but fine.  They eat enough variety that I don't worry greatly about nutrition.  But little enough that I find myself going "calories are calories, even if they come from Little Debbie Zebra Cakes."  

I have a cousin who has only eaten six items in her entire life.  She has genuine issues.  

What I really wish is that I could get oldest, who has had vitamin D levels low enough to cause rickets and psychosis before, to regularly take some form of vitamin D that their body can absorb.  That's the thing I think is going to cause problems.  

I am no expert, but can I make a suggestion. My aunt had some success with liquid vitamin D drops when my cousin went through a really bad health crisis, and eating was a major issue. They are tasteless, but concentrated and available on Amazon. She just used the eye dropper and put several on his tongue each day.

[Ann.without.an.e]

3 minutes ago, Terabith said:

It's fine.  Irritating, but fine.  They eat enough variety that I don't worry greatly about nutrition.  But little enough that I find myself going "calories are calories, even if they come from Little Debbie Zebra Cakes."  

I have a cousin who has only eaten six items in her entire life.  She has genuine issues.  

What I really wish is that I could get oldest, who has had vitamin D levels low enough to cause rickets and psychosis before, to regularly take some form of vitamin D that their body can absorb.  That's the thing I think is going to cause problems.  

What about a drop form that you can sneak into juice or another drink they will take?  They probably won't take a pill that needs to be swallowed? We just bought a D gel cap that only needs to be taken once per week. 

[alysee]

5 minutes ago, Terabith said:

It's fine.  Irritating, but fine.  They eat enough variety that I don't worry greatly about nutrition.  But little enough that I find myself going "calories are calories, even if they come from Little Debbie Zebra Cakes."  

I have a cousin who has only eaten six items in her entire life.  She has genuine issues.  

What I really wish is that I could get oldest, who has had vitamin D levels low enough to cause rickets and psychosis before, to regularly take some form of vitamin D that their body can absorb.  That's the thing I think is going to cause problems.  

Would they take a vitamin D gummy? My kids take a Vitamin D gummy everyday because well Canada. 

[Ann.without.an.e]

1 minute ago, Faith-manor said:

I am no expert, but can I make a suggestion. My aunt had some success with liquid vitamin D drops when my cousin went through a really bad health crisis, and eating was a major issue. They are tasteless, but concentrated and available on Amazon. She just used the eye dropper and put several on his tongue each day.

We were typing at the same time lol. I just fully agree with this. I can't remember the name of it, but we had a pretty tasteless drop for D once. Sneak it in if you can. 

[Clarita]

I started stocking canned meat because of the several day (typically 4 days) power outage threats to my neighborhood. SPAM is what I get for that. 

Getting the Vienna sausages was my sin. I remembered them being yummy when I was a kid. They are no longer yummy to my adult pallet.  

[Terabith]

We have drops.  They are completely tasteless.  They rejected pills, gummmies, chewables, and liquid vitamin D.  They don't actually object to the vitamin D.  They just don't take it.  

At 18, I refuse to sneak vitamins into smoothies (which they won't drink) or any form of liquid.  I feel strongly that they have to take responsibility for caring for their bodies, and we're working hard on this in various areas.  They'll take a centrum multi, but the D isn't a form they can absorb from it.  

I think at this point it's just teen stubbornness.  

[Ann.without.an.e]

1 minute ago, Clarita said:

I started stocking canned meat because of the several day (typically 4 days) power outage threats to my neighborhood. SPAM is what I get for that. 

Getting the Vienna sausages was my sin. I remembered them being yummy when I was a kid. They are no longer yummy to my adult pallet.  

 

My mom used to love them when I was a kid. She treated them special, like caviar or something. Years later, I bought a can and no, not good, pretty horrible actually. I'm with you, I could find a way to use spam but not those 🤣

[Ann.without.an.e]

3 minutes ago, Terabith said:

We have drops.  They are completely tasteless.  They rejected pills, gummmies, chewables, and liquid vitamin D.  They don't actually object to the vitamin D.  They just don't take it.  

At 18, I refuse to sneak vitamins into smoothies (which they won't drink) or any form of liquid.  I feel strongly that they have to take responsibility for caring for their bodies, and we're working hard on this in various areas.  They'll take a centrum multi, but the D isn't a form they can absorb from it.  

I think at this point it's just teen stubbornness.  

 

Ah, that makes sense. I missed the age there. I agree, you can only do so much. DD has supplements that help with her anxiety but at 19, she needs to remember them. I can't be her brain lol. 

Edited May 15, 2022 by Ann.without.an.e

[Miss Tick]

Thanks for delineating the distinction. Here's a real life example for you. Apparently a month ago a local school district was having trouble sourcing printer paper due to shortages. So am email was sent out to the staff explaining that stocks were running low, but they were working the issue, etc. However, after receiving the email, one of the Kindergarten teachers sent everything they needed for the rest of the school year to the printer and ran that school clean out of paper. SMH

Edited May 15, 2022 by SusanC
crossing my "t"s

[Ann.without.an.e]

1 minute ago, SusanC said:

Thanks for delineating the distinction. Here's a real life example for you. Apparently a month ago a local school district was having trouble sourcing printer paper due to shortages. So am email was sent out to the staff explaining that socks were running low, but they were working the issue, etc. However, after receiving the email, one of the Kindergarten teachers sent everything they needed for the rest of the school year to the printer and ran that school clean out of paper. SMH

 

Yes, this is an example of what we *don't* do 😜

 

[Carrie12345]

20 minutes ago, Ann.without.an.e said:

What are your pantry stocking tips or bonuses? 

Know/learn how to make things.
Storing the ingredients for, say, granola or granola bars is cheaper and longer lasting than storing store bought granola bars. Not necessarily for the equivalent of 1 box, but for larger quantities.
I don’t love the process of making bread, so I invested in a good tortilla press. Our flour and cornmeal can be stretched real far that way. (Yeah, I have a rolling pin, but I’m not using that to churn out tortillas for a crowd.)

Know a basic muffin mix, sweet and/or savory, and you can toss in whatever IS freshly available. Same for soup bases, tomatoes/sauces, etc.  Know your spices and seasonings.  Pork is pretty plentiful around me right now, so a good stockpile of staples and seasonings means we can feel like we’re eating different meals even if pork is a running theme. ‘Cuz I’m about to be buying more pork than I typically do, with my freezer chicken running low.  We have a favorite mashed potato recipe but, so long as potatoes stay plentiful and not too expensive, I can do many different flavor profiles so it doesn’t seem too repetitive.

[Faith-manor]

18 minutes ago, SusanC said:

Thanks for delineating the distinction. Here's a real life example for you. Apparently a month ago a local school district was having trouble sourcing printer paper due to shortages. So am email was sent out to the staff explaining that stocks were running low, but they were working the issue, etc. However, after receiving the email, one of the Kindergarten teachers sent everything they needed for the rest of the school year to the printer and ran that school clean out of paper. SMH

Oh good grief! 😯😠

[Arcadia]

37 minutes ago, SusanC said:

Thanks for delineating the distinction. Here's a real life example for you. Apparently a month ago a local school district was having trouble sourcing printer paper due to shortages. So am email was sent out to the staff explaining that stocks were running low, but they were working the issue, etc. However, after receiving the email, one of the Kindergarten teachers sent everything they needed for the rest of the school year to the printer and ran that school clean out of paper. SMH

Here elementary school teachers are given a ration of printer paper for the entire school year. Parents help by donating reams of printer paper to their kids teachers. The teachers were also rationed on photo copier usage so parents help print some of the English worksheets on their own home laser printers.

[shawthorne44]

1 hour ago, Ann.without.an.e said:

 

My mom used to love them when I was a kid. She treated them special, like caviar or something. Years later, I bought a can and no, not good, pretty horrible actually. I'm with you, I could find a way to use spam but not those 🤣

Spaghettios (and the other varieties) was that thing for me.  I only got it from my maternal grandparents and I loved it.  Then I went to college and was on an extreme food budget.   Then I saw a large can of the Ragu on sale.   Happily bought it.   What was I thinking?    How can even kids like that?  
 

[Melissa Louise]

Just please don't stock up on the g/f goods from your local store, such that when I (with no cash, transport or storage ability to 'stock' ) arrive to buy that week's g/f pasta, there's none on the shelves! Happened regularly during lockdowns. Drove me nuts. 

I think being aware of local conditions is important. If there are supply chain difficulties in your area, it is NOT a good idea to stock up on items in short supply. 

 

 

 

 

[Melissa in Australia]

Stocking up by buying 1 or 2 extra items doesn't strip shelves. 

I have always had on hand a month staples in the pantry. I have to drive 100 km to get to shops like wollies or Aldi. 

Due to the current world situation and inflation, location etc. I have decided(and started as soon as the war started) to stock up properly. I didn't rush out and empty shelves, but every time I went shoping I bought 1 or 2 extra. I now have 6 months of most staples and 12 months of rice. 

Some might say I am hoarding . I really don't care  what people say. 

Edited May 16, 2022 by Melissa in Australia

[Murphy101]

My tips and personal mental notes:

Food we regularly eat - I always buy at least 4 meals worth to have stock for a month.  So let’s say if we have black beans and rice and I know that meals take 4 cans that means I need 12 cans for the month.

As others said - stock up during sales and use bins for storing.

my kitchen is actually really small so my “pantry” is in the garage on shelving next to the second fridge and freezers.  I’m our previous home I used shelving in the laundry room and a hall closet.  I keep smaller more user friendly containers in the kitchen and refill them as needed.

another benefit of this is that we can menu plan and only need to buy odds to complete the menu such as fresh fruit or onions.  I make one big trip a month to stock the pantry. Weekly trips are only for perishables needed for the menu and sale items.

This isn’t really pantry stocking but it’s sure helpful. We have a family recipe binder. It only has recipes we have tried and deemed worthy of keeping. Complete with notions on modifications we might make.

Make an effort to try at least 2 new recipes every month.  Build that diverse menu option!

stock lots of various spices. With a few good spices you can make a dozen different chicken or rice dishes.

[Shoeless]

I usually stock up on laundry supplies at the beginning of the month. Detergent manufacturer's release new coupons for these products at the start of each month. Coupons can help save money, but only if it's something you'll use. You still need to do the math to see whether the item is cheaper with coupon vs a different brand without.

On that note, Walmart has a reputation for being the cheapest game in town. This may vary by area, but my local walmart isn't all that much cheaper. Like, maybe I save $2 or $3 on an order.  Now, I've definitely been in the situation where I needed to save every last penny I could, so $2-3 would have been enough incentive for me at that time. Right now, that's not enough savings to deal with the hellscape that is my local fartmart, so I go to my local grocery store instead. They treat the workers better there, and it's worth $2 or $3 more to me to keep happy employees.

If you become adept at cooking with "ingredients", it's easier to stock up and flex when something isn't available. Processed food is really bad for you, anyway. We make all sorts of things from scratch. I finally learned how to make my own bread, and I have no idea why I didn't try this before. WAY easier and better for you than store bought.

[Excelsior! Academy]

I try to always keep a backup product or two of items we use frequently.  When we are about to finish something like shampoo or laundry detergent, I purchase another before opening the next one.  

[Faith-manor]

39 minutes ago, Murphy101 said:

My tips and personal mental notes:

Food we regularly eat - I always buy at least 4 meals worth to have stock for a month.  So let’s say if we have black beans and rice and I know that meals take 4 cans that means I need 12 cans for the month.

As others said - stock up during sales and use bins for storing.

my kitchen is actually really small so my “pantry” is in the garage on shelving next to the second fridge and freezers.  I’m our previous home I used shelving in the laundry room and a hall closet.  I keep smaller more user friendly containers in the kitchen and refill them as needed.

another benefit of this is that we can menu plan and only need to buy odds to complete the menu such as fresh fruit or onions.  I make one big trip a month to stock the pantry. Weekly trips are only for perishables needed for the menu and sale items.

This isn’t really pantry stocking but it’s sure helpful. We have a family recipe binder. It only has recipes we have tried and deemed worthy of keeping. Complete with notions on modifications we might make.

Make an effort to try at least 2 new recipes every month.  Build that diverse menu option!

stock lots of various spices. With a few good spices you can make a dozen different chicken or rice dishes.

I love this. And yes, build the variety. It is so easy to get stuck in a rut, and then just use the same things over and over again which is then problematic when those things run short.

It is really helping us that we are embracing a wider variety of veggies and ways of preparing them. We have always eaten, serving wise, a lot of vebetables, but it tended to be a lot of the same. Salad greens, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, onions, green beans, ....very standard stuff. Now we have three different ways we love Brussels sprouts, a couple of cauliflower recipes, a wider variety of peppers, eggplant parmesan and eggplant curry, roasted leeks (I love the green part). This helps because if something isn't available or if it looks like old produce, nasty wilted or whatever, I can just easily do different vegetable sides.

I will say on a side note. We are having a hard time getting good potatoes. They are soft and sprouting so much of the time when I go to buy a bag. The next time I find nice potatoes, I will probably buy extra, cubes and freeze.

[mathnerd]

When I open a bag of flour, oatmeal, coffee beans etc, I pour into a container that fits the contents, and use painter's tape (or cellotape) and sharpie to make a label and write the date it was opened and what the contents are on the container. This helps me if I forget which one is the bread flour and which one is the All purpose flour etc a couple of weeks later. And the date helps me decide if I need to plan my menus to use up the contents quickly due to expiration dates becoming an issue (minimizing food waste) and also to shop for the item a week or so before it expires.

[Faith-manor]

37 minutes ago, MissLemon said:

I usually stock up on laundry supplies at the beginning of the month. Detergent manufacturer's release new coupons for these products at the start of each month. Coupons can help save money, but only if it's something you'll use. You still need to do the math to see whether the item is cheaper with coupon vs a different brand without.

On that note, Walmart has a reputation for being the cheapest game in town. This may vary by area, but my local walmart isn't all that much cheaper. Like, maybe I save $2 or $3 on an order.  Now, I've definitely been in the situation where I needed to save every last penny I could, so $2-3 would have been enough incentive for me at that time. Right now, that's not enough savings to deal with the hellscape that is my local fartmart, so I go to my local grocery store instead. They treat the workers better there, and it's worth $2 or $3 more to me to keep happy employees.

If you become adept at cooking with "ingredients", it's easier to stock up and flex when something isn't available. Processed food is really bad for you, anyway. We make all sorts of things from scratch. I finally learned how to make my own bread, and I have no idea why I didn't try this before. WAY easier and better for you than store bought.

Our Walmart, until all of the Dollar Generals went in, has always been very high. Way higher than Walmart in the city. They had a monopoly out here with only three other grocery stores and only one chain pharmacy, three independent small town pharmacies, in the entire county. Even though four Dollar Generals have come in and a fifth is going up now, the prices are still higher. So I do shop at Dollar General for some things like dryer sheets, scrubbies, some personal care items. My grocery shopping is primarily two grocery stores in the next county because I am near the county line. One is a huge, Mennonite bulk food store which had the best produce anywhere and just so much variety that WalMart, Meijer, and Trader Joe cannot hold a candle, and the Outback which is a Mennonite meat and seafood market that had the best, best best stuff and amazing prices. It is in the vicinity of my favorite farm market/produce stand so it is lovely since everything is within a few mikes of each other.

[Jaybee]

59 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

Stocking up by buying 1 or 2 extra items doesn't strip shelves. 

I have always had on hand a month staples in the pantry. I have to drive 100 km to get to shops like wollies or Aldi. 

Due to the current world situation and inflation, location etc. I have decided(and started as soon as the war started) to stock up properly. I didn't rush out and empty shelves, but every time I went shoping I bought 1 or 2 extra. I now have 6 months of most staples and 12 months of rice. 

Some might say I am hoarding . I really don't care  what people say. 

But see, you live so far out, that I would never see it as hoarding for you. I would see it as just being practical and making wise use of your gasoline. Also, your family seems so careful to live very sustainably. I live between 5-10 minutes from at least three large grocery stores. And don't have a lot of space. So for me, it would be hoarding.

[Melissa Louise]

1 hour ago, Melissa in Australia said:

Stocking up by buying 1 or 2 extra items doesn't strip shelves. 

I have always had on hand a month staples in the pantry. I have to drive 100 km to get to shops like wollies or Aldi. 

Due to the current world situation and inflation, location etc. I have decided(and started as soon as the war started) to stock up properly. I didn't rush out and empty shelves, but every time I went shoping I bought 1 or 2 extra. I now have 6 months of most staples and 12 months of rice. 

Some might say I am hoarding . I really don't care  what people say. 

Not with ordinary products, when there's no supply chain issues. 

Products suitable for celiacs are already more difficult to find, and in lockdown hoarding conditions, when people would 'stock up', it was really hard for those of us who needed, say, rice. I had to tell non celiac friends that buying 10 packets of g/f pasta, because you decided 'it was quite a tasty alternative' during lockdown was really crappy behaviour. Leave it for those for whom it's medically necessary. 

I don't know how anyone can afford to stock.up ATM. I have cut down what I buy each week just to stay steady re weekly spend. 

 

[Murphy101]

The Walmart here is nearly always bare shelves and frankly they are the same cost or more than winco or aldi.  And I can buy more items in larger bulk at winco.

Another tip is the tried and true reduce first reuse what you must have and recycle if the first two fail rule.

The first rule of stocking up is actually to REDUCE what you get to only what you use and need.  I almost never buy beverages.  Milk is only for cooking and cereal and company that wants milk in coffee.  We drink a LOT of water.  

Second buy more of the items that serve multiple purposes. Vinegar is for cooking and cleaning.  Mayo is an egg substitute.  And powered egg substitute last a very long time, doesn’t need refrigerated, cheaper these days and great for baked goods. More cloth napkins means zero repeated buying of paper napkins/towels.

Third, it’s really easy to take all the writing and stuff off plastic containers food comes in and the paper off of jars and reuse them.  The things they can be reused for are nearly endless.  I wish there was a way to get paid for collecting them like there used to be for pop cans and milk bottles. 

Take your vitamins!! There’s a lot the body can cope with in a restricted diet if it has hydration and the nutrients it needs.

[Faith-manor]

I did also learn that if you get eggs on sale or have a backyard flock and an excess of eggs that you can scramble the egg, fill ice cube trays, and freeze them, then transfer the eggs cubes to freezer bags. One cube is about a medium size egg so the suggestion was to use two cubes if you normally cook or bake with grade a large or extra large. So one large = two cubes. I have never tried it. However, if I were to get farm fresh eggs the next time I am at the farmer's market and the vendor didn't seem to be selling very well, I might buy two extra dozen and try it. Helps them get rid of stock, and I do like an experiment.

[Shoeless]

Most people I know with backyard flocks have an over abundance of eggs. If you can't get eggs at the store, ask around on fb. Someone always has extra eggs. 

[Lucy the Valiant]

15 minutes ago, MissLemon said:

Most people I know with backyard flocks have an over abundance of eggs. If you can't get eggs at the store, ask around on fb. Someone always has extra eggs. 

This was true in our area before covid, but not since.

Edited May 16, 2022 by Lucy the Valiant

[Shoeless]

5 minutes ago, Lucy the Valiant said:

This was true in our area before covid, but not since.

Interesting. Everyone around here has more than they know what to do with 😆

[Ann.without.an.e]

1 hour ago, Melissa Louise said:

Not with ordinary products, when there's no supply chain issues. 

Products suitable for celiacs are already more difficult to find, and in lockdown hoarding conditions, when people would 'stock up', it was really hard for those of us who needed, say, rice. I had to tell non celiac friends that buying 10 packets of g/f pasta, because you decided 'it was quite a tasty alternative' during lockdown was really crappy behaviour. Leave it for those for whom it's medically necessary. 

I don't know how anyone can afford to stock.up ATM. I have cut down what I buy each week just to stay steady re weekly spend. 

 

But this goes back to the rule of not stocking up when things are short supply. If gluten free stuff is not staying on shelves, don’t stock it then. Also, like someone upthread mentioned, stock from internet sources and not local shelves. It’s also crazy that people in your area were doing that. Gluten free stuff has never been slim around here. It’s like a bad word in the south -  “gluten free” -  if they put a gluten free label on rice and put it in the gluten free section, people wouldn’t touch it 😂

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, Ann.without.an.e said:

 It’s like a bad word in the south -  “gluten free” -  if they put a gluten free label on rice and put it in the gluten free section, people wouldn’t touch it 😂

That depends on the price. If it is around $7.99 for a 15lb bag of long grain rice, Chinese and Koreans would be buying. Here people won’t buy from the gluten free section because of the prices. If the gluten free item is on the clearance rack at 50% to 75% off, people would buy.

Rice is something we would tend to have an unopened bag of. It is a staple for Chinese.

[Carrie12345]

8 hours ago, Jaybee said:

But see, you live so far out, that I would never see it as hoarding for you. I would see it as just being practical and making wise use of your gasoline. Also, your family seems so careful to live very sustainably. I live between 5-10 minutes from at least three large grocery stores. And don't have a lot of space. So for me, it would be hoarding.

For you, it might feel or sound like hoarding, but that isn’t actually what it means.
In a food storage/emergency context (as opposed to clinical hoarding disorders), it means depriving others by taking more than your “fair share”.

As an example, some stores are limiting formula to 4 units per person so that some idiot can’t go in and hoard them all, leaving everyone else worse off. But my local Walmart’s limit is per CHILD rather than per person. So someone with twins can double their purchase for their “fair share”. If someone living across the street from WM built up a 9 month supply 6 months ago and put it under their bed or behind the couch, they weren’t hoarding. They stored up what they needed when it was plentiful and no one was worse off for it.
(Probably not a great idea for baby formula, but the concept is relevant today.)

I have the space and I’m a-ways from the stores. But when I saw 5 packages of chicken breasts, I didn’t grab 2-3 packs because *that would have been hoarding, taking more than I needed and leaving more people to go without.

[shawthorne44]

10 hours ago, mathnerd said:

This helps me if I forget which one is the bread flour and which one is the All purpose flour etc a couple of weeks later.

You know, all-purpose flour looks enough like powdered sugar that if you think you 'know' it is a container of powdered sugar you will make two batches of frosting before you realize the problem.     In my defense, I was new to making frosting and the first time I just thought I really messed something up. 

 

[Clemsondana]

Because we grow and freeze a lot of veggies and some of our fruit and we buy beef and pork in bulk from local farmers, we've always stored staples too so that I can avoid the store if I choose to.  We have storage space now, but even as a student in a tiny shared kitchen I always tried to have a week's worth of food in case I got sick or something. When I had small kids and a traveling husband, I adjusted to make sure that I had a week's worth of easily prepped food during flu season in case we needed to be able to get by until he got home.  

I try not to give space to water - we use concentrated laundry detergent and buy powdered gatorade for our athlete, who mixes up however much is needed for workouts or games (this also cuts down on a ton of plastic waste).  I keep buttermilk in the fridge - it lasts a long time and I can use it for a lot of cooking if I can't get to the store (or when they didn't have much milk).  I do use recipes some, but a lot of our meals don't use them, which makes it easier to be flexible. I keep a variety of seasonings and sauces on hand, and in my student days I kept those little packets of taco, chili, etc seasonings so that I could always be able to fix something.  

We get other bulk items from an overstock chain (naturally a deal), and I incorporate whatever I find.  Sometimes it's packaged, and sometimes it's odds and ends, but we eat whatever we get there.  One time they had bulk 1-3 oz frozen salmon portions - I'm guessing it was the ends from the 4 oz portions that they cut for commercial use - for just a few dollars a pound.  I'd fill a casserole dish with the pieces and broil with butter and seasonings, and we ate 'fancy' for cheap until it was gone.  When they had a smoked sausage brand that we like, we ate gumbo and sausage-and-peppers to use up our garden peppers.  We have favorite foods, but we do a lot of cooking with what's easily available.  That also forces me to add variety.  When the bulk pasta available was macaroni, I bought 25 lbs and we used it for pasta salad in warm weather and goulash in cold weather.  Most recently I got spinach penne for cheap, so we're doing sauteed meat and veggies with pesto to use that type.  

We try to have enough that we don't need to shop if we don't want to - many weeks I mostly get bananas, eggs, milk and chicken if they have it.  I also like to have enough to be able to donate or fix food for people if there's a need. I've tried to help my kids' palattes be adapted to a wide variety of homemade and store-bought food because, while I usually cook and think homemade is healthier, it's good to be able to make do with what you have access to.