Bread & Milk - Why???

[luvmy3]

Here in New England, it's because of one blizzard people still remember (I didn't live here yet) when those items ran short.

I also think it's because they're what I call the "mid-week items". Many people do their main grocery shopping once a week, but stop quickly for another gallon (or half) of milk and a second loaf of bread in the middle of the week. The don't like to buy it all at once because it's better fresh. So it's that "little" stop people would normally be making on the way home from work that they are trying to squeeze in before bad weather.

That would be me, I do big grocery shopping but do end up at the store during the week for another couple gallons of milk and loaves of bread so if I know a storm is coming I just go grab that stuff. I don't drive in the snow, even an inch so I go before it comes.
Last year we had a horrible ice storm and were without power for days, some people over a week. We weren't expecting it to be so bad but it didn't matter because people couldn't even go to the stores, they were all closed for days. After that I have no problem being one of those crazy people stocking up even if they are just calling for a few inches.

 

[PatsGirl]

For any forecast of more than 6 inches (figure school will be cancelled at the very least) my first stop is the packie for beer and wine, 2nd stop for movies at Redbox, and third stop at a Cumbies if we absolutely need something like mixers and junk food for the kids. I fill the tub (another well person here) with water for the toilet, check the gas in the grille, take inventory of the food in my fridge to see if we can last for a couple of days or figure out what needs to be defrosted first IF and WHEN, find the camping can opener and get the flashlights out. That's it. We did just fine without electricity for ten days in 1990 and again for six days in 2007, so long as the kids have their junk and mom has her wine, we're all good Sometimes I'll throw together a mac salad with shrimp and peas if I'm in the mood

 

[prncess674]

I live in a very urban city where grocery stores are maybe two blocks from most people yet people go in and buy those giant packs of toilet paper. I mean those 32 roll packs! Are you really going to need that much toilet paper for being shut in for two days?

 

[LilyWDW]

I went to the store this morning, even though I normally don't go until Monday. However, the snow we are getting today and tomorrow might make it too dangerous to get out there. Luckily, I went before churches got out, so it really wasn't that busy.

The only thing that was low at my store were the Little Debbies.

 

[olwyngdh]

Wow, I remember that one!! I was a Sr in High school. I grew up south of Erie PA, where we were used to Lake Effect snow and it took over a foot overnight to get a 2 hr delay for school-We were out for a week! My Mom was a Nurses Aide at the County Home, and they ended up sending an Army Reserve truck around to get more people in to work after the shift that was on (my Mom) worked more than 24 hrs straight. The nurses and nurses aides ended up sleeping on any empty bed, couch, or gurney they could find. My boyfriend got snowed in at my house along with my Dad and I for the week, no one went anywhere! Thankfully, we had a woodburning stove for heat, and lots of camping equipment so we managed to have hot food and melt snow for water. It was an adventure

 

[LuLuO]

In my younger years, when I had bad habits, I'd stock up on soda and cigarettes when there was a snow storm prediction. Everyone else would be buying eggs and milk and bread. And there I'd be in line with my case of soda and carton of cigs.

We keep enough food that we would surely not starve even if we were snowed in for a week or more. I always keep plenty of DS's almond milk on hand, lots of cereal, rice and potatoes, and meat and veggies in the deep freeze

 

[crazelion]

You also have remember in the South we do not have snow plows. I got feeling that school and day cares is be close tomorrow because of the snow here.

I am not sure why run get bread and milk. I remember the blizzard of 93 the shut down the city for two weeks. Then after two weeks they finally let police and fire trucks on the roads. I remember being out school for a month.

I went bought milk and bread because. I have kids at home and they drink a lot milk.

 

[charming23]

I went out this morning to get milk and bread but not because of the weather but because we were out. For the upcoming storm I bought twinkies, chips, pretzels, cookies, and ice cream.

 

[arminnie]

I live in a very urban city where grocery stores are maybe two blocks from most people yet people go in and buy those giant packs of toilet paper. I mean those 32 roll packs! Are you really going to need that much toilet paper for being shut in for two days?

I live in an urban area also with no snow. But I ALWAYS buy at least TWO of those big toilet paper packs (I think it's more like 40 rolls to the pack). One should NEVER run short of tp. Less than 10 rolls in the house is cause for concern.

I lived in Pittsburgh, PA during the blizzards of '78. All my life I'd heard about how we people in CA, TX, etc. did not know how to handle snow like they did in the north. HA!!!! They even closed the banks in PA which I'd never heard of before. We had to keep the banks open in Texas even when there was 6 inches of ICE - much more treacherous than mere snow. Even the bus service was cancelled.

I can deal with snow for a week - but can't imagine living like that for months and months and months. That horrible winter in PA I decided very quickly that there was a project in Houston that I had to go work on for the next few months.

 

[twinmomplus2new]

I too live in the northeast and recall teh blizzard of 78 well. We did indeed food shop on sleds. ( This was Revere MA)

i am with a prior poster. Since my kids aren't toddlers anymore. We do not run and do the milk and bread deal. however I crazily buy every kind of potato chip, munchie they have. And lots and lots of 2 liters of Coke. i do have my priorities!

 

[Wishing on a star]

You also have remember in the South we do not have snow plows. I got feeling that school and day cares is be close tomorrow because of the snow here.

I am not sure why run get bread and milk. I remember the blizzard of 93 the shut down the city for two weeks. Then after two weeks they finally let police and fire trucks on the roads. I remember being out school for a month.

I went bought milk and bread because. I have kids at home and they drink a lot milk.

I remember that blizzard too!
One of the few rare blizzards to hit the south.
It was at least three feet of snow here, overnight.
We had just moved

We had just moved into our new house...
Nothing unpacked, ready, situated...
Thank goodness my husband had a good four wheel drive truck!

PS: today it took us nearly 5 hours (of heck) to drive 2 hours back home.... a real blizzard going on. uggghhhh!!!

 

[mrodgers]

I lived in Pittsburgh, PA during the blizzards of '78. All my life I'd heard about how we people in CA, TX, etc. did not know how to handle snow like they did in the north. HA!!!!

I was also in Pittsburgh then, but all I remember was digging down in the snow in the front yard and looking up to the edge of the hole wondering how I was going to get out. I was only 6 at the time.

I'm still in western PA, just more north on the other side of the northern snow line. A coworker of mine went to Charlotte last year to meet someone during that snow last year. He said he was looking around wondering why the entire city was shut down and why they announced the threat of arrest if you were caught out on the roads.

I often wondered what happens in the warmer areas of the country when they get the rare snow and shut everything down if you were visiting at the time from a snow area. It would take literally feet of snow on the roads to keep me in. My 4WD would have to be incapable of moving, snow is just no big deal to me. Could I just flash my PA driver's license and say in the 6, 8, 12, 20+ inches of snow, "No problem officer, this is a mere dusting..."?

 

[Nancy]

And eggs. It's French Toast Storm Syndrome. Snow predicted? Everybody "needs" the ingredients to make French toast: bread/milk/eggs. Those are the first three shelves to empty out, every time. Remember, even with no electricity - you can still cook with gas.

The real reason, though? The media. They make everything sound drastic, as if the end of the world is coming with the next storm. I think it's collusion with the supermarkets...

I can't which I found out when we had our "october storm' a few years ago and had no power for 8 days. Our burners and pilot lights in the stove has the electric start and they can not be lit with a match. I was told they are "capped" so even if I turn the gas on and can smell it..the burners will not light.

And of course the gas grill was in the garage with the electric door opener and we couldn't get into that.


I don't get having to run out for those items just because there is a storm..unless it is falling the day before my regular grocery shopping day I will always have those items in my house. I hardly ever run out of any of them during the week. What I get is bags of ice to throw in the freezers and fridge to keep the food cold in case the power goes out. It's amazing how well that works.

 

[mrodgers]

And of course the gas grill was in the garage with the electric door opener and we couldn't get into that.

Every electric door opener has a manual override to disconnect it and open it.

Oh, and my wife wouldn't run out specifically because of snow, she just wouldn't go out to the store. She would call me at work and I would pick up whatever was needed if it was grocery day and she wouldn't (not couldn't) go out because of the snow.

 

[tabby1881]

I too live in the northeast and recall teh blizzard of 78 well. We did indeed food shop on sleds. ( This was Revere MA)

i am with a prior poster. Since my kids aren't toddlers anymore. We do not run and do the milk and bread deal. however I crazily buy every kind of potato chip, munchie they have. And lots and lots of 2 liters of Coke. i do have my priorities!

I remember in Revere people had to be rescued by boat because of the extreme high tide. I'm from Chelsea. We lived on a dead end that didn't get plowed for quite some time. We used to have to climb down to the main street.

 

[lakelandgal70]

Bread and milk? Hmmmm everyone knows Bud Light and cigs are what you are suppose to get when there is bad weather a coming!

 

[onelilspark]

Funny story...I grew up in Philly. Went to school in NW Indiana (where lake effect is common.) Sitting in Econ my freshman year, our professor trying to explain supply & demand asked, "If a snow storm is coming, what 2 items would you go out and buy?" I shot my hand up...I totally knew this one. Very proudly I answered, "Bread and milk." My professor (bless his heart) said, "Well...I'm sure people do buy that, but that's not what I was thinking of. Anyone else?" The correct answer was salt & a shovel. I was miffed. Why would you need that? Just stay inside til it melts!

 

[allison443]

I also think it's because they're what I call the "mid-week items". Many people do their main grocery shopping once a week, but stop quickly for another gallon (or half) of milk and a second loaf of bread in the middle of the week. The don't like to buy it all at once because it's better fresh. So it's that "little" stop people would normally be making on the way home from work that they are trying to squeeze in before bad weather.

I agree with this...getting milk/bread actually makes sense to me.