slo’s MONDAY 1/8 poll - Excess Food (for storms)

[RedAngie]

I have plenty of canned goods, boxed pasta, etc. in my pantry and could whip up something for several weeks.

In my area I was never unable to get out due to weather events for longer than three days maximum. Even after a rare blizzard, roads are plowed and clear within 36 hours, usually less.

 

[disney4us2002]

We very rarely had bad storms in Southern Maryland. In the 30 years we lived there, I believe we had ice storms and lost power for several days maybe 2 or 3 times. That was an all-electric house so it was not fun. I would be more inclined to hit up a liquor store for a couple bottles of wine if a big storm was predicted.

I grocery shop once per week so it would be rare to be out of everything before a storm. After the Pandemic and issues finding stuff, I started keeping a better stocked pantry and shelf-stable supplies like Parmelot milk and coffee creamers, tons of pop-top canned foods, etc.

Now that I live in a beach area I stock up before big holidays and most summer weekends so I can avoid the influx of a gazillion people out and about.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

I live in Philly. We get some storms, not usually terrible. We have been here 8 years and never lost power (hope I didn't jinx us). We generally have a stocked enough pantry and freezer to ride something out for a couple of days if we would rather not leave the house. I don't panic shop, but might pick up a few things if I know we are going to get a storm. We had snow (not much) over the weekend and are slated to get 4" of rain tomorrow. DH and I usually grocery shop together. We went to the grocery store for a couple things on Friday afternoon and were in and out in 15 minutes. None of it was milk, eggs, or bread....just a few normal groceries we needed, but I didn't want to have to go out in the snow/wintry mix on our usual shopping day. If it had been crazy in there then I would have just skipped it. We may not have our top favorites, but would never starve. I do make sure to make a beer/wine run before a storm. LOL.

 

[slo]

Here with you in Chicagoland, @slo.

Generally, I have a pretty well-stocked pantry. For storms, I do make sure we have some staples - coffee, creamer, eggs, bread.

We're always thankfully fine. No need to storm shop. Generally the same storms as you, Sandy, but if you're close enough to the Lake for lake effect, generally no lake effect here for us, unless super east wind to blow inland. And even in the worst of blizzards (3 super ones I can recall, over 20 inches), thoroughfares are generally well cleaned up in no more than 48 hours.

@lovesmurfs and @Dan Murphy - How much snow are both supposed to get? I think I’m in the 2-4 inch area. I live about a 1/2 hour away from the lake, so we do get lake effect snow sometimes - depends on which the way the wind is blowing - I’m south of the lake.

 

[lovesmurfs]

@lovesmurfs and @Dan Murphy - How much snow are both supposed to get? I think I’m in the 2-4 inch area. I live about a 1/2 hour away from the lake, so we do get lake effect snow sometimes - depends on which the way the wind is blowing - I’m south of the lake.

3-6 inches in Elgin. And it's supposed to be pretty wet, so heavier snow.

 

[The Mayor]

We live in MA and can get some pretty bad storms, especially along the coast. When a storm is coming we like to call out the french toast alert as it seems everyone rushes out to buy milk and bread. Not sure why?? Unless we're out of a particular item, we always have enough food to last a few days. Like someone else mentioned it may not always be a gourmet meal but it's a meal and will get us by.

 

[jo-jo]

We get snow that occasionally messes stuff up for a day or two. I do not stock up before a storm. I generally do my grocery shopping on the weekends. But I'm confident that we have enough food in this house that we could feed ourselves for at least a week. It might not be appetizing meals, but we wouldn't starve. The bigger issue would be with how to cook it all. (All of our appliances are electric. If the electic goes out, then all we have left is the outdoor grill which is also likely snowed in, or whatever.)

I keep several cans of sterno. Using a few bricks and a small grill from an old toaster oven, works well enough to heat up can of soup or water for tea or hot chocolate. Sure we could do a grill cheese or scrambled eggs, but don't know how much more. Only used this method once for hot water for tea.

 

[lovesmurfs]

When a storm is coming we like to call out the french toast alert as it seems everyone rushes out to buy milk and bread. Not sure why??

I was wondering that myself, because I do that (add butter to the list...). I guess there's a lot you can do with eggs, and sandwiches need bread. Kind of a comfort knowing you've got it. Like having a full tank of gas in the car?

 

[Kitty 34]

We live in MA and can get some pretty bad storms, especially along the coast. When a storm is coming we like to call out the french toast alert as it seems everyone rushes out to buy milk and bread. Not sure why?? Unless we're out of a particular item, we always have enough food to last a few days. Like someone else mentioned it may not always be a gourmet meal but it's a meal and will get us by.

That's why I referred to my "storm" list of food as my French Toast list in Red Angie's thread!!

I do always check and make sure I have fresh milk before storms but we can easily get that at our local Party Store.

 

[lucas]

We have a well stocked pantry and could last quite a while. Between the two of us, we're at a grocery store 2+ times a week, anyway, so no need for a special trip just for a storm.

Exact same for us.

 

[mumto3girls]

Another Southwestern PA person here. We occasionally get severe storms but not regularly. I do have a stand up freezer in the garage and an extra “beer” fridge in the basement. We could eat fairly well for weeks. I do stop for produce a few times a week and occasionally am accidentally in the grocery store just ahead of a big storm. Rarely would I need to go just because a storm is coming.

 

[georgina]

I shop weekly for fresh fruit and vegetables, but never was one to run out to the store before a storm when we lived in a snow storm area (dont live in one any more!) I always have eggs, bread, soup, pasta, rice, canned beans, peanut butter, alcohol - we would not starve.

when we lived in SW PA the news always talked about people running out for milk and bread. We buy a half gallon of organic milk and it lasts us for weeks.

 

[lovesmurfs]

alcohol

Damn. Forgot bourbon.

 

[PollyannaMom]

We live in MA and can get some pretty bad storms, especially along the coast. When a storm is coming we like to call out the french toast alert as it seems everyone rushes out to buy milk and bread. Not sure why??

Around here, it all goes back to the blizzard of '78. I didn't live here then, but I've heard stories that even after you could walk to the store, the trucks delivering stuff couldn't get there, so people ran out of milk and bread anyway. - Old habits die hard in New England.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Around here, it all goes back to the blizzard of '78. I didn't live here then, but I've heard stories that even after you could walk to the store, the trucks delivering stuff couldn't get there, so people ran out of milk and bread anyway. - Old habits die hard in New England.

I was in 5th grade that year. We were in school until June 23 thanks to all of the snow days!

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

Around here, it all goes back to the blizzard of '78. I didn't live here then, but I've heard stories that even after you could walk to the store, the trucks delivering stuff couldn't get there, so people ran out of milk and bread anyway. - Old habits die hard in New England.

I lived on Long Island during Super Storm Sandy. Now I always fill up my gas tank before a storm now and make sure I have food. Since I grocery shop once a week it usually isn't an issue, but I do pay attention if something is coming up and double check what we have on hand. I don't panic buy and don't buy things we won't use, but I'm mindful of the forecast because like someone else said I don't want to have to run out if the roads are still bad or whatever. We are usually staying in by choice. Rarely is a storm bad enough that we can't get out if we really needed to get something.

 

[Dan Murphy]

@lovesmurfs and @Dan Murphy - How much snow are both supposed to get? I think I’m in the 2-4 inch area. I live about a 1/2 hour away from the lake, so we do get lake effect snow sometimes - depends on which the way the wind is blowing - I’m south of the lake.

Near O'Hare, for the first one, tonight and tomorrow, I think 1-4 or 5 inches, wet and heavy heart attack type. Then Friday/Saturday, more, maybe 4-7 additional, lighter, not as heavy.

 

[The Mayor]

Around here, it all goes back to the blizzard of '78. I didn't live here then, but I've heard stories that even after you could walk to the store, the trucks delivering stuff couldn't get there, so people ran out of milk and bread anyway. - Old habits die hard in New England.

Yup. I lived through it here. I was 24 and drove a plow for a friend of mine. He made a fortune during the blizzard. We were also driving nurses and doctors to work at the local hospitals (no charge). All the nurses would give us a tip but none of the doctors offered!!!!

 

[Kitty 34]

Around here, it all goes back to the blizzard of '78. I didn't live here then, but I've heard stories that even after you could walk to the store, the trucks delivering stuff couldn't get there, so people ran out of milk and bread anyway. - Old habits die hard in New England.

My first DH and I lived in an apartment in River Forest, IL. I have pics of the snow being half way up to the frame.

 

[_19disnA]

Think it depends on where you live and the type of significant storms you might get. If you live in a rural area that gets lots of snow, traveling to the store during/after a snowstorm isn't the best plan. If you live someplace where hurricanes can be an issue, you know several days ahead of an approaching storm.

If you lose power, all that extra stuff in your refrig/freezer could spoil if you don't have some sort of backup generator if you happen to lose power.