Why do people buy milk and bread is snow is predicted?

[cglaura]

We stock up on water, bread, peanut butter, cup of soup, instant mashed potato packets, crackers, etc. We have a grill to boil water if no electric. Also juice boxes and yoohoo. The yoohoo is just tradition....after playing in the snow, pb sandwiches and yoohoo!

We also fill the bathtub with water, that way if the power goes out we have water to fill the toilet reservoir tank so we can still flush. I actually do this when any major storm is predicted...electrical, tropical... I hate not being able to flush!

 

[Leajess99]

We don't do that because we're in Michigan and it takes a foot or more of snow to stop me from getting to the store, but I can understand it. Kids home from school means going through more food (esp. if they usually buy breakfast and/or lunch at school), and those are the things one tends to run out of between big shopping trips. And if it is cold enough for snow, you can always stick the milk and other perishables outside to keep if the power fails.

The thing that always leaves me scratching my head is that whenever we've been down south for a hurricane/tropical storm (and I've been in more than you'd expect for a Michigan girl - 2 of each), the stores sell out not of bottled water or non-perishable foods, but of BEER!

While I am no longer in Michigan, I did learn to drive on the snow and ice so I have no real fear of going out in what we get in Kentucky. One of the first bad snow storms we had here was no big deal to me but some idiot was driving the wrong way on the road I was driving on. This particular road is 2 lanes in each direction with the directions separated by a grass median. I was driving south on the southbound side and he was driving north on the southbound side. It has been funny watching some of the people drive here. Last school year we had a little bit of snow which made for some slick driving and people were still trying to wait and hit their brakes. I have to say I honestly hate driving here with some of these people.

 

[stm61]

I'm in SC and we're expecting anything from 3- 7 inches, as of last night. It's supposed to start as snow Mon. and then possibly switch to sleet/freezing rain overnight. The panic started Fri. night. Dh went shopping yesterday morning, because that's when he usually goes, and said it was a nightmare. He checked out, drove across the street for coffee, and the power went out from high winds. You want to see panic He said people were literally having panic attacks They were going from Bi-Lo across the street to Walmart, then into the gas station, looking for someplace that had power so they could buy something, anything, they just had to get SOMETHING Glad I wasn't in the store when the power came on an hour later!

 

[DeniseinNS]

We alwasy stock up on bread and milk when there is a storm coming. Bread is great to have to make sandwiches if the power goes out and you can't cook and if the power goes out you can put your milk outside to keep cold.

 

[Pooh2]

We make a large batch of hot cocoa for after shoveling so we always grab an extra gallon of milk. Our traditional "snow day" breakfast is home ade chocolate chip cookies and hot cocoa!

Otherwise, we keep a stock year round on water, batteries, candles, canned goods etc.

 

[GinnyEmma]

We make a large batch of hot cocoa for after shoveling so we always grab an extra gallon of milk. Our traditional "snow day" breakfast is home ade chocolate chip cookies and hot cocoa!

Otherwise, we keep a stock year round on water, batteries, candles, canned goods etc.

That is kind of the point. We always have the nonperishables. It is the perishables that have to be stocked if you might get stuck in. And, yes, I do include our cat food and tp as perishables. Bread I can make, and I always have dry milk. But I do buy those if we are out, and in need.

ftr, i am agreeing with your post, not disagreeing! It sounded iffy to me.

 

[marius97]

Actually, I can give you a better reason. It started in the Northeast when they had some really really bad blizzards back in the 70's. I can name one storm in particular in 1978. So little snow was predicted that everyone went to work and school and basically went about life as usual. Things got bad and everyone headed right home. Well, the storms got so, so bad (in the storm I'm thinking of over 4ft of snow fell in our town) and lasted so long (3 days or so) that nothing could get in or out (the highways were parking lots with people freezing to death because they were snowed into their cars) and people who did get home were trapped in their homes for days - I can remember that after the storm stopped you were not allowed to drive for a week. People were skiing or walking to the stores to get food. Well, everyone ran out of milk and bread and eggs and... including the stores because nothing was moving. The big thing about this is that the storms were only predicted to last a little while with only a few inches of snow so now whenever snow comes people around here remember those storms and what happened and always make sure they are stocked up. IMO the remembered paranoia seems to have spread...

Ah, the storm of '78. I remember it so well. I was 13 months old at the time. We were just talking about that storm because I'm just north of South Bend, IN and this storm that rolled through yesterday broke the records from that storm...25 inches from 12-12:00 and 38 inches in one storm. Our weatherman said the difference is that '78 it was windy and their were drifts 15 feet high. Those were the good old days.

 

[luvthemouse71]

Actually, I can give you a better reason. It started in the Northeast when they had some really really bad blizzards back in the 70's. I can name one storm in particular in 1978. So little snow was predicted that everyone went to work and school and basically went about life as usual. Things got bad and everyone headed right home. Well, the storms got so, so bad (in the storm I'm thinking of over 4ft of snow fell in our town) and lasted so long (3 days or so) that nothing could get in or out (the highways were parking lots with people freezing to death because they were snowed into their cars) and people who did get home were trapped in their homes for days - I can remember that after the storm stopped you were not allowed to drive for a week. People were skiing or walking to the stores to get food. Well, everyone ran out of milk and bread and eggs and... including the stores because nothing was moving. The big thing about this is that the storms were only predicted to last a little while with only a few inches of snow so now whenever snow comes people around here remember those storms and what happened and always make sure they are stocked up. IMO the remembered paranoia seems to have spread...

Oh, I remember the Blizzard of '78! I was only 6 but it made an impression. My dad got stuck at work- finally he and a bunch of other firemen ended up walking home. You're right, I think the memories of that storm make people want to stock up.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Milk will stay chilly if you set it outside. I hate winter---but I tell you, pretty neat that the weather allows for an instant fridge when you need it.

As for Milk...I imagine b/c not only can you not get to the store...there is a chance the milk trucks cannot get to the store to replenish.

I'm usually a week or two ahead on milk at a minimum anyway. (We buy the organic and the expiration dates, unopened tend to be 2-4 weeks away depending on the brand). Couple that with not using much as it is...we could last a couple of weeks without buying more milk at the store.

 

[Diabolicdesire]

We don't do that because we're in Michigan and it takes a foot or more of snow to stop me from getting to the store, but I can understand it. Kids home from school means going through more food (esp. if they usually buy breakfast and/or lunch at school), and those are the things one tends to run out of between big shopping trips. And if it is cold enough for snow, you can always stick the milk and other perishables outside to keep if the power fails.

The thing that always leaves me scratching my head is that whenever we've been down south for a hurricane/tropical storm (and I've been in more than you'd expect for a Michigan girl - 2 of each), the stores sell out not of bottled water or non-perishable foods, but of BEER!

Well, as a native Floridian I think I can answer that one. HURRICANE PARTY!!!!! Prob not the smartest thing to stock up on but that's what we do.

 

[famofsix]

I live in upstate NY so I always have extra milk and bread

 

[mrodgers]

I remember reading once that Walmart sells more poptarts before a snowfall than any other time. THAT phenomenon is one I don't understand.

Around me, you'd have quite a tough time making hot cocoa or any type of "better" breakfast if you mean a hot breakfast. When there's no power, there's no cooking.

Thus, poptarts. Take them out of the package and eat. No heating involved.

 

[ILUVPOOH1]

ummm-quite frankly if I'm going to be stuck in my house for days forget the milk and bread...I'm stocking up on wine and cheese!

 

[DawnM]

Well, we realized we are completely out of bread.....DH nor I want to go out, so we will just do without for a few days! I do have some tortillas and I have a bread maker and ingredients if we get desperate.

We typically have several gallons of milk in our freezer so we are good on that front.

Dawn

 

[Diabolicdesire]

I've never frozen milk, how does that work? Do the gallons not expand and burst? How long do they stay good for once open (even if out of date??)??

 

[Traveliz]

We live in Central Illinois - snow is common during the winter.....always make sure we have milk, bread, lunch meat and CHOCOLATE. We have a full house generator. If I am "snowed in" I need to have chocolate.....

I live in Central Illinois too - no kids at home so if I am snowed in I need CHOCOLATE as well and DIET COKE.

Liz

 

[jcemom]

I live in Ontario, so snow is a common occurance...we just set things outside in the snow if the power goes out...

Same here in PA, lol. We don't get as much snow as our northern neighbors, but when it snows enough to put the power out, it's cold enough to put food outside. The big problem is keeping it all from freezing solid.

 

[sissy_ib]

Yeah, I always thought it was for if you get snowed in, not just if the power goes out. You need to be prepared for BOTH. I saw a PP mentioned the northeast. When I lived in Mass we got 3 feet overnight, not a blizzard, but it shut things down. Imagine school gets canceled for 3 or 4 days and you run out of bread for sandwiches and milk for cereal for the kids and the roads are icy. You don't want to be out driving in that, especially in a place like Alabama where you might not be used to it.

 

[jacksmomma]

I've never frozen milk, how does that work? Do the gallons not expand and burst? How long do they stay good for once open (even if out of date??)??

It works great! DS in lactose intolerant, so when I can find his milk on sale I stock up and freeze for later. I get milk in paper cartons, which expand just fine. If you get milk in a jug you will need to pour about a glass worth just to be safe (although some people say the plastic expands just fine. Make a note of how many days till the milk reaches the expiration date before you freeze it...that is how long you have to use it once you thaw it out. You will want to shake it up before you use it the first time after thawing.

 

[palavra]

Yeah, I always thought it was for if you get snowed in, not just if the power goes out. You need to be prepared for BOTH. I saw a PP mentioned the northeast. When I lived in Mass we got 3 feet overnight, not a blizzard, but it shut things down. Imagine school gets canceled for 3 or 4 days and you run out of bread for sandwiches and milk for cereal for the kids and the roads are icy. You don't want to be out driving in that, especially in a place like Alabama where you might not be used to it.

I posted this on another thread, but anyone living in north/central Alabama in 1993 remembers our blizzard. 18 inches doesn't sound like much, but we lost quite a number of trees, power was out for 7 days and a number of people froze to death. Roads were impassable for several days. We did run out of bread and milk during that time too.