I went to the grocery store today. They had something they have not had since the beginning of the pandemic: OUR REGULAR STORE-BRAND BREAD. We have been buying a different bread this entire time. It was almost eerie to see our old bread again. …Writing that out makes me realize once again that this pandemic has definitely affected our brains in a weird way.
Another thing they haven’t had since the beginning, but had again today: Hillshire Farm Lit’l Beef Franks! It caught my attention because it seemed like an odd thing to be out of.
They had yeast again, in jars, just sitting there! I already bought some, but had a hard time not buying another one anyway.
They had paper towels again! I was relieved to see them. It had been so many weeks.
They had a pretty good supply of vegetarian meat-substitutes.
The chicken looked odd. Normally they put three chicken breasts in a package; this time there were a lot of packages with just two, and in most cases one of them looked a little odd/small/dicey, and there were not many packages.
Still no spritz-bottles of any basic cleaning supply. They had some bleach and they had some bottles of Pine-Sol. The rest of that aisle is just filled with laundry detergent. No sanitizing wipes. The hand sanitizer is still some brand I’ve never seen before, and expensive.
I did not buy toilet paper; I will buy some on my next trip. I had to talk myself through it: “You actually have plenty of toilet paper. You do not need to buy toilet paper.” I regret not buying toilet paper. What if they don’t have it next time?
They were completely out of Diet Mountain Dew: no cans, no bottles. We looked online and found some at a Target about an hour away, and Paul is making the journey to fetch it. (His commute puts it only about half an hour out of his way.) Also he is going to start rationing it, AREN’T YOU, PAUL
I wonder if Ginger Lime Diet Coke is GONE-gone, or just gone because of the pandemic. I miss it. I had one single can left, and I finally drank it.
I have started buying the non-perishable things I will need for Thanksgiving, Just In Case. I bought cans of pumpkin and cans of cranberry sauce, and a package of stuffing mix. I looked for the frozen raspberries we use in a cranberry-raspberry thing I always make, but they did not have any; I put them on the list for next time. This is not the year for going on that last grocery shopping trip before Thanksgiving and finding the store is out of something.
What is your Grocery Store Report?