Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Should I have done food shop today before the bank hol weekend?

96 replies

FTMF30 · 09/04/2020 17:37

In the lead up to lockdown, DH and I have taken it in turns to do the food shop. We try to get enough to last 10-14 days.

Last shop was on 1st April. We're currently doing ok for food but, in the last few days we've made do with what we have and mealtimes have been far from exciting. We're both desperate for some 'treats'and generally more appealing meals.

I had planned to do a food shop on Friday but it dawned on me yesterday that it's Good Friday and bank hol weekend. I mentioned to DH that we should hold out until Tues and I'll go shopping then. Reason being I think the shops will be busier over the weekend, despite lockdown and due to the warm weather. I detest this queueing to get into the shop malarkey so I don't want a worse than necessary experience.

DH said I should have just gone today (sooner rather than later) because we don't have much food left as it is. What he means is we just have the shit food left. I pointed out that, while the food is boring, it's still taking up storage space. If I were to go today, I wouldn't be able to restock our kitchen very well as there won't be enough room. The whole point is to really try to limit food shops.

DH agreed but I can tell he's a bit miffed. He won't say thhis for obvious reasons. It's not about him pressuring me to do the shop as he'd happily go himself. More about getting more food.

My AIBU is:

YABU - the shops won't be any busier on Good Friday and, if you avoid the Friday, better to go sooner rather than later.

YANBU - the shops will be busier on Friday. Hold out until Tues since you have enough food.

OP posts:
CoronaIsComing · 09/04/2020 18:39

The shops have been busier today than recently I’ve seen on FB that quite a few had queues right around the carpark!

That said, it’s the Easter weekend and food is really the only thing to look forward to so it would be rubbish having to eat boring food all weekend!

Ohffs66 · 09/04/2020 18:39

ohcaptain I did it quickly and quietly and then pulled my shit together and carried on! It seriously was like everyone apart from me and a handful of other people thought the current situation is a big joke. I needed a big shop as I've been trying not to go too often, so i needed to go in most of the aisles and people were not waiting their turn, charging past, spending ages browsing, pulling their trolleys right next to mine, you name it. I'm no precious flower by any stretch of the imagination thanks but it was really not very nice.

Useryokyesno · 09/04/2020 18:42

The evenings have been fine for shopping around here.

Dontunderestimateme · 09/04/2020 18:43

Go tomorrow, and if it is hideously busy with a huge queue don't go in.

Spied · 09/04/2020 18:44

Set out to Sainsburys an hour ago. Huge queue around car park so drove 2 mins down road to Tesco- worse queue.
Drove the back way home and passed lidl- ventured in as no queue..but also no bread, fruit, veg...

Pipandmum · 09/04/2020 18:47

I'm going tomorrow to get things I couldn't get earlier bevause they wouldn't have kept - like lamb for Sunday and veg. I don't anticipate it being that much busier than last week - last time I went on a friday I walked straight in. But i may be wrong.

Mulhollandmagoo · 09/04/2020 18:49

Could you not go now?? The Asda and Tesco near me close at 8, not sure of it's enough time to zip there do your shop and get out? Possibly be pretty quiet too

MamaBearLockdown · 09/04/2020 18:57

If bank holiday replicates the way people have to shop at the weekend here, it WILL be a lot busier.

OhCaptain · 09/04/2020 18:57

@Ohffs66 I had the same thing yesterday with people acting like nothing was wrong. I ended up leaving as I actually couldn't stick it.

And the shop had put down marks that were absolutely not 2 metres from each other! So, so annoying.

When you said you burst into tears I imagined something quite obvious and I couldn't imagine just watching someone cry but not even being able to go over and ask if he/she was ok!

GabsAlot · 09/04/2020 19:02

I always go for opening (tesco) yesterday was about a 20 minute wait lots of stock except flour and pasta

Beautiful3 · 09/04/2020 19:07

Why not go now? Get it out of the way.

LtJudyHopps · 09/04/2020 19:07

Shops near me have had bigger queues today than other days according to Facebook. I went to Tesco last night (19.30) queued for about 10 minutes if that. Shelves were well stocked apart from normal sausage, flour and eggs. And biscuits Sad. I’d probably go Saturday late afternoon/early evening personally

Tulipstulips · 09/04/2020 19:09

There's room in the freezer but I like it to get quite bare so we can fully restock, this stretching out the supermarket visits over time.

Why on earth do you let it get quite bare? If you one if you gets sick, you might only have a few days food left and then where will you be when you can’t go out fir a week or more? You should make sure you have at least two weeks’ worth of food in stock at all times, if you can afford it and have room, and go shopping once you’re about to start on that last two weeks’ worth. You can still stretch out your supermarket visits.

BruceAndNosh · 09/04/2020 19:10

I'm thinking of going tomorrow morning and if it looks too busy try Saturday lunchtime instead

MangosteenSoda · 09/04/2020 19:11

Get creative with what you have in.

I think it's funny that people always have a ton of 'apocalypse' food.. Food they never actually have any intention of eating... even in a pandemic Grin Why buy it in the first place?

If you are super desperate and sad by now, you could take turns cooking meals Ainsley Harriot style with a random selection of 5 ingredients...

nettie434 · 09/04/2020 19:12

People who are going later in the day - are there still things left on the shelves? I'm getting fed up of queuing and would like to go when it's quieter but there's not much point if I can't get half the things I need.

I’ve not been shopping for a fortnight (have veg box & milkman) but I was really pleasantly surprised when I went shopping mid afternoon the other Saturday. There was no queue and the stock was surprisingly good. I wouldn’t recommend it if you need to buy something specific but it worked out much better than I expected.

Tulipstulips · 09/04/2020 19:20

@MangosteenSoda it’s weird, isn’t it? We’ve got a full cupboard but it’s only things I’d enjoy eating anyway.

Ohffs66 · 09/04/2020 19:22

ohcaptain if I hadn't been so determined not to go again for a fortnight I'd have done the same just to get out if there. I ended up buying a load of random stuff in a panic, when I got home DH was like 'erm, why do we need this???' I was almost at the point of barking "back the fuck up" at people, a lot of them seemed totally oblivious / couldn't care less.

caperplips · 09/04/2020 19:23

I would definitely go this evening or tomorrow morning.
Like others, I can't see the sense in having bare cupboards / freezer, no treats at all in the house, barring budgeting issues.

We are working on the basis of having at least a week / 10 days worth of (nice) food in at all times in case one of us gets sick and we have totally isolate. We're managing the food very carefully regarding best by dates and have not wasted anything so far and we are 4 weeks in now.

We have LOADS of treats - crisps, chocolate, cake , nuts, biscuits etc in too in a big washing tub in the utility room as we live rurally and no chance of nipping somewhere . And that's even more evident now that we're working from home and only shopping once a week.

We also have loads of alcohol - wine, cava, gin, beer, vodka etc to we can zoom friends and have a drink 'together' in the evenings.

Go out, stock up - get nice stuff and make the most of being at home with your dh and that you're both healthy!

caperplips · 09/04/2020 19:27

Our house is stuffed with food - but only things we love to eat! We all enjoy nice food and I'm loving having the extra time (no commuting) to cook more complicated things. We're also trying new recipes and I'm baking a lot.

I really don't understand buying food that's boring to you and I never do this even when we're not in lock-down. Food is one of our main pleasures

browzingss · 09/04/2020 19:28

In my opinion the quietest time to go is just before shops close, ie 6:30-8pm. Yes, shelves are still stocked. People aren’t panic buying anymore so popular essentials are back - however I can’t comment on whether or not I missed out on anything by not going earlier. Haven’t been able to locate any sort of anti bac wipes in particular, who knows if they just sold out by the time I got there.

I also think bank holiday weekend will be busier. Not necessarily because of bank holiday, but in my (limited) experience shops seem to be busy on Fridays and weekends. Other weekday queues move quite fast, even if they look dauntingly long.

Changedusername76 · 09/04/2020 19:34

You’ve still got time go now it will be quieter and then at least you won’t be procrastinating over the weekend xx

TryingToBeBold · 09/04/2020 19:34

Your kitchen isn't going to be much emptier tomorrow than today.. you might aswell just go. No rhyme or reason as to when its busy

NeverYouMind123 · 09/04/2020 19:38

Tesco closes at 10pm I'm going at 9pm tonight

myusernamewastakenbyme · 09/04/2020 19:42

Ive been going in the evenings...no queues and lovely and quiet in the store (morrisons).

Swipe left for the next trending thread