Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Food Shop Hell

143 replies

PreRaphaeliteMotherhood · 21/12/2020 23:08

The fridge is empty, I have barely anything in the freezer, and only the basics in the cupboards. We are going to my parents’ for Christmas (tier 2, support bubble blah blah blah) but need to do a shop to get us through until our next delivery on the 28th. I also said I’d buy the alcohol for Christmas. It has just dawned on me that supermarkets on the 22nd are probably hell on earth, let alone with all the concerns about food shortages. And I’m going to have to take a 2 year old and a newborn with me.

Do I...
A) Go to the big Asda (our normal supermarket) and hope I survive?
B) Go to the much smaller and more expensive village ‘supermarket’ (Budgens) and hope I can do something that resembles a weekly shop but probably spend double what I usually would in the process?
C) Go to the slightly further away Waitrose because for some reason I feel like it might be less awful than Asda?

OP posts:
Chailatte20 · 22/12/2020 05:23

My Waitrose was absolutely rammed with cars being turned away as the car park was too full. Morrisons and Asda were fine, just go in the evening.

lyinginthegutterstaringatstars · 22/12/2020 05:26

Avoid Asda . Dp went there on Saturday and it was busy, not heaving. Think we will avoid it this week though. Just rely on local shops for a few days.

Rockpooler · 22/12/2020 05:35

Go early evening once your DH home child free. You don't need to take the dc
I'm still seeing whole families out in the supermarket like it is an outing- it is madness if you don't have to.

LovingLen · 22/12/2020 06:08

Wherever you go don't take the children, leave them at home with DH, late evening probably best and Waitrose

Whattheao · 22/12/2020 06:08

Go to the biggest store you can find. We went to Tesco Extra peak time yesterday. The queue was enormous, all round the outside, but it only took 5 minutes. Inside, because it was so huge, it seemed really empty and spacious. It was a good decision as we were going to go to a quieter town and smaller store.

wildraisins · 22/12/2020 06:45

This thread title is extremely sensasionalist and not helping with the current situation.

PussyCatInChristmasStockings · 22/12/2020 06:52

Go in the middle of the night before your DH goes to work.
We were in Tesco at 3am. Me n DH were the only non-staff in there, got everything - nothing out of stock, no queues.

EssentialHummus · 22/12/2020 06:56

Or ask someone from a local Facebook community mutual aid group to pick up a few basics for you.

I run one of these. While I'm happy to pick up prescriptions for the elderly, pints of milk and bread for people who are self-isolating etc, being asked to deliver a week's shop and booze for two able-bodied and apparently healthy adults with a car would get a firm "no" here.

itsgettingweird · 22/12/2020 07:01

Too late for today! But if DH working or leaving at work at 5.30am he can get up an hour/2 earlier and do the shop (if 24hr opening)

Bring it home and leave you to unpack whilst he goes to work.

FuckOffBorisYouTwat · 22/12/2020 07:04

I went to Asda early it was empty whereas Waitrose had a queue at 10am.

Esspee · 22/12/2020 07:17

Monday morning and my local Lidl was relatively quiet while Aldi was eerily empty. Shelves in both were groaning under loads of Christmas goodies and not a spare inch of space anywhere.
I am in Glasgow. Don’t believe the tabloids.

OhOkayThenx · 22/12/2020 07:20

I either go early in the morning or after dinner when I know DP can have DS.

Marmite27 · 22/12/2020 07:22

On the how busy is your supermarket thread yesterday, Waitrose was reported to be really busy with one poster in a 200 car queue!

I’d plump for option a (Asda)

OhOkayThenx · 22/12/2020 07:22

Also the shops have been pretty well stocked. If I can't get hold of veg tonight it's not the end of the world. It's just veg!

EmmaGrundyForPM · 22/12/2020 07:23

@EssentialHummus

Or ask someone from a local Facebook community mutual aid group to pick up a few basics for you.

I run one of these. While I'm happy to pick up prescriptions for the elderly, pints of milk and bread for people who are self-isolating etc, being asked to deliver a week's shop and booze for two able-bodied and apparently healthy adults with a car would get a firm "no" here.

Absolutely. Theres no way local volunteers should be doing this.
KatherineJaneway · 22/12/2020 07:24

C

halcyondays · 22/12/2020 07:28

There will be no chance of a click and collect slot now and this is not what volunteers are for.

Can’t you go sometime after your dh gets home? Late on it shouldn’t be too bad. I think some places may have restrictions on what time you can buy alcohol depending on where you are.

PuppyMonkey · 22/12/2020 07:35

Came on to say try Morrison’s Prime (if you have Prime) - didn’t realise about the rural delivery thing though.

I did MP on Sunday - first time I’ve ever had Christmas delivered. Wonderful. Grin

ImPrincessAurora · 22/12/2020 07:37

Go as late or as early as you can. I’d do the big Asda. More choice and cheaper.
I went to our big tesco with my DC yesterday at 9am. We queued to get in but it was bearable. By the time we were leaving just 40mins later the queue was much bigger and it was much busier.

Also take a list and avoid the toys section!

Nonamesavail · 22/12/2020 07:43

Go to smaller shop 100%

Tiletiletile1 · 22/12/2020 07:45

Can you get to Asda or Waitrose first thing for when they’re open? (6/7am or whatever?) I think it’ll be quieter in there then, and maybe with an overnight restock?

SoupDragon · 22/12/2020 07:53

Yes, go first thing or in the middle of the night.

Yesterday my Sainsbury's was slightly busier than normal at 8am, this morning it had a small queue at 7 am. Aldi had a long queue. Sainsbury's was quiet inside with no queues (although I scanned myself with the phone app so was even quicker)

BumbleFlump · 22/12/2020 07:54

I’d go to Waitrose.

I went to Lidl yesterday and regretted it. Virtually no queue but massive queues at the till - surely it’s safer to do the waiting outside 🤷🏻‍♀️

Plus all their nice Christmassy food seems very pricey - basically Waitrose prices

movingonup20 · 22/12/2020 07:57

Avoid asda, I've found people simply don't respect the rules whereas in Tesco people were great

JillofTrades · 22/12/2020 07:57

Why can't your dh go after work instead of you dragging kids around ?