Page 6 | aibu to think Xmas food shopping is panic buying?

InvisibleDuck · 22/12/2023 21:46

I get my shopping delivered weekly. Tomorrow's delivery is about twice the normal price. Alcohol, sweets, and some more expensive food than I'd usually buy because we like a treat for Christmas breakfast and dinner.

I'm expecting some of the non-perishables will last well into the new year, and I'm also expecting some substitutions or products not available because so many people are doing the same thing - hopefully not anything significant enough that I'll need to go out for more, but it's possible! No panic here though. All planned well in advance.

Catsknowbest · 22/12/2023 21:49

sprigatito · 22/12/2023 19:36

Is it "panic", or is it that people don't want to go shopping over the Christmas period, when they may have guests, or simply enjoy having a few days of uninterrupted holiday where everything is sorted and nobody has to go to a supermarket?

Panic buying is something else, I think.

Took the words out of my mouth there 👍😊

KateJW95 · 22/12/2023 21:52

I'm pretty low-key when it comes to Christmas, but always put a couple of extra things in my basket for the holidays, mostly because I want to avoid supermarkets for as long as possible! If people have family over, that's more mouths to feed. No work lunches, children off school... quite understandable to spend a bit more on your holiday food shop! If people want to buy extra nibbles because it's the holidays, that's cool, why not? - it's Christmas.

I despise gluttony, though. So I get where the OP is coming from. It should be common sense really ... Enjoy the holidays but don't be a d*ck about it.

kathmacc · 22/12/2023 21:57

I can never understand why the food shops are so much busier! At least 70% of the people I know are hosting or going away to be hosted elsewhere -basic maths means there should be less people in supermarkets but buying more!

Topofthemountain · 22/12/2023 21:58

A local Asda had a 'one out, one in' policy today - like 2020 all over again.

I had a shop delivered today, pretty much a normal shop though - I still need to go tomorrow to get what didn't come (it's my bread, it never does) and the long list of things that despite me saying yesterday 'let me know if I need to get anything else' everyone failed to tell me. *

*In my defence I am as sick as a dog and Friday is not my usual shopping day.

Thegoodbadandugly · 22/12/2023 22:00

They always do, sadly I wonder how much of it gets binned.

RainbowZebraWarrior · 22/12/2023 22:02

It's funny, it's only ever the British that pull each other apart for shopping / cooking / catering on a special occasion. Words like greed, panic buying, and obscene have been used on here in the past few days.

Anywhere else in the world - Italy / Lebanon / India for example (just off the top of my head) we would applaud each other, and come together, in providing a wonderous feast for our loved ones during a time of celebration or cultural festival.

milveycrohn · 22/12/2023 22:02

Absolutely. But I just can't seem to avoid it. I am hosting and so determined to cater for everybody. I am completely over the top, and the thought of eating the leftovers in January makes me feel ill.
Every year I make notes, and will start January determined to avoid the same mistakes the following year, but you've guessed it, when December comes we start it all over again.

SecondHandFurniture · 22/12/2023 22:03

Christmas Eve being Sunday won't help as everything (in England) shuts at 4pm. Nobody can do what we used to before we had children and pop in at 8pm on Christmas Eve for reduced stuff.

Tesco (big one, biggest in the local 5 or so towns) was busy but there were loads of people buying stuff that was clearly to feed a couple of teenagers for 2 weeks, like multipacks of Walkers as opposed to camembert and turkey crisp share bags.

WhatACluster · 22/12/2023 22:06

Only thing I need is a pudding for Christmas Day! The disappointment I am feeling over not having any M&S chocolate Pines Cones has ruined it for me the whole Christmas Period is ruined….

On a more serious note I went to Waitrose last night (couldn’t get into Tesco car park yesterday or today) and got everything I needed (apart from a pudding) plus next weeks shopping as well, it was busy but not in the same league as Tesco busy, in theory I shouldn’t need to shop again until next Sat/Sun (but suspect I will run out of milk) which means I can shut the doors and not venture out for a week

Hardly call 2 weeks shopping panic buying 🤷‍♀️😂

greengreengrass25 · 22/12/2023 22:07

Yes being on Monday feels like it is taking a long time to arrive

I just buy what we need and needed to top up today with things like salad and milk.

Nothing will be wasted

I've got relatives staying after Christmas so I need some food afterwards

Wintersgirl · 22/12/2023 22:08

I was supposed to have a Tesco delivery tomorrow, I cancelled because I couldn't risk things going out of stock, as it was sausagemeat, chestnuts and Christmas puddings were showing they were out of stock..........and then 30 minutes later they weren't.... argh! I thought fuck it, I'll just go and see what they have and funnily enough all my items were in store!

Gunnersforthecup · 22/12/2023 22:08

We have a turkey crown in the fridge, and a fancy cheesecake. There is a small supply of panettone and a small Yule log. I pick up the occasional item that looks tasty and good value in the month or so before Xmas. Otherwise, it is business as normal.

Benibidibici · 22/12/2023 22:09

I've 9 people for christmas for 3 days so i need more fresh veg, fruit, milk etc than usual.

Around 21st/22nd is always busy as people like to be prepared & don't like to shop more than once but green veg doesn't keep so well past 5 days or so.

I like to shop on the 22nd & know I'm clear for a few days and don't need extra bits. We are buying a lot because whereas the rest of the year we mainly eat porridge at breakfast, kids on school lunch & DH and i at work, we're all home for almost 2 weeks & we'll have more varied fun breakfasts and lunches.

liveforsummer · 22/12/2023 22:10

Surely they are stocking up so they don't have to go back 12 hours later. Makes sense. Have a well stocked home, family and friends round, good Dodd, drinks flowing - who on earth wasn't to be heading out the Asda for the breakfast rolls or milk etc

ThisHouseWillBeTheDeathOfMe · 22/12/2023 22:12

DragonMama3 · 22/12/2023 19:33

In Asda. people buying food like the world was ending! WHy?

Shops reopen in 12 hours?

Why?

Because I have no intention of going to the shops again in 12 hours, or 24, or 48...

Today, the 22nd, we did a small shop for up to Christmas Eve. Lunches, dinners , the usual. Christmas shop is being delivered Saturday evening.

We have us and all DC on Christmas Day where we'll have a lovely breakfast, a lovely dinner with different meats, and puddings, then family over for the evening buffet, cheeseboards, more meats, finger food, salads. Everyone's different drinks, sweets, canapes.

Boxing Day is smaller buffet for lunch, just us, and over to DM for the afternoon.

Will be eating leftovers on the 27th and 28th.

Probably do a small shop on the 29th solely for a family birthday party. Already have the leg of lamb for NYD and the BBQ food for NYE in the freezer.

So that's why we were possibly buying more, to be safe rather than sorry. Because we intend to do no shopping or food planning, or even think about anything other than having a wonderful time with friends and family for the next 7 days. Actually, omitting the small shop on the 29th, it's more like 10 days. The last thing I want to be sodding around with on Boxing Day, is that we don't have enough milk/marg/coffee/meat/juice...

Original poster

DragonMama3 · 22/12/2023 22:13

Sorry to hear that Putin. x

OP posts:

RainbowZebraWarrior · 22/12/2023 22:13

SecondHandFurniture · 22/12/2023 22:03

Christmas Eve being Sunday won't help as everything (in England) shuts at 4pm. Nobody can do what we used to before we had children and pop in at 8pm on Christmas Eve for reduced stuff.

Tesco (big one, biggest in the local 5 or so towns) was busy but there were loads of people buying stuff that was clearly to feed a couple of teenagers for 2 weeks, like multipacks of Walkers as opposed to camembert and turkey crisp share bags.

Most of the supermarkets have closed at 4pm on a Christmas eve - regardless what day it falls on - for over 20 years. Mostly for the sake of their staff.

WandaWonder · 22/12/2023 22:15

I find it weird people who shop at Christmas complain how busy they find it, but they are adding to it by being there themselves

Cherrysoup · 22/12/2023 22:15

The click and collect at our Asda was rammed today and inside was getting busy, some crazy filled trollies. I literally wanted veg, obviously ended up with more, but luckily the queue wasn’t OTT.

greengreengrass25 · 22/12/2023 22:17

No one likes the supermarket busyness and rammed car parks but it's necessary

I got DH to take me in the afternoon as it was too busy in the morning in the car park and he drove round to find a space while I started the shopping

Doggymummar · 22/12/2023 22:18

We hibernate till 8th Jan, we won't be leaving the house, so we had a delivery yesterday another one on 28th then 4 th Jan when we return to normal Sunday deliveries. I've not been in a shop since 2018 and doubt I ever will again. I can't believe my neighbours are so unorganised. I see them most days going to the shop for milk or papers. Crazy

InShockHusbandLeaving · 22/12/2023 22:20

Ok, OP, I need your advice. Normally there are two of us to cater for and we eat porridge for breakfast, a cheese or chicken sandwich for lunch and meat and two veg for dinner. Under your rules we’re obviously not allowed to go shopping for anything extra so how can we split our lunchtime sandwich to feed the fifteen people we’re catering for over Christmas?

I’m awaiting your reply with great eagerness because I’ll save so much money I can probably buy the coffee percolator I’ve got my eye on, if it comes into the sales 🤗 Thanks in advance.

Winnading · 22/12/2023 22:23

Ffs I normally feed 2 people. Just for one day (and this is unusual) I'm feeding 8. But I also need a weeks food for two people as well. In effect i need 7 plus 4 days of food. It looks like I'm buying too much, but none will be wasted.

I'm also not willing to step foot in a store until late next week. This is not rocket science, loads and loads of people will be hosting more. I think my parents hosted 30 plus every Christmas day/boxing day.

Hosting many, requires more food, who knew?

UndertheCedartree · 22/12/2023 22:24

Can't talk for anyone else but I've just done a big shop because I want to cook some special meals and have have some special drinks and snacks in over Christmas. And yeah, the corner shops open on Christmas day, doesn't mean I want to go shopping over the Christmas period! I'm not panicking, I just want a break and some nice food and drink. And I imagine I'm not alone!