Can't get food, almost in tears

[mabelbagel]

There are two medium sized supermarkets in my town, and both are almost empty whenever I visit. No frozen stuff, no fresh, no eggs, no soya milk (I can't drink cows milk), no bread, no soup. The only thing widely available is snack /junk food and I can't live on that. I've checked the smaller shops in my town and they are also out of stuff. There are no online delivery slots either.

I am still going out to work, so all the people working at home are obviously getting there first. The shops my town are usually adequate but the next supermarket is about 15 miles away as we live in quite a rural area. I don't want to make the trip there if there's no food there either.

Just don't know what to do as it seems the panic buying won't end anytime soon and I'm fast running out of staple food

[passiveagressive]

Buy tins.

There is plenty of food. It might just not be what your used to. Think outside the box.

People saying there's no food is insulting to the people who genuinely have no food.

Do not be so dramatic. 😒

[daisypond]

Buy tins.
How patronising can you get? There are no tins at all in my supermarket.

[Portulaca]

If you can still get tinned food inc pulses, veg, fruit etc, then you can make a meal. Depends what is still on the shelves.

I'd recommend following Jack Monroe on Twitter - lots of cheap easy recipes to make with tinned goods, if you're stuck for ideas or needing to think outside the box.

[passiveagressive]

Daisypond
Yes there is. I've been shopping this morning, plenty of food.

[Xenia]

There aren't tins. My vegan son eats loads of kidney beans and has not been able to get them.

We need to avoid the Marie Antoinette situation where during the French Revolution before they chopped the heads of the aristocrats off she said to the poor - let them eat cake (not imagining if people didn't have bread of course they didn't have cake).

[Xenia]

..just came off the phone talking to a client about eating garden squirrels - he suggested I buy an air gun to facilitate my lunch if it comes to that.

[passiveagressive]

Go to more than one shop.
There is food! Just buy different stuff.
It's all so spoiled, selfish and insulting to people who are genuinely starving.

[Apolloanddaphne]

Food availability seems to vary greatly from area to area. In densely populated places with more people working from home it seems the shops are empty of goods. Where I live in a small uni town which is also a tourism hotspot the shops are well stocked. All the students have gone home and there are far fewer tourists. There is therefore less pressure on the supermarkets. Just because one area has plenty of tins, milk and bread it doesn't mean every area will.

[daisypond]

It's all so spoiled, selfish and insulting to people who are genuinely starving.
There are no tins. DH was at supermarket before opening today and the shelves were bare. He came back with some satsumas. Good for you if your shops are stocked, but they are not where I am. I’ve come out of major surgery in hospital to this nightmare.

[adaline]

Buy tins.

What tins? Our local Tesco has had no tinned food in for almost two weeks now.

Go to more than one shop.

This is only possible if you drive and have the time to drive around to numerous shops. The only shops within walking distance to us are Tesco and a tiny co-op. Otherwise it's a 45 minute drive.

DH went to ASDA first thing Monday morning. There was no toilet roll, no pasta, no tins. He then had to go to work - not everyone has the time to traipse around numerous shops for food.

[Idontownatoiletpapermountain]

Go to more than one shop.
There is food! Just buy different stuff.

Now why didn't we all think of that before! Hooray! The answer to everyone's problem!

[BarbaraofSeville]

Our Co-op has had no bread or milk at all that I've seen this week. It's obviously selling out fast after each delivery.

[greathat]

I'm in the high risk group. Trying not to leave house and avoiding crowds. Slightly concerned that although I've got slots booked they'll be no food in my delivery when it arrives

[alloutoffucks]

There are lots of shops in walking distance for me. There is plenty of alcohol, biscuits, chocolate and luxury goods. There is very little actual food. Tinned fruit sure. But a very limited supply of tinned goods. No I am not going to actually starve. W can always eat biscuits. But making a normal meal of meat or fish and veg, or tinned pulses and fresh veg is very hard.

Interesting point above. I live in a densely populated area with lots of people working from home and lots of SAHM. Lots of well off people, although I am not and in the much less desirable bit. I suspect they all have garages stocked up with months and months of food.

[Piggywaspushed]

Go to more than one shop! Great idea! Spread that virus!!

[Piggywaspushed]

The Marie Antoinette comment is spot on .

[GatoradeMeBitch]

If you live in a rural area, contact local farms and ask if they are delivering. Look up local veg box schemes (if there is somewhere safe to leave deliveries while you are out.)

[Stellaris22]

Earlier comment about following Jack Monroe is great, I have their cookbooks and they are very useful right now. Favourite go to is chick pea and tinned peach curry, lots of recipes for free online too. Great for veggies and vegans too.

[passiveagressive]

I do not drive, I had to go to 5 shops to find what I wanted. I also have a VERY fussy toddler.
The shelves aren't ALL bare, we aren't going to starve. People need to GET A GRIP!

[daisypond]

Favourite go to is chick pea
Chick peas are impossible to get hold of where I am.

[daisypond]

The shelves aren't ALL bare,
Your shelves might not be. Other people have different experience.

[Piggywaspushed]

passive to be honest you need to drop the first part of your user name.

I suspect you live in a city?

5 shops? In walking distance?? Lucky lucky you.

[fivesecondrule]

I went to 3 supermarkets yesterday and all the tinned shelves were bare no eggs, milk. Went to a farm shop and there was plenty of meats, pies, bread, fresh fruit and veg. Just filled the car up and the garage had loads of milk.

[daisypond]

No farm shops near me. I’ve never even heard of a farm shop. And I don’t have a car.

[adaline]

I do not drive, I had to go to 5 shops to find what I wanted. I also have a VERY fussy toddler. The shelves aren't ALL bare, we aren't going to starve.

Well, around here we only have two shops within walking distance. Everything else involves public transport (not exactly a good idea at the moment) or a 45 minute drive.

And not everyone has the time to go around five different shops. People are still working. DH tried ASDA at 7.30am the other morning and there was nothing - he was than at work all day and by the time he got back to another shop at 5pm everything was bare again.

You're very fortunate if you have the time (and money) and health to go between five different shops to get what you need.