What are people doing about food shopping?

[goldenorbspider]

Can't get online deliveries. Have enough in to last till end of week. Would rather not go shopping but will have to eventually. What's everyone else doing? People keep posting how busy supermarkets are. I work with a vulnerable group, I'm terrified I might pick something up and pass it on.

I know this was last night, but I went to Sainsburys about 5pm and it was really quiet and pretty well stocked, so it may be a timing thing.

Luckily we are well stocked and have a little Tesco round the corner so will do top-ups there.

I'm going to the shops.

They are pretty empty.

It really isn't a big deal.

Now that the panic buying phase has died down a bit, supermarkets - at least where I am in east-central London - have become a lot less packed, more stock on the shelves and shorter queues. Give it another week or so and it’ll be even more like normal as people will be working through all the stuff they’ve already bought rather than going out for more daily. Delivery slots will start becoming more available, too - I easily got an Iceland delivery slot for Friday of frozen vegetables and meat and fish, ordered today. Other than that I’ll just be going out as necessary for things like bread and milk on my bike and using local grocery stores where there seem to be zero queues / crowds and good stock.

I’m going to the shops, I think the panic buying has calmed down.

We’re doing once a week at most. DH went to the big Sainsbury’s last night at 7pm and it was really quiet and well stocked.

Apparently now the supermarkets are limiting how many people can be in at one time although I’m still a bit about how far apart people will stand in the queue. I was in a queue of only 4 people on a quiet street outside Boots last Friday when they were only letting in 5 at a time and I had to say more than once to people to please spread out.

I keep checking for delivery slots on all the sites (am in London, which seems to be struggling a lot), and some click and collect spots just opened up for this week in Sainsbury’s.

I’ve enough to last until the weekend so haven’t booked them, but it’s given me hope that with everyone locked up things will start to settle down and we can get deliveries when we need them.

Honestly, I really wouldn’t worry. All the people who bought 100 toilet rolls, a pallet of baked beans and stocked up two chest freezers aren’t going to need to go to the shops from now on, things will start being normal again.

West Central London is also fine. I went to Waitrose today. They were limiting the number of customers in the store at one time (5 min wait). Fairly well stocked. Cleaning keypads etc between customers. Absolutely fine. I hope this reassures someone.

walking to the nearest supermarket.
supermarkets here have put big red stickers on the floor 2 meters apart and they only let in a limited number of people at a time.
shops are very well stocked.

The supermarkets have lulled somewhat. They're expecting it to get busy again but for the minute all our local ones are quieter.

That's a relief!

We walked past a local farm shop today and as it was empty except for staff I popped in for a few bits. Fully stocked apart from milk and onions and so quiet. It was lovely. Only saw one other customer my entire time there.

We are in isolation from today because dd1 has a fever and slight cough but I’ve got enough to last us the two weeks but dreading going out after, can’t imagine what will be happening in two weeks

We get a fruit and veg box from a local company and have done for a while. Much better produce for the money. We are also getting meat delivered from a local butcher and bread from a bakery. I haven't looked into milk yet but will probably start doing that if they will take us on. We will be sticking to it afterwards as well. Small local businesses have been amazing.

I think it should have calmed down by then and the supply chain will have adapted. When this happened in China we had no hand sanitizer, masks or disinfectant in my local shop and food was looking rather scarce, but were fine.
Never had a problem with loo roll!

I've ordered meat and veg for delivery by 2 local farm shops.
We've been in 10 days now with 1 visit to our corner shop for bread and milk. We have enough for now and with our deliveries will.only need to go to A lottle local shop for a few basics.
I have a Tesco click and collect alot on 10th April. I'll do like a monthly shop with cleaning and store cupboard stuff.
I hope the farm shops are good as id like to support local businesses and place an order weekly.

@Bellebelle I went out for food and paracetamol today and every person that seemed to get too close and forget about the social distancing was a man.

I need to go later in the week as there's stuff we need hadn't been able to get and no online delivery slots. We have a few emergency dinners in the freezer but not very much in the cupboards.

We are on day thirteen of not going to shops. Doing OK so far. I’m thinking we can make it another two weeks or so before a top up becomes desirable, another six weeks or so before we need a significant shop.

We haven’t been out in over a week due to self isolating. We are running low - esp of fresh food. We didn’t stockpile/panic buy in advance and there are 6 of us.

We have an order booked in from our local farm shop, but it’s fresh meat and then meals and baked items like pies etc rather than fresh fruit and veg. They have a big backlog at the minute though so I’m not expecting it to arrive before the weekend.

I have made a shopping list for the supermarket when I’m able to leave the house again.

I’m wondering what it’ll be like and what I’ll be able to get. Stupid question perhaps but are the supermarkets restricting shopping to “essential items”? I am planning to go and buy as much as I can so that I don’t have to go out again for a week (not stupid stockpiling, but hopefully getting a full weekly shop in one go which is rare for me - as we don’t really have space - esp fridge and freezer space for all the fresh stuff)

Can I pick up Easter eggs for the kids while I’m there? I wouldn’t dream of going out to buy the Easter eggs on their own, but can I buy non-essential things like that in Tesco when I’m there on my once weekly shop? Are the supermarkets restricting how much you can buy still? Are they restricting how long you can spend in store?

It's tricky isn't it because if you go early the store's recently been cleaned. More germs build throughout the day.

As PP said, it's the people who come up close to you. Hopefully, as the doubters finally wake up and realise it's not "just the flu" then they may distance.

It’s a normal shop apart from limitations on quantity of same items I got Easter eggs on my last shop and it was fine. My shop was it’s usual essentials and things I really don’t need

Thanks @Pinkazing

I expected the restrictions - which is hard on big families because 3 tins of tomatoes doesn’t even do 2 meals for us! I will of course totally stick to them, but I guess I’m just wondering how much I can get as I really don’t want to go out more than once a week as recommended

Currently 7 days into a 14 day quarantine. So looking at next week.

Plan to shop just once a week hopefully, maybe 5 days at first to rebuild freezer stock in a sensible manner- DH is a keyworker, although not frontline. But wary of needing to isolate again.

Biggest worry is what to do with the children. I was thinking of leaving them in the car- they are 7&8, reasonably reliable but like all kids prone to the odd daft moment. Car is modern so no worries about handbrakes etc.

Just went on Tesco - no delivery slots so I booked click & collect for a few weeks time out of desperation. I'm high risk & can't leave the house at all, not even to go for a walk so will get someone else to pick it up.

I really worry about what will happen if they don't find a way to sort the delivery issue with the shops.