Grocery shopping this week was much better than last week, although I have seen articles in almost every news source about empty shelves in grocery stores. The timing was important: I arrived at the store (Bush’s Market, a local chain) just before 9 AM, and found very few shoppers and no shortages. The checker told me that they stock the store overnight, open at 7 AM, and by late in the day, the shelves are in fact sometimes emptied. Good timing too, because I didn’t want to be near any other shoppers — you can see that the only person in the beautifully-stocked produce department is a worker.
I’m really avoiding crowded situations where the pandemic remains a problem. Our local hospitals are overwrought thanks to the numerous cases of the omicron variant. Scary. We are only going out for necessities. I filled my shopping cart to the brim, mostly with essential non-perishables in case it gets even harder to be in public spaces, plus I bought produce and dairy products for at least a week of meals. Yes, prices are going up! How are you doing?
We are still trying a few new recipes along with old favorites. Now for a few photos of what we ate this week:
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| Grapes from Bush’s produce department. |
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| A rolled omelet filled with pepper jam for breakfast one day. |
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| Best breakfast I know of: Len’s cinnamon rolls made from a King Arthur recipe. |
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| Childhood breakfast favorite— now a guilty treat. I’m glad that they still make it! |
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| New recipe this week: roasted sweet potatoes in spicy tomato sauce. Another from Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem cookbook. The leftovers made good tacos. |
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| I tried making my own black bean burgers. Bigger than the bun! Not bad either. I did not buy any meat on my shopping trip. |
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| Cauliflower soup with goldfish. No recipe but all fresh ingredients. |
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| Another childhood treat, still as good as ever. |
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| Many websites say that Jello. Butterscotch Pudding Mix is no longer available. NOT TRUE! |
That’s it for the week. The rest of our meals were pretty ordinary, like soba noodles with snow peas for lunch; oatmeal for breakfast; and dinners of grilled salmon or tuna salad or mushroom pasta. I tried one more Ottolenghi recipe as well, for chicken in a buttermilk (kefir) sauce with garlic and paprika -- delicious, but not photogenic!
Blog post © 2022 mae sander.
17 comments:
It's not my favorite way to do things, but I'm still ordering groceries online and picking them up. I live in a world surrounded by people I love who refuse to get the vaccine. It's safer to do this right now.
I'm with you, avoiding people at all costs since before Christmas. I have been ordering groceries online and some of the oddest things have been out of stock since then. Garlic powder and paprika!! Black pepper.
I am also stocking up just in case.
You've had some yummy food Mae. I met a friend for lunch yesterday in a community with a mandatory mask requirement. She and I were just about the only ones there, and we were very spread out in booths with high backs. But I tell you, I was a little worried about it still. I know too many people with positive covid cases in the last couple of weeks. No one terribly ill, but it is too worrisome. And I thought in 2021 we might start getting back to a bit more normalcy in 2022. Thanks Omicron.
We've had spotty supply issues. No Special K at all and random empty shelves for other cereals, but I'm blaming the recent Kellogg's strike for that. Honey Smacks has been a favorite of mine since my childhood when they were Sugar Smacks lol When I eat them I use them as a dessert. Some shelves are empty and others full. Who knows what's behind that... And the meat prices! Yikes! I remember those pinwheel cookies. Yummm! I haven't had them in ages.
Our hospitals are stressed, too, and case numbers are going up. I do still go to the grocery store, but I try to be careful.
Honey Smacks and Sugar Pops are a no no for me (sugar) but I love snacking on them too, from time to time.
I love that you share your meals with us, including your guilty pleasures. We have such a different reality here. We are endemic and our lives are heading towards normality. I wish the same for you.
these recipes are very appetizing. i have to try the black bean burger. I have the jerusaleme cookbook too. Very instructive.
kwarkito
yummy post!
It's a scary world.
The last time I went out, I bought a lot of stuff for the freezer but will have to break my self-imposed lockdown for produce soon, I suspect. I did buy a couple of packaged salads and fruit which seems to last longer. I might bake today. I feel the urge coming on!
We read there are shortages but I'm not finding anything major missing from the shelves. They were out of Loki's favorite sort of dog food, he likes the gravy cuts in Purina One but they did have the ground dog food. They were out of water chestnuts but had loads of bamboo shoots - guess we kknow what everyone perfers!
Boneless chicken thighs were out but they were getting atruck in the next day so....all in the timing. Other than those items we are getting all we want.
Something interesting Doug told me was Fox news had reported shortages and showed a photo of empty shelves. Turns out it was a photo from 2 years ago and in another country. Talk about reporting false news!!
I've been ordering everything I need for meals and non food items since the end of '19, using 3 different stores. It amazes me that people STILL refuse to wear masks and safely distance. I got vaccinated and am still wearing a mask, and will until this is over.
We are seeing more and more empty shelves here,but so far we have managed to find everything we need.
I'm curious about butterscotch flavoured jelly!
We never eat out anymore. Too many people here not will to be responsible about covid. Our shelves are better here. I shop at 6AM when the stores open so not many people at all. I have made my own meatless burgers for decades and won't go any other way, ya know buying them premade in the store. Have a great Sunday.
Our markets are always crowded, while we live in a small town, the outlying unincorporated areas are densely populated. Sometimes the shelves are bare throughout the day, but we are able to make do with our root cellar and some creativity. I must try the sweet potatoes in tomato sauce, what an interesting idea. PS your market's produce section is quite beautiful!
My husband is thinking of breaking his weekly grocery run into two, but during early week day mornings before he has to be at work. He figures the stores will be less crowded than they are when he goes at his usual time which is early Saturday mornings--evidently everyone else now likes to go then too. We haven't had too much trouble finding what we need, fortunately but there are sections in the store that are barer than usual. I hope you have a good week!
Hello,
We like shopping early in the morning too. Luckily they have everything we needed, we do shop with a list. I have noticed prices have gone up on most things we buy. Len's cinnamon roll look delicious. I would love the roasted sweet potatoes, yum! Take care, enjoy your day and week ahead.
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