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Question for those in snow country

C

Chris Jones

Member
Do y'all's stores sell out of milk and bread when the weather man says it's going to snow tomorrow? Or are folks able to take a snow forecast in stride.

'Cause down here in NC the mention of snow on the news forecast makes folks pack the grocery store and the shelves are emptied for bread and milk. For the life of me I can't imagine why people need some much bread and milk. You reckon they are using it as snow melt? :)
 
Not that I am aware of...........and I do the grocery shopping for our family. But, snow really doesn't change much for us anyway. Our roads all all plowed off by midmorning and life goes on as usual. Most everyone has 4x4 trucks too, so snow has to be pretty darn deep before we can't carry on life as normal.
 
I am in So Mn. and I was in Walmart grocery yesterday to get bread and milk however it was just part of our twice monthly shopping. There were more then usual shoppers but there was plenty milk and bread on shelf. They were some empty shelves of less popular items but that is not uncommon. Years ago you never saw empty items but since margins are getting less for grocers too they don't want to throw anything out for expiration so that is just the way the game is played now.
 
You'd think good sense would prevail and people wouldn't panic anymore,but most folks are so far removed from nature and the weather these days that sadly,the answer is,yes,they panic.
The wife had wanted me to go to town with her since Thursday just because we really needed to get groceries. I finally told her yesterday that she was going to go by herself,I just didn't have time. She was gone for the longest time. When she got home she said "What the h3ll,is the end of the world coming or something?". She said the stores were more packed than they were just before Christmas. Some of the shelves were empty,very little milk,no eggs,everything just plain picked to the bone. Said she waited in the checkout for at least 45 minutes.
Just too many citiots everywhere in the world. No predictions of power outages or anything,just supposed to be cold for two days. The whole world has lost it's collective mind.
 
Occasionally you see some shelves get down a bit, but not seriously so. But then here in dairy country it would be hard to run out of milk! Gal. is about $3.70. There is one store that apparently sells it as a loss leader, because we can still get it for $2.60.
Paid over $5 in Troutman NC four weeks ago. Did get into a Food Lion there and was impressed with their stock, arrangement, and personnel.
 
Snow isn't like a tornado, when it melts your house is still there. The power being out more from freezing rain than snow is a problem. lots of food gets spoiled in the stores. At home you can put it on the porch if it's freezing. Pays to stock non parishables for times like that.
Later Bob
 
Nothing changes around here. We only go to town once every week or two the way it is and we keep a months worth of perishable food anyways. Non perishable food is almost endless. If a "big" one is coming and we're low on milk I'll grab an extra gallon or 2 from the local gas station but that's it. Even with the biggest storms i can remember we can still get to town in a day or 2 if we need too.

Casey in SD
 
Never seen the store run out of anything because of the weather UP here. -20* and 2 foot of snow and people just go on with their lives just at a little slower pace.
 
I"m in Illinois, and it happens here. We had a family gathering yesterday, and we stopped by the store to pick up a few things. Couldn"t find a parking spot. I"ve never understood it. I wonder how much milk and bread goes to waste after the one-day snow storm. I probably have enough stuff in the freezer that I forgot about to survive a month- I"ll probably make it for a day.
 
Not around here so much. Is it the same people that look for food handouts when the power goes out, not knowing you can cook everything on a gas grill sitting out by the deck. LOL
 
Went to the grocery store yesterday. Every checkout was busy. There was plenty of milk, bread and toilet paper there. Girlfriend went to wally world and waited 30 minutes to check out. Started snowing here this morning around 5. Hasn't let up. Just got in from feeding the cows, it is miserable out there with the snow and the wind blowing. High tomorrow is 5.

Kerry in mid-MO
a140836.jpg
 
Well, there"s always the possibility that you could get marooned for a few days. Most of us have a stock of long term groceries and supplies that"ll see us through a several day session. Menus may be a little curious towards the end, but! A lot of the groceries we worked hard hoarding (canning, freezing,) over the summer. Put meat and venison in the freeezer, etc. Perhaps the bigger "if" is loss of electrical power, and how long we can survive with a generator. If you loose power, water, heat and refrigeration become serious issues real quick. Especially if you have animals that need feed and water.

Where in Michigan, we"re still recovering from an ice storm that ripped power out over a quarter of the state, or more. Some did not get power back for over a week. Line crews came to Michigan from as far away as Kansas and Washington DC.

As I"m typing this, the local TV station (Grand Rapids, MI) just came on with a weather bulletin. 6" to 12" of new snow from the storm making it"s way up from the midwest.. To be followed with an arctic blast of winds and temperatures below zero with chill factors to -30.
Then there"s the drifting and lake effect snow. Could be a uncomfortable few days. Do you blame folks for stocking up?

My guess is that those who are panic shopping before the storm aren"t well prepared to begin with - at least they pack it in before the storm!
 
In the 30's and 40's, Dad wouldn't go to town for groceries for a month or two. I don't know where they stored all those sacks of flour and sugar, but I helped carry them into the house and up the stairs. Getting stormed in for a few weeks didn't even worry most people as farmers were pretty self-sufficient in those days.

There was a severe snowstorm in March of 1966 with neighbors that ran out of food in a couple of days. I had a deadbeat uncle (by marriage) that was home alone with the 3 boys. The only thing left in the house was some frozen liver that none of them liked so they went hungry for 3 days after their food ran out!

We don't have that kind of weather here in the desert but we could easily go at least 2-3 weeks without going to a grocery store. Maybe because we were kids in the 1930's when food was a huge concern to everyone.
 
Quite a few people will stop and grab milk & bread on their way home from work if a big winter storm is predicted.

We keep plenty of TP 'round here... we'd all rather run out of milk or bread than TP. :)

BUT if an ice storm is predicted - the shelves will be cleared of Ice Melt bags in a big ol' hurry.
 
Around us they don't care about stocking up before because it a matter op pride to be the first to town AFTER the storm. No need for long term supplies that way.
 
Yeah, I'm close enough to Chicago that most folks like to dramatize the weather. Like most said, it's the ice storms that get ya.
I fixed that 40 years ago with a pretty good sized generator, also got a welder I can use. I put a plug on a pigtail from my gas furnace and can plug it into the generator if the power is out for a while.
 
I was standing in the checkout line one time with about 6 people in front of me and one lady behind me. Big snow storm had already started. The lady behind me tapped me and said; "Sir, do you see something wrong here?" I said: "No, why?" She said: "Everyone in this line is buying bread and milk, except YOU! You're buying beer and cheese!" I answered: "My dear lady, this is not beer. This is Guinness Stout". She said: "Oh, Guinness, I tried it onetime and it tasted like sludge!" I said: "My dear lady, this elexior has almost everything your body needs. Vitamins, minerals, hormones, carbohydrates. a little short on fats and proteins, though. That's what the cheese is for." All she did then was to laugh and shake her head. True Story. (;>))
 
They go nuts around here in Mi. where I live. We are getting dumped on now and the stores were crazy yesterday according to my wife. I figure I got cross country skis and snow shoes if it gets to that point.
 
Here in Minnesota we have not had a real blizard that I can remember since 1975. Before that one the year was 1965. Only if a blizard warning is issued do people run out and buy out the grocery store.My brother who now lives in North Carolina tells me you wouldn't believe the people there. They hear the word snow and they all run out and buy out the store of bread milk and toilet paper. Then the next day the 1 inch of snow melts.
I was down in Louisville KY two years ago and it snowed 12 inches. All the schools were closed for a week.
 
The "Big Bread Phenomenon" happens in Nebraska, too, at least McCook. And we are expecting maybe an inch, and one in the single digits, and one below zero, then back pushing 50 again Thursday.

McCook wally"s-mart, Saturday night.
bigbreadphenomenon_zps7ff121fd.jpg
 
The stores where packed yesterday and the day before due to the weather forecast. Still in a winter storm warning for the next 24-48 hours
 
Were you the only single person in line?

Some publication in the Marine Corps used to run a cartoon that showed a group of people and then asked, "Which one is________?"

One scene showed a half dozen people with carts full for the usual groceries in a checkout line, and one man in the middle with a couple of cases of beer and several carton of cheese and crackers.

The question was, "Which one is the bachelor?"
 
Dumbest thing I ever seen, yes it happens here. Mid-Michigan. The in laws stopped by and said they couldn't find a parking spot at meijers. They included were freaking out... WE NEEDED MILK AND BREAD BEFORE THE ST0RM!!!

I asked them why it was only going to snow for a day and a half. No good answer but they "needed" milk.

I have enough canned food and meat to last at least a month. Yup I will run out of bread for a month but it won't kill me.

We were out of power last week for five days. Only real issue was the cold. We have enough water storage to last 4 days. No showers but enough to drink and flush toilets.

Rick
 
People will get groceries a day earlier and maybe stock up for an extra day or two, but most people have found there is no need to hoard food when the weather is bad. The roads get cleared pretty quickly in central MN, so once you can get out of your driveway you can get about anywhere you want to go. We also don't get the heavy ice storms nearly as often as they happen further south and east, maybe once every five to ten years.

When I lived in Tennessee a 4 inch snow would close city streets for a day and some rural roads for nearly a week. That doesn't happen up here unless a bulldozer can't plow the road out, and then that road stays closed for the duration of the winter and people drive an alternate route. Local and state taxes are higher because of the good service, most people choose to keep it that way so long as they get what they pay for. Winters vary between mild and severe so the maintenance costs will average out over time.

The snow plows and emergency vehicles including snowmobiles are maintained and ready almost like in a fire department. When they are needed, the snow plows run all hours of the day and night during the storms, they come in to reload with sand & salt, refuel and change drivers but they stay running until all the side roads and side streets are passible. Once the weather clears and the crews are rested the plows will go out again to wing the snow banks further into the ditches to prepare for the next storm. The major roads are constructed to handle snow. It takes either high winds and blowing snow or heavy ice and sub-zero temperatures before the roads are closed for more than half a day. So there isn't a big need to stock up on groceries unless you have a bad driveway and you can't get out to a road.
 
We keep enough food in stock to last us a couple months if need be.
We don't drink no milk anymore since i got rid of the milk cow.
That store bought white stuff they sell as milk nowadays is bout as nutricious as water :roll:
 
I was shopping for "me". And as I further explained to the dear lady, I had a lot of snow to deal with when I got home and needed "sustainuance".
 
Yep!! it happens here in Ky. the Kroger manager told me he will sell 50% more milk and bread with snow forecast and it didn't matter if it was an inch or a foot.
 

Here in southern NH people will really put a run on the stuff when a big storm is forecast, but I don't think that they ever clear the stores out. I believe that a big part of it is that the weather forecasters sensationalize so much. It is very rare for s snow fall to reach the bottom end of the predicted range. They really do a number on the poor restaurant people who loose a day's business over a half inch of snow.
 
Kinda funny but before the Blizzard of 97 no one around here ran and stocked up on anything except beer. But we had 36" dropped on us. Fist time in my life I saw em out plowing roads with dozers. This IS Minnesota and a lot of stuff was closed down for 3-4 days. Sense then there is normally a minor run when significant amounts of snow are predicted.

Rick
 
it snows here in central NY once in a while. sometimes it's a PITA, but generally life goes on at a slower pace like others have said. here, we get snow. south of here you get 1/4" of ice and all bets are off. I hate ice. Drive on snow all the time, don't even have snow tires. don't need them.
 
Always laugh about this subject. I always say cats and birds benefit from every snowstorm.....Cats get the milk as it starts to sour and birds get the stale bread because people buy more than they can use.

In 1978 we had a blizzard here in Springfield, Oh. I had driven the company parts delivery truck, F-150 FORD, home the night before. Boss said don't even try to get to work, help your neighbors. So I helped the local grocery who ran out of bread. Store owner said if you can get me to Bakery about 5 miles away, I can get more bread. We got there and back, unloaded the pickup with shopping cart. I was headed to the shelf with the last cart with about 12 loaves of bread. One of employees that didn't know I was helping them came around the corner and flew into a rage when he saw all that bread in my cart. Bunch of swear words flew as he said can't you read the sign ? 2 loaf minimum on bread ! I just grinned and said I am bringing it in not taking it out. He was so embarrassed. We became friends and for next few years when I would go in to store and see him I would ask "How many loaves of bread can I buy today ?" ☺
 
Guess our local Meijers was pretty busy yesterday. Snow didn't start until late last night, was normal after church this morning. Tomorrow may be different, got about 16-18" on the ground now and still snowing. Glad I cut some extra firewood yesterday, but there's enough in the house to last thru February anyway. Just not much fun to cut it when the snow's that deep.
 
I don't think city folks stock much food anymore. They grab breakfast at Mickey D's on the way to work and grab a broasted chicken for supper on the way home.

A lady from our hometown here in Iowa went to visit her daughter in California for a few weeks. Her daughter had almost no food in the house. She didn't mess with cooking and ate out every day. The mother had to go grocery shopping so she wouldn't starve while her daughter was at work. Jim
 
We have enough food to last for a few months, some canned and frozen stuff from here, and we buy flour and oats in 50 lb bags and beans and rice in 25 lb bags. Our local dollar store has bread sometimes and last time I bought 25 loaves since they had not had any for a while and we had room in the freezers since we had eaten some of the stuff from last summer and fall.
Zach
 
Not to worry around here,the roads are practically bare a few hours after any snow, the country puts down so much salt. Lol
 
Ok, Let me turn this around! what the hell do you coastal people do with that plywood you buy before every hurricane? Some of you guys must have enough of it to build a city with!
 
Around here (NE IL) I think it's people just shopping a few days early rather than hoarding bread milk and toilet paper. The biggest grocery store around here is usually packed on Saturday and Sunday. I went to town today to clear the snow at Mom's. The parking lot at the grocery store looked to be a little more crowded than normal.
 
They probably pile it beside the road for the trash then buy cut and install new sheets a few weeks later when the next hurricane is coming. :) After boarding up once I'd labeled each sheet as to what window it fit and tape the screw to it and save it for the next time.

Actually lots of houses like mine have plastic shutters stuck to the walls beside the window just for looks. I don't live at the beach but if I did I think it would make perfect sense to have real functional shutters on their windows.
 
We went yesterday instead of our normal Sunday run. Stores seemed a bit more busy than usual, but again I think it was more people doing what we were doing. The bread is usually fairly picked through every Sunday when we get there, so nothing unusual there, even in the summer.

Didn't go out today at all. If it's too cold tomorrow I may stay home. Not because I have to, but sometimes it's nice to just burn a day. Course they usually come in handy later in the year.

Donovan from Wisconsin
 
....and if it gets real bad we do have snowmobiles to get around. You always have those people who cant seem to buy a few loaves at a time and freeze it. There will always be the "doomsday prepper" type personalities out there also.
 
Maybe if a major storm is predicted. Other wise no. One major difference is that we're equipped to handle the snow "here". In an extreme case, we'll be unable to go to town for a day. But you need at least 2 feet for that to happen. Down there, you almost have to wait for it to melt because there are so few plows.
 
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