winter stock up food shopping

catnapt

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does anyone else do this? or is it a Yankee/ New England thing?
as soon as the weather turns colder, we run out and stock up our shelves and cabinets with food, just in case we end up snowed in


nevermind that being *that* snowed in rarely happens, usually within 24 hrs you can get out to a store, even if it's just to the drug store down the street, and most drug stores carry the basics, so starving to death in snow storm isn't a realistic fear.

still it makes us feel better to know that there's lots of food and the cupboards won't go bare, so we can sit inside on a cold snowy day and laugh at Mother Nature (er, quietly inside ourselves, mind you- you really do NOT want to mess with Mother Nature )


ok so I'm making up my stock up shopping list and I need ideas!
I don't usually eat much in the way of processed/canned foods due to the sodium content, but I like to have some canned goods like canned toms etc (no salt added versions, when I can find them)and a few things that aren't on my diet but I love em, so I cheat sometimes, shhh!

can you help me with my list?


this is what I have so far:

gingerale (for if I get sick- you don't want to have to go out when you're sick- I don't drink soda any other time)
apple cider
tea bags
instant coffee
hot choc mix (or the stuff to make my own? I have unsweetened cocoa powder and powdered milk)
sugar- 10lbs
XXX sugar
flour (have some)
baking powder
cans evap milk
canned pumpkin
natural applesauce
canned pineapple
canola oil
****Olive oil- I have never bought olive oil before- can you advise me on the best all purpose type to get for just regular cooking? Don't want/need the "olive oil" flavor, whatever that is- just need the right kind for cooking with. Also needs to be reasonably priced!)

mayo/ketchup/mustard/relish/pickles/black and spanish olives

canned toms, tom paste and tom sauce
grated parm cheese in the canister
canned beans, low sodium (pinto, red kidney)
bags of beans/dried peas
veg baked beans
instant potatoes
rice (have a big bag already)
pasta- angel hair and rotini
quick barley
oatmeal
dry cereals: shredded wheat, cheerios, etc
Polaner all fruit spreads
low sodium peanut butter
canned pumpkin/squash


frz veggies (spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, peas, squash, cauliflower, corn on cob, veggie mixes)

Pierogies (these are surprisingly low fat)
fat free cool whip
olivio spread


(of course I'd get fresh produce as needed, this is a stock up on non perishable items)


I know there's more but that's all I can come up with so far. I need to find a ride to bring all this home from the store, and I want to have a really good list so I don't forget anything and waste the ride (I pay someone to take me home with my groceries cuz I need help carrying it up the stairs, I don't drive and I've got bad knees/back/shoulder pffft!)

oh and paper products, etc! TP, dish soap, paper towels and trash bags...
 

natalie_ca

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I stock up for winter too! Mostly because I hate going outside in the winter, and I hate grocery shopping even more in the winter than I do any time of the year, and I really, really hate grocery shopping!!

I stock up on frozen stuff and heavy stuff like cat litter, bags of cat food, gallons of distilled water for my CPAP machine, shampoo. detergent, bleach, canned stuff, even 2 litres of skim milk which I put into the freezer for future use.

Before the snow flies I have 2 large shoppings to do to get myself stocked up.
 

blueyedgirl5946

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Better stock up on cleaning supplies. Are you a vegetarian. If not, maybe add hamburger meat, chicken, etc. My mother lived in Ronco, Pa. It was a coal mining community up the side of a mountain. It was so isolated, in winter the refrigerated truck came on a certain day to bring butter, eggs, milk, etc. If you were not standing there that day when they unloaded the stuff, you usually didn't get any and had to wait until the next week. Sometimes, she had to walk there in the snow. I am glad to be a flat lander and live in an area where it hardly ever snows.
 

jcat

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Although I haven't lived in the northeastern U.S. for nearly three decades, I still stock up on stuff for the winter. It drives DH nuts, because getting snowed in is a really rare occurrence here, and we have three supermarkets within easy walking distance.
 

pookie-poo

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Cat litter, toilet paper and Kleenex...those are the things that I'm obsessive about keeping several back ups of.

Pretty much EVERYTHING else I have one that I'm using, and another as back up....dish soap, laundry soap, deoderant, mascara, toothpaste...you name it! As soon as I open the back up, it goes on the shopping list to replace. Oddly, I'm more worried about keeping a big supply of cat food around (they eat prescription renal food) than I am about keeping a lot of people food around.
 

margecat

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Nah, it's a PA thing, too!


I do it for several reasons:

1. We live at the top of a very long hill; you may even call it a small mountain. The nearest store is at the FOOT of the hill. And we've gotten a lot of snow here since I've lived here (6 years). I do NOTwant to have to drive down that hill, and back up it, just beacuse we've run out of cat food (I stock up on the canned, and litter).

2. I do food storage because I'd like to be prepared in case one of us loses our job, gets sick for a prolonged period, a natural disaster, or the economy goes very bad. It doesn't hurt to have a couple of months of food and toiletries on hand at all times, as long as you use and rotate your stock. Don't buy canned beets for emergengies, if you hate canned beets--even if they're cheap--you won't like them any better then! BTW, we have had to use our storage several times in the past 6 years. DH has been out of work for up top 2 weeks at a time; this happens about once a year. In the trucking industry, if the hours aren't there, you don't work, hence, no paycheck.
 

gailc

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I keep crackers and nuts like almond & walnuts. Also bottles of juice and next month when chicken broth is the least expensive I buy a case (low sodium) and also beef and veg broth too.

When snow is forecast we get really busy at work and like the other posts one can usually get around within several hours.
 

stephanietx

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Here in Texas, we wait until the last minute and then bombard the grocery stores!
 

nurseangel

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As far as the olive oil goes, I use it for frying chicken, etc. I really can't tell much of a difference in the types of olive oil, however, and it all seems pretty expensive.

I like to know that I have peanut butter on hand. Also evaporated milk, muffin mix, margarine, pasta, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans. If my aunt gives me a few jars of homemade vegatable soup, that will go in the cabinet for a special occasion or snowy day.
 

kara_leigh

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I wouldn't say we specifically stock up for winter, but we keep our pantry and fridge pretty much stocked all the time. One of DS's friends came over for the first time, and when we were putting the groceries away after the store he looked in our pantry and said "OMG, that's the most food I've ever seen in one place other than the store!!" I don't even think we have that big of a stock.

About once or twice a year we do a BIG trip and refill everything. We just did that back last month when I lost my job. DH cashed his 401k and the first thing we did was stock up on groceries b/c it had been a while since we had done it. Now we just restock as needed and buy the perishables.
 

natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by Trouts mom

Here in Ottawa, we still go to work when we are snowed in.


I wish I was joking.
I know that feeling! Even 2 feet of fresh snow on the roads won't keep most of us serious winterized Canadians from getting to work....well, except if you live in Toronto: They tend to freak out with 1/2 inch of snow
I remember seeing on the news that the city came to an entire standstill with 1 inch of fresh snow. I thought the Prime Minister was going to have to send in the Army Reserves to help them!


In Winnipeg, only a snow fall like this one will put our city at a stand still! We were literally trapped inside out house. The snow was drifted so high that it was up to the roof of our 2 story house on 2 sides where the exits were. We had to take out the window in our front door to shovel the snow. We used toy shovels and buckets and shoveled snow into them and dumped them into the tubs and sinks until the snow was at the bottom of the window. Then we leaned out of the window and shoveled the snow throwing it off to the side. It took us 2 weeks to get our front door, step and sidewalk shoveled and when we were finished the snow was over 7 feet high on either side of our sidewalk! It was awful! Graters were clearing paths for ambulances and fire trucks. Snowmobiles were traveling down roads. Buses didn't run for 2 days. My sister-in-law was a nurse at that time and got picked up for work by snowmobile, a co-worker of hers got picked up by an army tank.

This picture isn't of our house, but it gives you an idea.

 

sharky

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I am a stocker... now year round since about a month ago I spent a entire week in bed sick...You likely want LIGHT olive oil it is light in flavor and usually cheaper than others... If you have a Costco there higher end Extra virgine( also light in flavor) is a bargain...

http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/how...oil-works2.htm
 

Winchester

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I stock up when our grocery store has a good sale on canned or frozen foods. Other than that, I don't bother. Then again, our son says that one could probably shop in our pantry and freezer, so I guess I keep a good stock all the time. I do hate to want to make a recipe only to find out that I'm out of lemon juice or tomatoes or something.

We get snow, but it's is very rare that we're snowed in longer than one day. Even during the big March blizzard (back in 1994? 1996? I don't remember), we were only snowed in for one day...and they had to bring in backhoes and such to get the snow drifts cleared. Still only one day.

As soon as there's even a rumor of snow on the weather forecasts, the newspeople visit the grocery stores in the area to find people stocking up on food, milk, eggs, and bread for the most part. DH and I sit there and laugh....one is hardly ever truly snowed in anymore. Guess they want to make sure they can make breakfast or something.
 

margecat

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Winchester;2946765 said:
I stock up when our grocery store has a good sale on canned or frozen foods. Other than that, I don't bother. Then again, our son says that one could probably shop in our pantry and freezer, so I guess I keep a good stock all the time. I do hate to want to make a recipe only to find out that I'm out of lemon juice or tomatoes or something.

We get snow, but it's is very rare that we're snowed in longer than one day. Even during the big March blizzard (back in 1994? 1996? I don't remember), we were only snowed in for one day...and they had to bring in backhoes and such to get the snow drifts cleared. Still only one day.

As soon as there's even a rumor of snow on the weather forecasts, the newspeople visit the grocery stores in the area to find people stocking up on food, milk, eggs, and bread for the most part. DH and I sit there and laugh....one is hardly ever truly snowed in anymore. Guess they want to make sure they can make breakfast or something.[/QUOTE


The bad winter of '94-'95 (?) ? I think it was '94-'95 (or was it '93-'94???). I remember it well! Five days without being able to get out of our driveway, due to a foot high barrier of packed ice and snow. The ice and snow kept melting, then re-freezing, creating a barrier that couldn't easily be melted. Mom wouldn't buy anything not on her grocery list, even though by that time, we'd had about 10 major snowstorms, and she doesn't drive. She had been in the store 2 days before one storm that was predicted, yet would NOT buy anything extra. Guess who had to stand in line for almost TWO HOURS (and that was the "speed" line) the day before the storm, on her way home from work?
Yep. "Honey, please stop in Giant, and get some more bread, toilet paper, and cat food?" Never again! I took the chance to stock up, and I think this is when I started the food stocking thing.
 

3catsn1dog

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Originally Posted by Winchester

We get snow, but it's is very rare that we're snowed in longer than one day. Even during the big March blizzard (back in 1994? 1996? I don't remember), we were only snowed in for one day...and they had to bring in backhoes and such to get the snow drifts cleared. Still only one day.
It was December of 95 and January of 96 that we got those big snow storms because that Dec I moved to Pa from Kansas and in that first month in our new house we not only got snowed in but I got the worst case of strep throat imaginable and missed 3 weeks of school AND thennnnn we got flooded out of our house because all the snow melted and the Isle of Que in Selinsgrove got half flooded, we had 3 ft of water in our living room and got evacuated by the police. We actually got in trouble because we were all trying to get my moms antiques upstairs and the tv and stuff so it didnt get damaged, it was the last furniture my mom had of her moms.

I think it was the summer before we moved to Pa or maybe the year before that when we lived in Ft Leavenworth that we got to watch the river flood over, it was literally 20 ft from the Army bases gates and my mom even has pictures from driving thru Leavenworth and the graveyards got so flooded that casketts and stuff were pulled up from the ground and floated onto peoples front porches and stuff...Creepy but soooo neat.

Ok enough flood talk, I dont do major stocking up for the winter but if I see the weather is calling for a big huge snow storm I make sure I stock up on basic stuff we will need for a couple days. We also make sure we have more than enough wood at all times on the front porch to keep the wood stove going because if the electric goes out we have to literally peg the thermostat to keep the pipes from freezing. After having to help both BFs dad and brother when their pipes froze in their houses, we always keep a heater going in the bathroom where all the pipes are and we make sure the house stays super warm all night. I know Im not crawling under the trailer to fix them, eek who knows whats under there.
 

Winchester

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Originally Posted by MargeCat

The bad winter of '94-'95 (?) ? I think it was '94-'95 (or was it '93-'94???). I remember it well! Five days without being able to get out of our driveway, due to a foot high barrier of packed ice and snow. The ice and snow kept melting, then re-freezing, creating a barrier that couldn't easily be melted. Mom wouldn't buy anything not on her grocery list, even though by that time, we'd had about 10 major snowstorms, and she doesn't drive. She had been in the store 2 days before one storm that was predicted, yet would NOT buy anything extra. Guess who had to stand in line for almost TWO HOURS (and that was the "speed" line) the day before the storm, on her way home from work?
Yep. "Honey, please stop in Giant, and get some more bread, toilet paper, and cat food?" Never again! I took the chance to stock up, and I think this is when I started the food stocking thing.
I remember that winter! We live at the top of a hill and our driveway was a solid sheet of ice and packed snow for most of that winter. It got so bad that we dug out a 3-foot wide path the entire length of the driveway and let the rest of the driveway go....by winter's end, we probably had about 4 feet of snow in the driveway....the rest of the yard looked like the surface of moon with windswept snow mounds and craters all over the place. We parked at the bottom of the driveway for a good two months or so (we kept enough space dug out for the three vehicles) and walked up and down the driveway. We kept walking sticks in our vehicles because that 3-foot path was a solid sheet of ice the whole time. We would go for groceries (we go about every week or so) and lug the bags up the driveway "path". We couldn't wait for that winter to end.

It would snow, then freeze. A day or two later more snow and more freezing. Every morning for one solid week, I drove home from work in freezing rain...every single morning. We walked up and down that darn driveway for at least two months. The snow and bitterly cold weather would not let up.

The road in front of our house was always good....the PA DoT guys were great about keeping the roads clear. Our problem was that we simply could not keep up with all the snow and ice we kept getting; it was impossible to keep the driveway clear.

(And people wonder why I hate winter so much!)
 

starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by kara_leigh

I wouldn't say we specifically stock up for winter, but we keep our pantry and fridge pretty much stocked all the time.
That is exactly what I do as well. I try to always make sure that I have food on hand (especially dry/canned goods) and I organize by expiration date so that everything gets rotated and used. I stock up, but I'm not wasteful, so I regurally go through my pantry and check dates for things that need to be cooked soon/etc
I replenish with each grocery store trip and keep a detailed list so I stick to my budget. I've been especially vigilient about stocking up my pantry/fridge over the past few months since I've had heart surgery and some other complications from it- I have a hard time moving around and driving much on my own right now (I'll only drive within a few miles of my apartment for now until I'm better), so my family & boyfriend have been taking me to the store for things I need when they have time, and then carrying everything up the stairs to my apartment to help me out. Since I'm relying on their help a bit while I recover, I try to stock up a little more on my fridge/freezer items as well now so that I'm not inconviencing anyone with frequent trips to the store.


As far as snow goes, in my area, we typically only get snow a few days each year. At the first hint of a snow warning (before snow is ever even falling
) schools are canclled, businesses close down, and people rush to the grocery store and stock up like they're preparing for a nuclear war! It's really quite hilarious!
It's times like that when I enjoy staying home, watching the snow fall, and sipping hot chocolate while the rest of the maniacs buy out the grocery stores (I hate crowds when I shop!).

Now, all of that being said, ICE is an entirely different beast!! We have had some horrendous ice storms in the past that have definitely made the streets undrivable, shut power off, and caused numerous issues; it's best to just stay inside when we have an ice storm!! Anytime they predict an ice storm on for the weather forecast- I will bite my tongue and join masses of crazy people at the grocery store to make sure that I'm well-stocked on necessities just to be safe. (Our part of the country doesn't see as much wintery weather as the northerners get, so we don't have all of the equipment other places do for winter weather, so when our streets/power lines get iced over, things get dangerous!) In the past, I remember one ice storm we had knocked all of the power out and left us homebound for a while-I was really happy that my mom (lived with her at the time) had stocked up on food and my presciptions in advance! I did learn a lesson from that as well; ALWAYS have a huge supply of candles at hand, you never know when you'll need them!
 
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catnapt

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thanks everyone for your ideas and stories!!

I still haven't gone shopping, got a few unexpected expenses, sick cat and my pet rats all got mites
sigh

I keep adding to the list, at this rate I'll need a truck to get it all home lol
 
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