WINTER STORM! aka Time to Panic

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SuzySunshine99
SuzySunshine99 Posts: 2,984 Member
edited December 2022 in Food and Nutrition
With much of the U.S. dealing with a winter storm and brutal cold this week, it's been funny to watch both the local and national news. There are inevitably stories about people stocking up at grocery stores.

Do you stock up on any food/supplies/liquor when the news people tell you that you must? If so, what do you get?

I did fill up my gas tank, but because I'm hosting Christmas Eve tomorrow, my refrigerator is already full.

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  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    edited December 2022
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    Here, in Italy, the News is talking about the storm hitting North America. We, on the other hand, are expecting high temps for Christmas.

    The World is a strange place. Stay safe everyone. <3
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,020 Member
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    I absolutely made sure to have food, water, a full tank of gas, a charged phone. I really do worry about extended power outages. I live in a place where I can't use a generator and my source of heat is electric...so...I also have a bug-out bag and layers of clothing ready.
  • singer201
    singer201 Posts: 560 Member
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    I keep a well-stocked pantry and full freezer, so generally there's nothing I "have to" get at a moment's notice. Canned milk and the ability to make bread make special trips for those items unnecessary.
  • LifeChangz
    LifeChangz Posts: 457 Member
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    we stocked in a weeks supply of water, pet food and food that does not require cooking.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,970 Member
    edited December 2022
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    First white Christmas in 6 years. We're getting hammered right now and expect to continue until late Saturday. It's Ontario Canada so not a big deal, except for the clean up. Stocked up on wine.
  • BartBVanBockstaele
    BartBVanBockstaele Posts: 623 Member
    edited December 2022
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    I don't because the news people say so. I do because we are still in a pandemic that is worsening right now, and being someone who lives alone, I have no intention to add to the problems hospitals already have enough of without me adding to them, so I try to limit my number of close contacts and mask up when I cannot avoid it.

    For the rest, the Canadian government does recommend having an emergency kit, and it is certainly worth a good look:
    https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/kts/bsc-kt-en.aspx

    As for how bad it is right now, I live downtown Toronto and I just had a look outside and I am not particularly impressed. Here is a picture of two intersections close to where I live:
    2jmb67dkgm9a.png
    0a5ow71s9sd6.png
    While this may change, I think few people will claim that it looks bad right now.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,436 Member
    edited December 2022
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    I just made it a point to get in all my errands yesterday, so I could hibernate today and through the weekend. That's not much different than what I would've planned if no bad forecast: I hate the stores in those last days before Christmas!

    I usually have shelf-stable foods on hand, so I wouldn't starve before I could get out, even if the power went out.

    No power would be a Bad Thing, as it's currently 6 degrees F (-14 C) here (in the daytime) and blow-y. The house is pretty well insulated, but I'd be avoiding opening the refrigerator or freezer to preserve the food. The gas stovetop can be hand-lit to cook, and city water would still flow, in all likelihood.

    I'd be peeved if it were so cold for so long that the houseplants died: I have a couple of them. Like maybe 50-60? 😆 (Haven't counted lately.)

    ETA: I'm always sad when we get bigger, blowier snow right at this time of year. So many people get on the road despite conditions because of the holiday, and there are so many more casualties. On top of that, we haven't had a lot of snow yet this year in my part of Michigan, and it tends to take a storm or two for some people to remember how to drive in snow. I've had the radio on today, and there have been a steady stream of "road closure due to crash" announcements for the highways. I can only hope that the people in the vehicles are safe.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,973 Member
    edited December 2022
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    Between holiday and storm prepping, the supermarket was a zoo Thursday and I kicked myself for not having shopped earlier in the week.

    We live in a pine forest, easily lose power due to fallen branches or trees, and are not a priority to fix as there are so few houses out here. We got a whole-house generator last January. It doesn't feel normal not running around prepping. Now I have to content myself with reminding my friends to prep and telling them they are welcome here if they lose power. :lol:

    We did lose power for a few hours yesterday and the gennie came on and went back off just like it is supposed to.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,042 Member
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    Winter is when I almost exclusively shop my pantry and freezer. With or without an impending winter storm, I go weeks between grocery purchases and then it is usually for one or two items - like fresh fruit or eggs.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,988 Member
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    SuzySunshine99 wrote: »
    With much of the U.S. dealing with a winter storm and brutal cold this week, it's been funny to watch both the local and national news. There are inevitably stories about people stocking up at grocery stores.

    Do you stock up on any food/supplies/liquor when the news people tell you that you must? If so, what do you get?

    I did fill up my gas tank, but because I'm hosting Christmas Eve tomorrow, my refrigerator is already full.

    If I had been planning to do some shopping during the period of the storm, I would have changed my plans and gone a day or two earlier. But since I bought the things I needed for the holiday the previous weekend, I didn't really need anything, so I just skipped it.

    I try to keep at least several weeks of non-perishable or long-life perishable necessities on hand (e.g., toilet paper, toothpaste, butter, eggs), so I very rarely face a need to rush to the grocery store ahead of a storm.

    There's not much I can't do without for another week if a storm hits on the weekend when I would normally shop. Maybe I'll have to live without fresh produce for a bit, but eating frozen/canned/dried veggies and fruit won't kill me.

    If there are going to be storms on consecutive weekends, I can either make a quick trip in the morning before work, or order groceries to be delivered in the evening during the work week, when there's a break between the storms, if there's something I really need. Fortunately I live in an area with lots of close-by options either for shopping myself and getting delivery, and can afford to occasionally pay for the convenience of delivery.

    I try not to let my gas tank get below half full during the winter.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,444 Member
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    In neither of the countries I've lived people would be rushing out to do emergency groceries (unless it involves a certain pandemic and bog roll of course). Sure, if my generally poor planning means I might run out of something then I try to remember and buy it ahead of the storm. If I do then it's bad luck and I'm sure I'd find something else to eat in the house. Important to note: heating here is mostly with gas or oil, tap water generally doesn't freeze and is drinkable. And there's always a supermarket within walking distance, usually also in small villages. So yeah, it's -15C and stormy, but I could still walk those 5 mins to the supermarket if I really have to.

    So in a way I watch those news items from the US with a mix of fascination and horror. It's almost like poverty porn, but related to housing, food and mobility. Sorry guys.
  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 935 Member
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    I always have emergency items stashed in my house just in case. Food, supplies, etc.

    After surviving a few hurricanes and black outs, think it’s better to be safe than sorry. Especially if you have anyone elderly or ill depending on you.

    I don’t hoard - but I’m prepared to have my family last a few days or more in any emergency situation.

    Also / re overzealous news, it depends on where one is located.. I have friends in Buffalo whose families are isolated in 3 ft or more of snow.. for them, the news wasn’t exaggerating.
  • BartBVanBockstaele
    BartBVanBockstaele Posts: 623 Member
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    SafariGalNYC wrote: »
    I always have emergency items stashed in my house just in case. Food, supplies, etc.

    After surviving a few hurricanes and black outs, think it’s better to be safe than sorry. Especially if you have anyone elderly or ill depending on you.

    I don’t hoard - but I’m prepared to have my family last a few days or more in any emergency situation.
    Wise practice.
    Also / re overzealous news, it depends on where one is located.. I have friends in Buffalo whose families are isolated in 3 ft or more of snow.. for them, the news wasn’t exaggerating.
    Indeed. We need to be less self-centered. Just because WE are not in trouble, does not mean that OTHERS are not in trouble. The media are there for the whole country. It is not their fault that we are too self-centered to understand that.
  • BartBVanBockstaele
    BartBVanBockstaele Posts: 623 Member
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    SuzySunshine99 wrote: »
    And if my local news would like to cover that for more than 30 seconds, that would be great. But, they are too busy telling us to PANIC over 2 inches of snow.
    2 inches of snow can be deadly. Just ask the people who died as a result of not paying attention. The snowstorm in the US is covered by the media the world over because it is an extraordinary event that is having a major effect on this country that is quite obviously very ill-prepared for a situation like this. If one doesn't like to hear that, one has always the option to listen to something else.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,042 Member
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    The milk & bread panic buying is so common that it has become a popular FB meme. It's an easy news filler in most markets... like Black Friday shopping and crediting charitable deeds to children at Christmas.

    Two inches of snow is relative. It's enough to completely shut down Atlanta and affectionately known as 'flurries' in Buffalo.
  • BartBVanBockstaele
    BartBVanBockstaele Posts: 623 Member
    edited December 2022
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    MsCzar wrote: »
    Two inches of snow is relative. It's enough to completely shut down Atlanta and affectionately known as 'flurries' in Buffalo.
    That is actually one the things that continue to amaze me. I live in Toronto, and heavy snowstorms are very rare and talked about for years. Yet, in Buffalo, a city that is only a relatively short drive away, they are common. Lake Ontario really has a protective effect for us.

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