Originally Posted by iheartthed (Post 8889103)

So you don't actually have to stand in line everyday for an hour. You're just a masochist.

Originally Posted by hauntedheadnc (Post 8889133)

A neighbor stopped by randomly today with packets of seeds that he was offering for free to anyone who wanted to start a garden. We ended up with kale, cucumbers, and squash.

Originally Posted by mhays (Post 8889138)

Buying groceries every day adds too much risk for other people, plus yourself.

Originally Posted by mhays (Post 8889138)

Buying groceries every day adds too much risk for other people, plus yourself.

Originally Posted by awholeparade (Post 8888783)

I'm not considering selling my condo, but I do think that I would be handling this period much better if I had a yard and a driveway. I'm a big mountain biker and I could be screwing around in those areas on my bike, if I had them. Instead, I have to pass through common areas and multiple doors just to get outside. I bought my place specifically to be right by a great urban park, but because I'm in a dense area (for Denver), my street has the same amount of activity as ever (going to/from the park), and I don't feel comfortable going to the park because it's so packed. Again, I'm not considering selling and moving, but these are thoughts that I've had.

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889046)

So every other day then? I don’t have an American fridge. There simply isn’t any space if one is making 2-3 meals a day for two people at home. And that’s with cooking things like beans in bulk (which of course then need to be refrigerated).

I’m also adamant about supporting local business during this time, so I’ve tried to stop going to Whole Foods (the typical UK high street grocery stores suck), and instead go to the greengrocers, a bakery, a butcher, a fishmonger, etc.

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889159)

I would be harming my health by living on packaged food, not buying fresh vegetables. And everyone is “distancing” in these shops.

And if you need something to make a recipe, you need it.

Originally Posted by Pedestrian (Post 8889172)

Oh, please. Have you heard of those various containers that actually do keep vegetables fresh for at least several days if not the 9 days they claim?

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon...._AC_SX522_.jpg

Originally Posted by Pedestrian (Post 8889172)

Oh, please. Have you heard of those various containers that actually do keep vegetables fresh for at least several days if not the 9 days they claim?

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon...._AC_SX522_.jpg

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889185)

No, never in my life have I seen that, and they probably aren’t available here. But regardless, the space issue remains. Bunches of kale take up a lot of room.

Originally Posted by hauntedheadnc (Post 8889133)

A neighbor stopped by randomly today with packets of seeds that he was offering for free to anyone who wanted to start a garden. We ended up with kale, cucumbers, and squash.

Originally Posted by Pedestrian (Post 8889213)

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889185)

I don’t think shopping for food at least every other day is out of step with the norm where I live.

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889046)

I’m also adamant about supporting local business during this time, so I’ve tried to stop going to Whole Foods (the typical UK high street grocery stores suck), and instead go to the greengrocers, a bakery, a butcher, a fishmonger, etc.

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889185)

No, never in my life have I seen that, and they probably aren’t available here. But regardless, the space issue remains. Bunches of kale take up a lot of room.

I actually really hate the American habit of huge grocery shopping trips once a week or less, to buy mostly packaged food. Even if we had a pantry, it wouldn’t be stocked with cans and in any event things like rice and beans and pasta require fresh ingredients to go along with them.

I don’t think shopping for food at least every other day is out of step with the norm where I live. No one has the fridge/pantry space, and you only buy what you can carry home on foot.

You guys are acting as if the very air outside will kill you. Meanwhile most people are trying to go about their lives as best they can. If it was just me, there wouldn’t be lines.

Originally Posted by Crawford (Post 8889230)

I don't think too many Europeans shop North American style. Really none of my in-laws do the Costco-type shopping. Small fridges, kitchens and cars, emphasis on fresh food from narrowly focused specialty retailers, to be consumed on the day purchased.

And not in a precious/twee/upper class manner; factory workers generally have the same lifestyle. No Brooklyn-SF style $15 artisanal mayonaise made by Princeton dropouts, just good, simple, fairly priced food. Daily visits to baker, butcher and fruit and veggie place.

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin (Post 8889234)

The local shops have hour long waits?? I've specifically been shopping almost exclusively at small green grocers, etc now because they don't have huge lines. It's the big supermarkets that should be avoided (though still need to do it once every couple weeks to stock up on pantry goods and household items).

On the other hand, I had to wait in a 20 minute line at the liquor store today. Business must be way up though. I counted about 25 people in the lineup outside, plus maybe another 15 once inside. I've definitely never seen 40 people at my little neighbourhood liquor store all at once - let alone at 2PM on a Thursday!

Good thing I've been laid off and have all the time to wait in these lines now though. :haha:

Originally Posted by Handro (Post 8889237)

You and your partner need to get better at cooking and shopping. My girlfriend and I only buy fresh foods and meats, the only "packaged" food we get is canned whipped cream for me (addiction) and tortilla chips for her (she makes her own salsa). We live in a tiny condo and have small fridge to accommodate the limited space. We've been going once a week, maybe stopping in quickly a second time if there is something one of us really needs. Plan your meals, freeze your meats. Eat leftovers. Don't buy things like strawberries that go bad in a day or two, be smart with the produce you buy. Spinach, kale, asparagus, broccoli, bananas, raspberries, pineapple... all these things easily last when properly stored.

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin (Post 8889234)

The local shops have hour long waits?? I've specifically been shopping almost exclusively at small green grocers, etc now because they don't have huge lines. It's the big supermarkets that should be avoided.

On the other hand, had to wait in a 20 minute line at the liquor store today! Business must be way up though. I counted about 25 people in the lineup outside, plus maybe another 15 once inside. I've definitely never seen 40 people at my little neighbourhood liquor store all at once - let alone at 2PM on a Thursday.

Good thing I've been laid off and have all the time to wait in these lines now though. :haha:

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889222)

So they’re mostly for fruits, especially bananas (which I don’t eat).

I doubt they would keep the asparagus (it’s Spargelzeit!), wild garlic, zucchini, radicchio and other things currently in my fridge fresh for long enough to make a difference to my shopping needs.

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889185)

You guys are acting as if the very air outside will kill you. Meanwhile most people are trying to go about their lives as best they can. If it was just me, there wouldn’t be lines.

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889102)

I don’t know what milk you’re buying that lasts two weeks! Or even cheese.

.

Originally Posted by niwell (Post 8889260)

Sorry to hear about your layoff - hopefully it's temporary while this is going on! At least they are fastracking EI / CERB right now.

Sounds like your strategy is pretty much the same as mine, and given as we live in similar areas may have crossed paths (at a distance!) at some point. I also waited in line 20 minutes at the Dufferin Mall LCBO today, which is pretty much unheard of outside of New Years eve! Once I was inside it was great though - they also aren't kidding around as plexiglass shields have been installed and they gave everyone a squirt of hand sanitizer upon entering. I mentioned this in another thread but according to friends who work at Collective Arts and Great Lakes Brewing, sales are actually pretty steady compared to pre-lockdown - deliveries have actually made up for the loss of licensee sales!

I was thinking about stopping by the Lansdowne No Frills to get some things that are harder to find, but nixed that immediately on account of the line snaking through the edges of the parking lot. I have heard from friends in Parkdale that Longo's has had zero lineups so may check that out later this weekend.

Aside from the produce we've been ordering, I've found the convenience store beside Burdock is actually quite well stocked. And I can visit Burdock after for beer and sourdough bread (both necessities right now).

Originally Posted by sopas ej (Post 8889271)

I don't use those bags either; I've never heard of them. We use something called the "crisper drawer" in the fridge. :P

I don't know about that other stuff you get, but zucchini can last about a week, and garlic can last close to two weeks, definitely at least 1.5 weeks. Are you not storing them unpeeled? A whole head of garlic can last about 2 weeks, I think, so long as you keep it whole/unpeeled. Even individual unpeeled cloves of garlic can last for a bit, even on the counter. We don't peel them until we're ready to use them. And we use garlic all the time so it rarely sits on the counter for more than a week anyway.

Pre-pandemic, we would go grocery shopping once a week or every 3-4 days. We don't buy a lot either, we get enough produce or meat that'll last us about a week. Since the pandemic, we've been trying to go once every other week, to avoid going out.

Most local farmers markets are only once a week, and I know people who only shop at local farmers markets... of course individual neighborhood/local farmers markets are held on different days of the week...

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889217)

It would be great to have outdoor space during this.

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889294)

Wild garlic is a leaf, similar to the ramps that you get in the US. It goes bad if you look at it funny.

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889294)

When you say “avoid going out”, I assume you’re still going for walks or running. Literally staying indoors all day is extremely unhealthy. I would personally become deeply depressed very quickly.

Originally Posted by sopas ej (Post 8889335)

Ah, I thought you meant just regular garlic. My bad! I've never used wild garlic.



Oh yes, we still go for walks, definitely. My partner now starting his 4th week of working from home, he really looks forward to our walks (I still commute to work). It's been rainy here too the past week or so, we've even walked a bit in the rain. We just want to avoid the stores as much as we can. We've already gotten a number of things online, like TP, paper towels, tahini, garbanzo beans (we like to make our own hummus). You mentioned baguettes in one of your posts; yesterday, I got 2 baguettes on my way home from work; we ate one and are saving the other for today. We don't buy white bread, we usually buy rye at the supermarket.

We've adapted to this stay at home thing, but it took some time, I'll admit. The first week was a killer. We're so used to going out all the time, we were hardly ever home for long periods at a time. We're so used to going to museums, out to the movies, hiking, walks along the beach, that sort of thing... quick runs to the market, or a spur-of-the-moment dessert at one of our local bakeries. This pandemic has really made us realize how often we go out. And now since we only walk around our neighborhood/town, I feel like we've become like a little village. We see the same people on our walks.

We haven't changed our eating habits too much, we just plan our meals differently than we have before. We're trying not to do take out food too much, either, though I like supporting our local restaurants, and I admit sometimes I'm too lazy to cook/prepare food. I thought I might gain weight during this stay at home thing, but actually, I've been able to maintain my weight. I just told myself that I don't want to go into "famine" or "survival" mode---there's no need to start overeating to store fat, we're not experiencing a food shortage. It's funny how humans react, because in the first few days of stay-at-home, I did feel like I wanted to eat more, but I consciously made the effort not to.

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889353)

I am eating copious amounts of beans (soaked and cooked from dry, with aromatics and herbs). With social distancing, you can fart as much as you like. :haha:

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889353)

I’ve actually been losing weight in the absence of gym time.

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889222)

So they’re mostly for fruits, especially bananas (which I don’t eat).

I doubt they would keep the asparagus (it’s Spargelzeit!), wild garlic, zucchini, radicchio and other things currently in my fridge fresh for long enough to make a difference to my shopping needs.

Originally Posted by hauntedheadnc (Post 8889332)

I'm 'bout to container garden alllll up in this bitch. We have a wee little patio out back that gets a lot of shade, but enough sun for government work, plus a sunblasted little patch of lawn and a porch on the front that cooks in the afternoon sun. But... some plants seem to enjoy getting to pretend they're rooted in the middle of a barren parking lot.

"Parking lot sun" is the phrase I heard for situations like our front porch, at a garden store. I rather liked it and have used it ever since.

Originally Posted by Pedestrian (Post 8889372)

They actually do work pretty well for asparagus, zucchini and leafy things like radicchio. Also celery, green onions and bell peppers. Garlic lasts perfectly well in a garlic keeper on the counter top.

Originally Posted by 10023 (Post 8889159)

I would be harming my health by living on packaged food, not buying fresh vegetables. And everyone is “distancing” in these shops.

And if you need something to make a recipe, you need it.

Originally Posted by mrnyc (Post 8889418)

another shocking high of 824 deaths in a day in nyc.

but hospital admissions are going down.

seems to be the peak.

Originally Posted by hauntedheadnc (Post 8889332)

I'm 'bout to container garden alllll up in this bitch. We have a wee little patio out back that gets a lot of shade, but enough sun for government work, plus a sunblasted little patch of lawn and a porch on the front that cooks in the afternoon sun. But... some plants seem to enjoy getting to pretend they're rooted in the middle of a barren parking lot.

"Parking lot sun" is the phrase I heard for situations like our front porch, at a garden store. I rather liked it and have used it ever since.

Originally Posted by AviationGuy (Post 8889684)

Bottom line...I'm seeing inconsistencies. Some people not taking things seriously, but others definitely taking it seriously.