Photo: Orlowski Designs LLC (Shutterstock)
If you’ve been to a grocery store recently, you may have noticed: It’s March 2020 all over again. At least it looks that way, or perhaps worse. With severe winter weather, cumulative supply chain disruptions, and ongoing staffing shortages due to a steep rise in COVID cases, stock of certain items at grocery stores across the country has taken a hit. Which items? Well, that depends on store—and the day.
Why are shelves so bare?
Several factors are coinciding to make this perfect storm of food shortages. In one report, “the nation’s truckers told CBS News they’re operating with 80,000 fewer drivers than needed.” This, during a time when consumer demand for groceries, according to Doug Baker of the Food Industry Association, has risen 50% since the start of the pandemic.
Baker told CBS News, “It’s going to be several weeks before we see relief,” and there’s no way to know which items will be affected next. “It’s sort of like playing Whack-a-Mole. If you don’t see it today, you’ll probably see it tomorrow.”
But it may be wildly more expensive. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, gasoline prices rose an eye-popping 58% between November 2020 and November 2021, and food prices increased 6%, (with the price of beef rising 13%, eggs by 11%, and fresh fruits by 8%).
So what can you do when you can’t find your favorite everyday items? Here are few tips—besides panic buying.
Check online
We don’t mean just order from Amazon or Fresh Direct, though those are both viable options. Many major grocery store chains have location settings that enable you to check if another nearby store may have the item in stock. If your store doesn’t have your family’s favorite dumplings, go to their website—or to delivery apps like FreshDirect, Instacart, and Peapod—to search where it may be in stock.
Expand where you shop
There’s never been a better time to patronize your local farmer’s market. Likewise, independently-owned stores and grocers focused on food of certain ethnicities, which don’t see the customer volume of large chains, will often have hard-to-find ingredients on hand. If Safeway doesn’t have it, try the nearest Asian, Middle Eastern, Indian, or Hispanic market, which may have what you need and inspire you to make a new dish.
Meal-delivery services may also have greater supply. Friends who used Misfits Market, HelloFresh, and EveryPlate have reported no shortages on their meal choices and scheduled weekly deliveries.
Maybe you usually go to Target or Walmart for things like school supplies and leggings. But don’t forget the food! While you won’t find organic produce, they carry many essentials, from eggs and frozen vegetables to fresh fruit and a range of ground beef options.
And, similar to people traveling to red counties to get hard-to-find booster shots and COVID tests, you may have better luck if you drive to a nearby town or store that caters to a different demographic than your usual store.
Use fewer ingredients and make substitutions
It might be time to scale back your cooking. Instead of making crispy gnocchi with burst tomatoes, leeks, and mozzarella, how about elbow macaroni with sausages? Skip the fancier accoutrements in favor of simplifying. A Google search on “meals with few ingredients” will yield thousands of recipes instantly, or invest in a cookbook of the same ilk.
Choose snacks and meals where ingredients are interchangeable—where any fruit or veggie can stand in. Like Greek yogurt with honey and blueberries (or cherries, or raspberries). Chicken and vegetables (which could be frozen mixed, canned peas, or if you’re lucky, fresh asparagus). If rice and quinoa are in short supply, experiment with other less widely-used grains like bulgur, farro, or millet.
Freeze-dry your food
We all know the virtues of buying in bulk. But have you considered freeze-drying your food for much longer freshness (up to 30 years)? You probably won’t need it that long (let’s hope), but if you buy extra of your most-used items when available, your freeze-dried stash of fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy will certainly serve you down the road.
Lower your standards and waste nothing
If you’re a die-hard fresh-fruit-only snob, it’s time to ditch your morals. Stock up on frozen vegetables and fruit, or canned goods—though watch they are not packed in sugary syrup or swimming in a high-sodium bath. If you’ve never liked the taste of frozen veggies, use butter, olive oil, garlic salt, cheese, herbs, or lemon juice to enhance their flavor.
And, as my friend put it so well, “When it comes to food shortages, I’m a wartime granny. Nothing is wasted.” Use these hacks for managing leftovers so you won’t forget them—and don’t throw out those ripped cheese slices or freezer-burned chicken patties. Slice, scrape, and proceed.
Put a call out to your WhatsApp groups
We kid, but only kind of. Reach out to your communities for tips. Social media platforms like WhatsApp, NextDoor, Facebook, and Craigslist can all point you to where other folks in your area have recently found an in-demand item. Of course, you may want to start with your close network of family and friends before you head to your town’s Facebook group—we don’t necessarily want everyone to know where to find the only stash of cream cheese in town.
