Living the Pantry Lifestyle - Not letting our guard down

Sorry for the very late Saturday post but I had an important Frozen themed birthday party to attend today for a now four year old Elsa Piper.  I made it through a visit to the park's zoo, a picnic lunch at the park, and almost to the opening of gifts.  Since I was getting very fatigued, they let Piper open her gifts from us first before I had to leave for home.  ;)

I've been talking to some friends and family about the need to stock up again before a possible second round of the virus is forecast.  I felt something was coming late last year but nothing in my wildest imagination prepared me for a complete shutdown of society, much less that it would last this long.

Recently there have been a few news events that peaked my curiosity and I knew we needed to continue "putting back" extra in the pantry all summer.  I understand that this is all speculation and I normally despise speculation.  I know, for someone who loves watching detectives solve murder mysteries on television, I should like it when someone speculates.  It is fine in cases of "who done it" but not second guessing the news.

What changed my mind on taking even speculation seriously was seeing the last time that the fear of the virus caused as much panic buying as the virus itself.  So all it will take are rumors of a second outbreak to see shelves emptying again.

The first news report was that new cases of the virus are happening rapidly in some states.  Of course, this is not speculation, it is in real time.  I think this may be why we are still seeing some shelves empty of often purchased items.  Along with the manufacturing and farming supply line is not back to what it was pre-pandemic.

Second, most scientists are now seeing the possibility of another round of COVID by early Fall.  While this is still speculation, it is actually an educated guess since other coronaviruses have been known to come around every year.

Third, scientists are fairly certain that having the virus will not give most people immunity to another outbreak and that it possibly may go airborne.  Both of these possibilities are speculation but should either be true, I could see much more stringent shelter in place rules following.

I've been doing a few things.  I've mentioned before that I am remembering what was not available during the worst of the shutdown and making certain I purchase some of these items.  It doesn't cost very much to buy an extra package of TP now, an extra package of paper towels, or disinfectant wipes if you can find them.

Most of my pantry deepening again has been done a little at a time, which is best for my budget.  I've used a gift to make some purchases and I do use Amazon credit when there is no important birthday that month.  We all learned how quickly things can change and items become unavailable.

I restocked the inexpensive items like pasta when I bought some more packages of spaghetti on stock up day.  I had some other shapes already.  I usually do not have spaghetti sauce on my pantry shelf because I already have pizza sauce and it can become a delicious pasta sauce by just adding a can of tomatoes.  I also use pasta most often as an extender to other dishes, like the Italians!

Often I just purchase one or two items to "put back" for an emergency.  I bought one can of sweetened condensed milk for the pantry during a quick trip to the grocery store.  Another time I bought one box of quart size Ziplock bags only because I've noticed the shelves with Ziplock and other brands of items have been sparse.

My favorite Kerrygold butter was on sale so I bought a few packages for the freezer about three weeks ago.  It was almost impossible to find for awhile since it comes from Ireland.  I use Aldi butter for baking and when I purchase one on stock up day... I buy an extra for the deep freeze.  Butter freezes well and lasts a long time.

So unless I'm using a birthday gift, Christmas gift, etc., I set aside a place in my food budget for "a little at a time" filling the pantry.  My current pantry is not very deep at all but I have found through through experience that it is better to have more put back of less options. 

Like... right now I only have some canned green beans put back for green veggies and some canned peaches for fruit in the pantry.  There are just two of us and that is what we would use the most so I'd rather have more cans of each of them instead of a variety of cans that I don't have room for, anyway.

I know some people mentioned they wished they had a deep freeze but they became impossible to find during the pandemic.  It may be time to see if they have been restocked if you were planning on getting one, anyway.  Most chest freezers are not expensive.

It is already very late and I am quite tired after a long... but enjoyable... day.  There will be more to talk about next week.  Be diligent.  A little at a time putting back will bring huge benefits later.  What if nothing at all happens?  When you buy only extras of what you eat and use, anyway... you haven't wasted any money.

Image:  Doris Lee, artist