Best Time To Go Grocery Shopping During Pandemic To Avoid Crowds

108 Comments

1. We looked up when grocery subsidies are issued in our state and avoid those dates due to the crowds and bare shelves or low stock. I went this morning at 8:30 also and everything was well stocked, only one or two other shoppers there.

   1. Christina,
      Most sheltering orders make allowances to get groceries or get medical attention. Social distancing means staying basically 6′ or more from others as much as you can. As for waiting for your April 1st paycheck, can’t help you there. Good luck, you can do this.

2. Chevy early in the morning is when they do the bulk of their restocking.

   Ken’s right that around 8:00-9:00 the stuff is restocked OR you can ask nicely and they will bring you from the back room what you want.

   Also staff tends to be nicer then, maybe les stressed about unreasonable people demanding they bring out the “Hidden Stock” out back nonsense. Yeah I’ve heard that often enough from mostly obese “Easy Shopper” Riders.

3. Ken, I know you don’t know about this yet…but you will one day :)

   I shop on “senior days”. Wednesday is store #1 Thursday is store #2.
   I try not to shop on Friday or Saturday because most people just got paid. Sundays, there isn’t enough time to restock, and the veggies are all picked over.
   And, Yes, I always wipe down the cart! Been doing that for years!
   luv to you and Mrs. J and Sampson! Beach’n

   1. Hahaha… I wonder when someone officially becomes a “senior”? I suppose it’s all just in one’s mind ;) or not!

      1. In the interest of taking advantage of senior discounts, I looked it up once. In some stores, restaurants, and movie theaters, it’s as young as 55.

      2. okay so true story,
         My hair turned salt/pepper earlier than most and I’ve never dyed it. Years before I officially became a “senior” at the grocery store, I was asked if I got the senior discount. I said, “do I have to show my ID?” I didn’t take the discount because I like to sleep at night!
         Also, my hair is mostly “salt” now. :D
         Beach’n

         1. I got my first grey hair at age 22. Started dying it in my late 20’s. Quit dying when I retired. My brother was completely grey in his 30’s. So was my mother.

      3. Last night on Hannity he was saying you don’t have to worry. It is only dangerous for people over 60. And only 80 year olds seem to be dying in the US. Well isn’t that just special news. Can’t believe how comforting that is.

         1. Oh my gosh – thank you for that! Yep – totally comforting that only semi-older folks (I’m not old, I’m properly seasoned thank you very much) are gonna get it bad – geeeeeee thaannnkksss – I’m sooooo reassured (wink/eye roll)

         2. Anyone at any age can become VERY ill from COVID19. Don’t be silly

         3. Tells me he doesn’t care about old people of any age or their grandkids, extended families etc…Fox Family values right there on display. Life is too short to watch that counter intuitive propaganda! Better to go shopping at Costco in LA on a Sunday over any day that involves a Hannity of any sort.

4. Hit Lowes today at 7:30 am, store empty, on to Publix by 7:45 am, store almost empty as well. Sunday School and Church attendance was down from normal yesterday.

   Folks starting to stay home?

   Be safe & God Bless

5. I shop grocery stores as soon as they open, usually on a Wednesday; never on weekends or paydays or EBT days. Usually less than 12 customers, never wait in checkout line.

   Order warehouse pickup orders for 8:30 or 9:00 depending on store, pay on line and and it is done. Call in order to feed store, pick up when they call and say it is ready, usually on Mondays.

6. Don’t forget the time of the month as well. The first five or six days of the month are busier due to many retirement payments, SS checks, and EBT. We have found even in the middle of the day Wednesdays and Thursdays are usually thinner in the crowd department in our area.

   1. Good advice, thanks! Avoid the first week of the month if possible!

   2. Deep South & Ken
      Not only that, here in the Four Corners we’re surrounded by 5 different Reservations.
      Their FREE government checks come out on the first of the month.
      Wally and ALL other stores are swarmed by literally tens of thousands of shoppers in from the Reservations, literally a mad house.

      1. Here too. I learned not to shop at the first of the month after being followed around in a store by a crack head who had just gotten his monthly govt check.

   3. SS doesn’t work that way anymore. Wife just retired and SS check is deposited the week of her birthday. I guess it helps the fed spread the payments around so they aren’t paying them all on one day. It still works as you depicted for the folks who have been retired for some time but not the new recipients. Just a FYI.

   4. The 1st of the month is when I go to the food pantry, because I know everyone that gets food stamps goes to the grocery stores, at that time.

7. If your store has reduced price items they usually are set out during the morning as they expired the day before.

8. I did go out a couple of days ago. Mask, gloves & goggles. No bagging the groceries. Wiped the scanning screen at the self checkout and it quit working. Temporarily. All items from cart into folding crate on plastic tarp in trunk of car. Gloves then wiped with disinfectant. On arrival home veggies dipped in bleach solution at 1/4 cup to 2 quart ratio and allowed to shelf dry. Non
   dippable veggies will stay outside for at least a week. Cans, plastic bottles and glass jars wiped with disinfectant wipes. I have also used blanching on other veggies before storing in the fridge. Plastic crate and tarp removed from trunk and sprayed with bleach solution and allowed to dry.

   While at the grocery store I watched the veggie stocker pull vegetables out of the boxes with his gloved hand and put them in the bins with his other and ungloved hand.

   Getting older can mean senior moments. Sometimes that can be a good thing. A while back I had purchased a 2 pack of nitrile gloves with 200 gloves in each pack rom Costco. Frankly I had bought them for potential wound care. Forgot about them and bought them again. So now have 800 disposable gloves. They are holding up well to disinfectant wipes and Clorox dip. I won’t discard until they rip which they will eventually do.

   Agree with going out very early or very late. Local wally world was 24 hours and now closes at midnight. Most of the very late shoppers were meth heads and they were losing a million a year to shoplifters.

   1. Thanks for the tips on cleaning…I had not thought about cleaning the exam gloves.

      1. i have purchased several pair of the rubber gloves with long tops, for many different uses.. one pair is for dishes…because of very brittle nails. another pair is in the bathroom. each one is cleaned and rinsed, before removed, hung to dry.

   2. Ok I’m curious. If you are going to leave fresh veggies outside for a week then they will be at least a week old. They have most likely been in the store or in transit for another couple of weeks. Why no buy frozen veggies as they flash freeze them a couple of days after they are picked and are generally left to ripen longer before being picked.

      1. poorman aside from some sunshine and fresh air why not cook them?

         Flash frozen veggies are the safest in my opinion.

         1. I agree cooking them would work also. If I buy veggies I cook and eat them within a day or two. Most of what I eat is frozen unless I grew it myself

      2. Depends on the veggies. some squash can be stored out of the fridge for many weeks, Most folks that I know don’t refrigerate onions or potatoes. I’d love to have a freezer designated for frozen vegetables but it’s really not cost efficient and to put another one in I’d have to lose a lot of shelf space already filled with many other items.

         Daughter will not be quaranting at home as she works in health care. If we need something that does not lend it self to a disinfection or blanching we will have her pick it up, I’m thnking celery bok choy, broccoli,

9. Hey Ken, What about the Bleach Crystals that are on Amazon? looks easy to store?

   I shop at 24hr Walmart at around 3am on a Wednesday, my work shift is 5:30am to 5pm M-F, they are usually restocking with fresh stuff at that time.

   1. bluecatmatt,
      I am actually working on a post for DIY bleach while using “pool shock”. I’m currently verifying amounts and such through my own experimentation. Hopefully that will help.

      1. Ken:
         That would be a good article. From distant memory Sodium hypochlorite is the variation of pool shock that makes bleach. There are other formulas/chemicals that do the job of pool shock, but with those it was never clear to me that they were safe to mix with water to make it potable, or to clean off veggies with. Might kill viruses though. FWIW after coming up blank on the right granules at Wally World, I got my sodium hypochlorite granules at Leslies Pool Supply – they seem to have those stores everywhere!

10. I agree with early…I try to make up my list either Friday night or Saturday night, depends on whether it not it is my weekend to work. Then up and out the door to be at the store for 7am…usually have the place to myself, and I get to follow the meat dept workers marking down meat for my freezer. I can get in and out quickly, and minimize my exposure to annoying people.

11. I’ve tried that middle-of-the-night shopping at the local WalMart, but the hassle of aisles being blocked by boxes of products being stocked was too much to handle.
    I’ve found out that early AM (7-9) has been the best time. Excluding week-ends, of course.

12. Also, Mondays AM have not been good, due to the stock still not being refilled due to the week-end shoppers.
    I have found Tuesday AMs early to be the best.

    1. Brilliant! That’s why the shelves I photographed were bare – not restocked yet on a Monday morning.

       So, we’re potentially looking at Tuesday morning to be THE best day to go…

13. We always go 8to 9a.m. Went today still no hand sanitizer, spent $100.00 on misc. Extras anyway bought last 8# pinto last 10 # rice on shelf . Extra bleach few bottles on shelf.71% isopropyl and extra cereal and bottled juices etc. Told missus we are done no more trips to store for awhile.didn’t need any of it, guess I’m one of those da@#$d hoarders. Stay healthy, stay home.😉

    1. Rice & Beans are flying off the shelves too.

    2. Maggie’s farm;
       I don’t believe anyone here is a “hoarder” we’re (some of us anyways) feel that having a VERY Deep Pantry is just the lifestyle we live, and if some deadly Virus comes along (and I honestly do believe this is a beasty one) or a HUGE Economic Depression hits than “ok, fine, bring it on and we shall see who’s the foolish ones?
       Is 600 rolls really enough?

       1. NRP, I would hope 600 rolls enough but if I run out of tp maybe you’d swap some to me and I could replace one of the items you lost in the lake.hehehe.But honestly when I told my wife I was throwing away the bed pillows and putting 20# bags of beans in the pillowcases, she said I was going overboard. Iol😅

          1. Now that’s funny.

          2. Bags of rice work better than beans. Wife thinks I’m crazy too😨

          3. With your pillow and mine we’d have a balanced meal.

          4. Rice and beans is a classic just remember to add a good multi-vitamin and Vitamin C friends.

             There’s a good reason healthy Mexican farmer food adds some lye or lime treated dry corn, and tomato and peppers salsa to this fare. It’s Mexican Vitamins.

          5. Put bags of rice in instead 😂. Wife thinks I crazy too.😨😨

          6. Maggie,
             Rice is much more comfortable…lol

          7. Sometimes tho I’ll stick beans in ears to drown out missus snoring, rice would get stuck in ears canal, haha😄

14. At this point we are done. Just going out at “off hours” for meds or other small things. We are soon ready to pull the plug completely.

    Off hours for me is when the store just opens…. Usually very few people in the area… like 5 or so plus cashiers and stockboys. I am keeping at least 10 ft from them. skip isles that are occupied etc.

15. I need one more WM trip to pick up Charlie’s script (dog) when it comes in. The vet gave me refills early and thought it was a good idea. I will get the misc other things that I want at the same time. I try for the early am also- lot less people and hassle. Pharmacy doesn’t open until 9 am.

16. Around this area Wednesday/Thursdays but never at the beginning of the month if I had to enter into regular grocery store. Tried to be in there before 9:30am, not always feasible do to other chores. Still there are few shopping at that hour, most like to drag in about 10:30-111:30am. Wearing what I would call their pajama’s, and yes some looked like they crawled out of bed and came to the store.

    Restaurant supply store, same hour around 9 to 9:30am but never on Mondays. Mad house with the restaurants picking up their weekly bulk orders. Sundays are quiet there but the shelves are on the thin side, and truck deliveries for resupply are Mondays/Tuesdays.

    1. That’s another good one–know when the stores get shipments.

       1. With JIT most of them get daily supplies from various wholesalers. As I recall most of them keep a 3 day supply in the store.

17. At about 7 AM in a grocery store open at that time works well. Just not on weekends. And never the first of the month! OMG. Forgot that and was at Walmart the first of the month. Oh boy……. Wish more stores around here opened very early but they don’t.

18. Our stores here don’t restock until 11am-1 pm. Irritating to me. If I go earlier, there is not much stock, especially produce and dairy. We are about done going out and about. One more hardware store run for lumber for projects, then that is it. We either make do, barter with neighbors and others, or do without. My attitude now is looking at this like a personal challenge. Plus, there is so much to do and get going now that spring is here.

19. The best time to go grocery shopping is any time!!! Just log into Amazon via Ken’s link and have at it. :-)

    No crowds, no empty shelves, no sick people, no grumpy cashiers … it’s a point-n-click experience. LOL

    1. Thanks, MT, I agree. I order much of my products this way. Free shipping to your door, no public exposure, and no time spent shopping except online at home.

20. I know that this sells ad space, but give it a break

    1. Why? Do you work for free? Please let us know. Thanks. If you find no value, you are free to change the channel to another ;) And good luck with fewer “commercials” (I hardly have any).

    2. cidddiot

       1. That’s good, I like that, let me expound on that: c-da-idiot. Ha-ha!

          I wonder how much time Ken puts into this per week.

          1. More than most know…
             And sometimes I wonder, why… ;)

          2. Ken:
             I and most here know why.
             Been a long time, but.
             Thank you for what you do here, and the MSB family YOU have here.

          3. So we all know how much tp NRP really has…lol!

          4. We KNOW why. You love us, and we love you. And we care about each other. You have built a lovely family here, Ken. Never gorgeous it!

          5. We Know why….never forget, you have built a loving family here! Thank you.

          6. Ken

             You’ve built a community here. When we and our own local communities get through tough times, or when we survive TEOTWAWKI, it will be with great gratitude for all your efforts.

             For us old timers, MSB is akin to a party line for preppers. We share and learn, and give and receive. I always turn to MSB with a happy heart knowing I’ll find generous and loving souls here.

             BTW – had to replace my water softener system this week. Hope you made a few pennies off that purchase.

       2. Good one!

    3. If ya dont like it go elsewhere boinker

       1. Sadly I find myself feeling guilty when I realize I ordered with out going through Ken’s link.

          1. Just remember, it does not cost you anything extra to go through my amzn link, or any amzn link that I may included in a given article. Price is all the same. By going through my link, I get a small commission. Thanks.

          2. I might add to Kens request of going through his Site to Amazon.

             How about dropping a few bucks on the “Donation”

             Thinking we all spent way to much comments on a Flyby “ciddd”

21. Hate to say I need to go to the vet tomorrow, so I will stop and get a few things at a small grocery store, hopefully early! And I need to get DH one last prescription. So we will see what tomorrow early am brings.

    Amazon is great! Order stuff, it is delivered, just let it sit out for 7 to 9 days and use!!

    1. Hi Pegasus – I’ve just been spraying the boxes with a bleach solution- hopin that works 😳

22. Maybe in a few months, the places that are still open in my town will expect people to be wearing a mask upon entry.
    The local bank may change to Drive-Up service only without a mask. And if you get into the bank, I guess you hold your breath while you quickly pull down your mask to show them it’s you.

    It looks like we could be going full-on Mr. Monk. They say the virus can linger in the air, so you shouldn’t take your mask off in public places, even if nobody is around…
    and use the debit card everywhere to avoid dirty money.
    You can’t even fist-bump. You must “air fist-bump” (okay I made that one up).
    And masks are a drag, you can’t smile at people. And they can get humid and kind of suffocating, so that will be a bonus this summer.

    To be really kosher, you would have to treat your mask, hands, bottoms of shoes, floor mats, and really everything you buy as being “hot” for a few days as mentioned above and so it all gets placed in the transfer area of your car and the quarantine area of your house, shopping bags and all, incoming mail also I suppose…
    Rotate masks and let them “cool off”? Clothes too?
    Theses are the kinds of things I think about nowadays.

23. It’s about payday,figure lots of cards are maxed so people are waiting .
    Went to a discount grocery at lunch.Spent 45 minutes walking in circles.
    The store was empty of people.
    Have enough rice and beans so I was walking the aisles without a real game plan.
    I know I should buy fifty cans of beef,spam etc but I always have to watch the credit card.
    Almost bought a case of coconut milk as the expiration date was in the middle of 2021.
    I thought it would make a good substitute for real milk but I’m glad I didn’t. I know nothing about Coconut milk,
    Bought ten cartons Almond milk instead.

    1. Is that you, Sid? lol
       😥😷😜

       1. If I make it past the rural prepper fence lines,barricades and a gauntlet of assault rifles….

          You can just call me, Pappagallo

          1. Bad Road Warrior reference, as you most likely know Pappagallo didn’t make it due to that pesky spear in the back. I liked the “feral kid” myself, or maybe the Gyro Captain.

          2. Pappagallo had a harem of hotties before prematurely ending the run with a harpoon in the back.

             I like Pappagallo

24. C’mon, gringo, everybody’s looking for something. You’re happy out there, are you? Eh? Wandering? One day blurring into another?
    Join us!
    We could use a feisty wippersnapper like you out on perimeter.

25. What is the Best Time To Go Grocery Shopping During Pandemic To Avoid Crowds

    Before a given event.

    Like many here I’ve been prepared for years.Rushing out the last min or well into an event is poor planning and likely won’t work out well as needed items will be gone.

    I would just as soon stay home, safer and more peaceful.

    I did do a bit of extra prepping in case of a problem in my city (Toledo Ohio) I bought a bit more comfort / junk food. Ice cream, Ravioli (Aldi sells cans of it for .65 cents a can and it taste as good as the name brand.) I bought an extra $20.00 of it.

    As far as staple foods I have a LOT put up so no need to buy much more.

    PS: In all the stores here no shortage of TP, bleach or any of the other things people seem to think they need. All store shelves look normal and full as yesterday.

    1. Chuck F,
       Glad stores are normal some where.
       . I was in a dollar general. supplies of paper products, powdered peroxides/laundry treatment, bleach cold medications were present- but very low compared to normal.- nothing was fronted and much looked well picked..was on Monday afternoon and they were stocking…ie.setting up displays and putting out nutritional supplements. I did not stop at any other stores.. 2 weeks ago the grocery was well stocked…with paper price at a premium…expect it to remain so until a deep sale or other supplies are exhausted in small town.
       I am continuing to top off supplies, have only been at this a few years.Low income- and revenue streams have not materialized yet, still working on some planned items.

26. Ken this comment is in the wrong spot, could not add a comment to the Open Forum.

    Comment to the Open Forum:

    I’m starting a national petition for a new national week called ‘Shut The F#ck Up Week’. For five working days all TV streaming, satellite news, reality and talk shows are shut down, weather shows are allowed. All Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and like applications are disabled. Cell phones will only function for emergencies, no images sending or texting, or robocalls. Obviously sarcasm tinged with frustration, MSB is of course exempt 👍.

27. First thing in am when stores open up are usually not crowded (opening time depends on stores usually 6am or latest 9am opening)
    At end of evening after 9pm also relatively quiet

    Situation going to hit mainstream soon (NYS governor just announced national guard going to new Rochelle ny to set up 1 mile perimeter WITHOUT using word quarantine)

28. Update from grocery store. I hit the vet at 0730 and was at the grocery store by 0845. No rubbing alcohol, purel, bleach was low, tp was low. All foodstuffs, fresh and canned/boxed was fully stocked. There were maybe 6 other people in the store and it appeared they were well staffed with workers. No one wore gloves or masks, and no one else disinfected their carts. I would say early am is the best time, weekend days.

    Got home, sprayed down much of my stuff with clorox solution and am letting everything else sit outside for a week. Also was able to disinfect my exam gloves with the clorox solution without contaminating myself. Sprayed down the back of my truck with bleach solution.

29. meh, after picking up my spare glasses I went to walllmart.
    Nothing special other that the parking lot was 1/3 vehicles at 9am
    inside was busy, not crowded.
    A few out of stocks here and there but rather normal.
    Plenty TP, hand sanitizer,water ect.
    Central WI
    The local Aldi’s has hundreds of purell hand sani pump bottles.

    1. The shortages are definitely sporadic. And concentrated where new coroanvirus cases pop up (makes sense). I would guess that if and when covid-19 shows up in your county, your own local stores may deplete of items such as disinfectant wipes and sprays, bleach, and whatever else the people there feel they need to suddenly stock up on…

30. Local Wally-World just suffered a HUGE deficiency in TP and Handi Wipes, also on Gin
    Is 1200 rolls of TP really enough??? HAHAHAH

    1. NRP,
       Who cares about TP and Handi Wipes, your WallyWorld sells GIN???? WTH?
       (besides, I thought you were making your own!?!)

       1. minerjim:
          Please help me, one time it’s Minerjim and next minerjim…..
          My brain cant function as well as it use to LOLOL
          Gin versus Shine…
          Are you kidding I don’t drink that lighter fluid. Is Gin for me…

          1. Whoever you are, please help me, is NRP and NRP & Blue two different posters? If the latter, which one is doing the actual typing? If there’s a typo is it because of the Gin drinker slurring while dictating to the typist mutt, or the mutt’s big paw’s?

          2. Chevy

             ANSWER? WHO let the dogs out.!!

          3. Chevy;
             Both the same.
             Blue is the brains behind the group, I’m the typist.
             OR when Blue is sleeping I sneak on and go crazy…er HAHAHA

31. NRP,

    “Hail! Hail! Vigor and youth! Six parts Gin to one part Vermouth!”

    1. Minerjim;
       Vermouth? ohhhh God no, why ruin good Gin.

32. Odd shortage in my area….ADAMS PEANUT BUTTER. I guess it is a strong staple for many! TP and wipes and sanitizer all gone too. We already have plenty, but DH keeps an eye out for good measure.

    1. Pioneer Woman
       All those people stocking up on peanut butter should probably also consider stocking up on constipation meds. 😝

       1. Grits:
          TP and Gin….
          That’s all one needs to survive on for well up to 6 months HAHAHAH

          1. NRP
             No gin but I have plenty of TP and bourbon 🥃😆

          2. Grits:
             Will not argue there, a Good Kentucky Bourbon for Mint Juleps is a MUST survival supply.

33. Just came back from the big store in the nearest large city and they had TeePee all down their 50′ long aisle and even in the aisle. All else was well stocked.

    1. Not saying that negates all the other shortages elsewhere or that they won’t occur here.

34. Heading out early today for the club store, grocery chain, top off truck fuel, will be interesting to see inventory conditions. So far, the home state has zero positive tests (skipping false negatives), matter of time. Tourist season should be interesting, probably less of a hoard but from everywhere. Might have a quiet spring and summer.

35. Why are so many people worried about when they shop, Why not worry about humanity? Due to your greedy hoarding needs. You people just don’t care about anything except self. So you come into stores all in a panic spreading your nasty ass germs to cashiers and workers. Senseless people. You all should crawl in a deep hole for a month or so you wont stave to death. The CEO’s and upper management need to use self check out lanes only, So cashiers don’t have to wait on hundreds of people per day taking the chance of infecting one of the careless customers.

    1. You people?
       You are talking to the wrong group.
       Go over to #nitwitter or fakebook

    2. Dan….

       I suspect no one, or almost no one who reads this blog regularly has done ANY panic buying/hoarding. Don’t know who those folks are, but not here.

       Folks here mostly seem to understand it is best to buy an item on sale, and pick up a few extra, and keep for when they have need. Over time, they most likely build up a few extra of this or that (including TP and Hand Sanitizer etc etc).

       Folks here mostly are keen to avoid crowds/panic situations, so really doubt anyone here was in the “hoards” or even “near the hoards” you speak of.

    3. Dan,I don’t know who you think is panic buying on this site. I haven’t been in a store of any kind since this whole thing began. Only the unprepared are out there panic buying, emptying the shelves. If I wanted or needed something bad enough, I would want to know the best time to go to avoid picking up a virus because of the crowds. I have decided to simply do without at this point.

36. Jane Foxe
    It is alright Dan got caught with his knickers down & no tp within site.

    1. Antique Collector — grin -Oh my, you do have a turn of phrase….

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