Why are Grocery Stores Still Out of Stuff?

With little room to argue or debate, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States harder than any other country in mid-March 2020. With stay-at-home orders issued by each state and an astonishing number of workplace closures in just a few days, the shelves of every grocery store across America were running alarmingly thin.

In the following weeks, it took grocery stores a long time to bounce back with more products. Why are grocery stores still out of stuff?

I’m now aware of items our country is trying to produce, such as food, here in the USA, instead of paying tariffs to import food. Food is only one of the items. It would be wonderful if we could eliminate government waste and use the money to support the items every family enjoys here and not overseas.

Have you noticed the price of food when you eat out? I guess this is why Mark and I rarely do; I refuse to pay those prices. Plus, the items we buy at the grocery store cost more money now, and the packaging is much smaller.

Other Posts to Check Out

In case you missed these posts, check them out below:

• Canned Foods I Highly Recommend You Store
• Freeze-Dried Food Pantry Size Cans For Emergencies
• Grocery Stores and the Empty Store Shelves

Items to Buy:

• Goal Zero Solar Flashlights
• Solar Lanterns
• Bushnell Battery Operated Lanterns (these are my favorite)
• “Prepare Your Family For Survival” by Linda Loosli

Why are Grocery Stores Still Out of Stuff?

Fast-forward nearly five years, and you’re probably still noticing the out-of-stock situation on many items at your favorite grocery retailer. Even now, the paper towel and toilet paper sections haven’t fully recovered. A number of stores have yet to take down signs on their doors and windows, reminding customers of the limits on several listed items. 

So, are we still dealing with a grocery shortage? Aren’t these companies and the food industry making more products to keep up with the higher demands the pandemic has left us with? It certainly doesn’t seem that way. So I decided to do some research and get to the bottom of why this is still happening. Continue to read on about why grocery stores are still out of stuff.  

Related: 7 Grocery Store Staples that are Still Hard to Get

Companies Focusing On Less Variety

Have you noticed that many restaurants have drastically reduced their menus? McDonald’s and Taco Bell have made the most noticeable changes by eliminating items that they’ve been selling for years. 

The same holds true even for the biggest food and beverage companies, which continue to focus their time and energy on their most popular items. If you prefer a unique soda pop flavor, don’t be surprised to find it temporarily unavailable.  

Global Shortage of Cans

One of the other major reasons you haven’t been able to find your favorite flavor of pop is a shortage of aluminum cans that has been ongoing for many months now.

Soda pop was one of the many comfort beverages where sales trends went through the roof when people were laid off and began stocking up. Out-of-stock levels are still way up at about 10% to 15%, well over the normal national average.   

You may have already noticed that before COVID-19, more beer was packaged in aluminum cans. With fewer glass bottles being used and more craft beer companies popping up everywhere relying on aluminum, the shortage is worsening.

No, it’s not that we have a shortage of aluminum; we just don’t have the working capacity to produce the amount necessary for everything to return to normal.     

Out-of-Stock Grocery Staples

You’ve made several grocery stops since this all started. Depending on which store you visit, these are some of the grocery staples that you may still have a hard time finding:  

Toilet Paper and Paper Towels

I’ll admit that I was left scratching my head about why there would be a toilet paper shortage, but there was. Even today, people continue to stockpile toilet paper and paper towels, afraid that grocery stores will run out again. 

Because of this, the paper aisle has continued to look considerably thin, yet the toilet paper section has bounced back better than the paper towel section has. When paper towels are out of stock, they seem to stay that way longer than you will notice with toilet paper.      

Frozen and Canned Vegetables

The demand for frozen and canned vegetables, which last a long time, has more than doubled in the past six months. As of the first week of September, most grocery retailers had 83% stock capacity for that category.

Another factor is the shortage of aluminum cans, along with labeling and packaging issues. Due to the virus, many companies have had to cut back on staffing.

Soups

Companies like Campbells and Progresso also drastically reduced their soup section, cutting their varieties by nearly a third. That answers part of the out-of-stock issues, but soup is another item that holds up for a long period of time, making it a great item to stock up on, which is exactly what many people have done.  

Spices

Spices and herbs have also suffered supply issues following the pandemic. Like other shelf-stable foods, many people have realized that they can stock up on them to ensure that they don’t run out, which has also caused an increase in pricing. 

Meat and Seafood Department

Earlier in the year, the COVID-19 outbreaks affected meat and poultry processing plants, forcing them to shut down temporarily. This quickly depleted meat and seafood shelves nationwide, while the high demand only worsened matters. Why Is Beef So Expensive

For example, prices in the frozen meat and poultry sections continue to rise from the prior year. Restoring normal stock levels has continued to prove difficult. 

Over-The-Counter Meds

Pain relievers, allergy medicines, and respiratory medications have also been harder to come by. That’s because everyone began stocking up on them, especially around allergy season. The rate of out-of-stocks has come down considerably since then, but with cold and flu season coming around the corner, experts are saying that those numbers will begin to elevate once more.  

Liquid Hand Soap

Just like when hand sanitizer became difficult to track down, liquid hand soap was also minimal, followed by a spike in the price tag. While hand sanitizer has returned, liquid hand soap still struggles to stay on the shelf.

This partially has to do with people’s past grocery shopping experiences around the earlier parts of Covid, where they fear they won’t find it the next time they head to the grocery store.   

Final Word

If you think about it, there are several reasons why the grocery stores are still out of stuff. I hope things return to normal in a reasonable amount of time. In the meantime, may God bless this world, Linda.

The post Why are Grocery Stores Still Out of Stuff? appeared first on Food Storage Moms.

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Worst States to Be in When the Economy Collapses

It seems like every day there’s a new story about the economic woes befalling the world in general, and the United States in specific. It’s only right to be concerned that another recession or Great Depression is on the horizon. Just how far off it might be is worthy of debate. What would happen if […]

The post Worst States to Be in When the Economy Collapses appeared first on Ask a Prepper.

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No-Fail Soft Dinner Rolls

Today, I wanted to update and repost my no-fail soft dinner rolls, and I should say they are truly no-fail dinner rolls. Anyone can make these soft, fluffy dinner rolls if they have fresh ingredients.

I may have mentioned that when I was asked to write my book “Prepare Your Family For Survival,” I submitted my recipe for whole wheat bread. It makes eight, one-pound loaves.

The publisher said, No, no, no. No one makes eight loaves of bread at one time. Well, we do in Utah! I still laugh over that. I had to cut the recipe down to two loaves.

With our holidays all year round, I decided to cut my dinner roll recipe way down. You can make a small batch of dinner rolls every Sunday.

The bonus is this: no bread mixer is needed because the batch is so small. Yay!

This recipe only requires one bowl and a Danish Whisk. It’s so easy that you will wonder why you haven’t made dinner rolls before now.

No-Fail Soft Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

• Milk: Due to its fat content, milk helps produce softer bread and enriches the flavor; it also browns the dough while cooking.
• SAF Instant Yeast (this is what I use): A leavening agent that helps produce a needed gas that causes the bread to rise; feeds on the added sugar, which expels carbon dioxide in the rising process.
• Dough Enhancer (optional): Makes your bread and rolls light and fluffy; used to help strengthen the texture of the bread or rolls.
• Salt: Added to help tighten the gluten in the flour; acts as a preservative.
• Sugar: When used in yeast bread, sugar provides food for the yeast. It also helps to speed up the rise time in the rolls and maintains moisture, creating a softer roll.
• Eggs are a great source of protein. They help to bind the bread dough together, creating a moist and soft dinner roll. They also increase browning during the cooking process, add a deliciously rich flavor, and help to extend the life of the dinner roll.
• Oil helps prevent the dinner rolls from crumbling and prevents the water from evaporating, creating a moist and soft dinner roll.
• Water: Water helps to keep the dinner rolls moist.
• White All-Purpose Flour (I use Bread Flour): All-purpose white flour has a lower protein content. Bread flour has more protein, which helps to hold the shape of the dinner rolls and adds more nutrients.

Items You Need In The Kitchen:

• Large Mixing Bowl
• 11-inch Danish Whisk (I prefer the 11-inch whisk because it fits inside a wide-mouth quart mason jar)
• Dough Scraper
• 8-Inch Cake Pan
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Dough Enhancer (it makes your bread and rolls fluffy)

No-Fail Soft Dinner Rolls

Step One – Gather the Ingredients

Gather the ingredients so they are ready to go. Please make sure your ingredients are fresh. I keep my SAF Instant Yeast and Dough Enhancer in the refrigerator; the excess stays in the freezer. I only buy enough bread flour for 12 months.

White flour is good for 12-18 months if stored in an airtight container. I store it in 5-gallon buckets (food-grade) with Gamma Lids.

Step Two – Dump Ingredients Into Mixing Bowl

I have been making bread for over 50 years. There is something I love about feeling the dough in my fingers as I knead it. It makes me happy whenever I make bread, dinner, cinnamon rolls, etc.

I dump all of the ingredients into the bowl after measuring them, of course. This recipe is so easy; you will love it!

Step Three – Whip the Egg Quickly

Whip the egg quickly because the warm milk could “cook” it. I used a Danish Whisk as shown below. The 11-inch one is easier for me to use.

It also fits inside a wide-mouth mason jar to stir your sourdough starter. I’m just giving you the heads up. In case you missed the SourDough Starter post, here it is. If you’ve never made a bread dough starter, you should try it. I found it fun to watch the process as the starter grew.

Step Four – Stir the Dough Mixture and then Knead the Dough

After you stir the mixture, if the dough is too sticky, add a tiny bit of flour. You don’t want “dry” dough, but “sticky” is not what we want either.

This sounds complicated, but it isn’t, I promise. Sprinkle some flour on your countertop. You will continue kneading the dough on the lightly floured surface or counter for about 3-4 minutes.

Step Five – Cut the Dough into 8 Sections

I was taught never to “pull” the dough, so I use a Dough Scraper to “cut” the dough into eight sections.

Step Six – Roll Dough Pieces into Balls

Now you take the sections and roll the dough pieces into balls. As you can see, the balls have some space to rise.

Step Seven – Cover Baking Pan with Hot Wet Towel

Cover the baking pan with a hot/warm wet towel. I used a washcloth because it was just the right size.

Step Eight – Allow Dough to Rise. Cook at (350°F) = (176°C) degrees for 25-30 Minutes.

Let the dough rise until it looks like the picture below. Now, the balls are barely touching. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, they will rise anywhere from half an hour to an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Depending on your oven, bake for 25-30 minutes. Don’t overbake. I like mine lightly golden brown.

Finished Product

No-Fail Soft Dinner Rolls

Print

No-Fail Soft Dinner Rolls

These No-Fail Soft Dinner Rolls are easy for anyone to make. You don't need to have special cooking powers to make your rolls delicious, just follow my recipe! If you've never made rolls before you are in for a treat because these are just so simple. Sometimes recipes are too hard and you don't feel like messing with them. I think you'll like the simplicity and yumminess of these rolls.

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Let it Rise 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8 Dinner Rolls

Author Linda Loosli

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 teaspoon SAF Instant Yeast (this is what I use)
• 1 teaspoon Dough Enhancer (optional-it makes the rolls fluffy)
• 1/2 scant teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1-3/4 to 2 cups white all purpose flour (I use bread flour)

Instructions

• 1. Gather the ingredients. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and set aside. Grab a bowl and a Danish Whisk.

  2. Dump everything into a large bowl. Stir until mixed thoroughly. Add additional flour if needed to the dough if the dough is too sticky. Do not add too much, we want the dough to be fluffy.

  3. Be sure and whip the egg quickly because the warm milk could possibly "cook" it. I used a Danish Whisk.

  4. Lightly flour a countertop and scoop the dough out onto the countertop. Kneading the dough for about 3-4 minutes.

  5. Cut the dough into 8 sections (never stretch your dough).

  6. Take each section and mound into a ball and place the eight balls in the greased pan.

  7. Cover with plastic wrap or a warm wet towel.

  8. Let rise for about an hour. Preheat the oven to t (350°F) = (176°C) degrees. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Slightly brush the tops with melted butter after baking if you want a soft dinner roll. I use a baggie slathered with butter to spread on the warm rolls. Let cool. Store in bags to keep the dinner rolls soft. Enjoy.

How do I store these soft dinner rolls after baking them?

I keep my dinner rolls in gallon-size baggies. Please remember that they don’t have any preservatives, so they will only be good for 2-3 days on your countertop.

Should I store these dinner rolls in the refrigerator after baking?

I would not recommend this because the refrigerator will dry out the dinner rolls. It is best to store them at room temperature on the countertop in freezer bags.

Can I freeze the baked dinner rolls?

Yes, you can. Place the desired amount in a freezer bag and store it safely for about 2-3 months.

I thaw them on the kitchen countertop for dinner. Just so you know, mine never make it to the freezer very often. We use them for sandwiches or French toast.

Can I freeze these dinner rolls before baking them?

You can, but I don’t recommend it. These have zero preservatives and don’t have the ingredients to make them rise after being frozen.

Can I use a different flour to make these dinner rolls gluten-free?

I wish you could, but most gluten-free recipes have so many ingredients I can’t even pronounce. I’m sorry, but no gluten-free flour will work for bread 1:1; only cakes and cookies can use that ratio for flour.

In this easy-to-make soft dinner rolls recipe, can I use active dry yeast instead of instant rapid-rise yeast?

I like to use instant yeast because it eliminates unnecessary steps. The instant yeast can be directly added to the dry ingredients, whereas you would need to dissolve the active dry yeast in warm water before adding it to the dry ingredients. It’s all about simplicity, right?

What can I serve with these easy-to-make soft dinner rolls?

• Soup
• Stew
• Garlic Butter
• Honey Butter
• Cheese varieties
• Spaghetti
• Chicken Alfredo

Here are some other delicious dinner roll and bread recipes to try!

• Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
• No-Fail Dinner Rolls
• Soft Dinner Rolls
• No-Fail Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
• Cinnamon Rolls for Two
• Croissant Rolls

Final Word

I hope you try these easy-to-make soft dinner rolls. I don’t know why I didn’t cut down my recipe so my family and friends, like you, could make a small batch. These rolls are ideal for the next few weeks as families and friends get together for special occasions. During our busy schedules, being able to make dinner rolls like these simplifies life!

If you’re like me, you can almost smell these homemade dinner rolls baking in the oven. These were a hit when I served them at a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner! Please keep teaching your family to cook from scratch. Life is good when we eat at home. May God bless this world, Linda

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15 Creative Uses for the Versatile Luci Solar Lantern

[…]

The post 15 Creative Uses for the Versatile Luci Solar Lantern appeared first on The Survival Mom.

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13 Ways to Collect Water When the Taps Run Dry

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Most of us take running water for granted—until the day it stops. Natural disasters, earthquakes, infrastructure failures, and even acts of war can interrupt water supplies without warning.

In many parts of the world, extended megadroughts and contamination events leave entire communities scrambling for clean water. That's why stockpiling emergency water is so important. But what if your emergency water supply runs out? What if the shelves are empty, and the taps are bone dry?

In this article, you'll learn some unconventional ways to find and collect water—in your home, in your backyard, and even in the wild. Whether you're dealing with a short-term outage or a long-term crisis, these water collection methods could mean the difference between life and death.

In The home

1. Hot Water Heater

Depending on your tank’s size, you may have 20 to 80 gallons of water stored there. In order to access it safely, you’ll need to know whether it is gas- or electric-powered and follow the instructions for your particular model.

The critical first step is to turn off the power supply and shut off the water. Here is a video that goes over the basics for draining the water.

2. Toilet Flush Tank

You may have three to five gallons of water in your toilet flush tank. You can drink this water, but be sure to purify it first as it could have contaminants from the sewer. It’s not recommended to drink the water in the toilet bowl—even if it was recently flushed—since it may be contaminated by residual bacteria.

3. Household Pipes

You can use the force of gravity to drain water that is in your home’s plumbing system even after the main supply flow has stopped.

Turn on the highest water faucet in your house to introduce air into the pipe. Place a container beneath the lowest faucet in the home. Turn on that faucet to drain out the water.

If you live in a one-story home, you may find that the highest faucet is your shower head and a hose spigot is your lowest. The water valve may be in a common area if you live in an apartment or condominium. The amount of available water will depend on your home’s location and how many other people are draining the pipes.

4. Air Conditioners and Dehumidifiers

These appliances pull moisture from the air, and that water typically drains into a collection tray or hose. While it’s not potable right out of the unit, it can be used for sanitation or filtered and purified for drinking in a pinch. Dehumidifiers especially can collect a surprising amount of water in humid conditions—sometimes several liters per day.

Outside the home

You also can find emergency water sources outside your home. These sources are more susceptible to contamination and should be treated by boiling, adding disinfectants, or using a filter.

5. Rainwater

Collecting rainwater can run the gamut from using a simple rain barrel to installing a catchment system.

The main thing to remember is that you need to use clean, covered collection containers. Any water that hits the ground (or a dirty barrel) can become contaminated.

Also, if you collect rainwater from the roof, it could contain anything from bird poop and insects to asbestos, lead, and copper. Recent studies have shown that “forever chemicals” are omnipresent in the world’s rainwater. So, you probably will want to purify your rainwater before drinking to eliminate what you can.

6. Hose and Sprinkler Systems

You might be surprised to find out how much water remains in your watering hoses and irrigation systems. But beware. Most hoses are manufactured with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) that uses lead as a stabilizer. Also, the brass fitting on the ends of the hoses may contain lead.

7. Transpiration

It’s a slow process that doesn’t yield an ample water supply. But in an emergency, every drop counts. You can extract water from plants by placing a clear plastic bag over the branch of a bush or tree growing in a sunny location.

Water will begin to condense on the sides of the bag in as little as an hour. After about five hours, you may collect as much as a half-cup of water.

Note: Take care of what bags you use. Many plastic bags will release toxins into the water. This article explains the process.

8. Solar Stills

A solar still relies on evaporation and condensation to produce distilled water. This article explains the process. However, you’ll need multiple systems are required to produce a large quantity of distilled water. This video shows how much time and work it takes to have a small amount of distilled water.

9. Wells

Digging a well on your property is perhaps the most sustainable way to have an emergency supply of water. How deep you need to dig depends on your location.

Experts tend to agree that a drilled well is a better choice than a dug well. Dug wells usually only reach the top of the water table, meaning they can dry up as the water table fluctuates.

On the other hand, drilled wells reach deeper into the earth and make use of a submersible pump at the bottom to get the water out.

In the Wilderness

Other sources of water can be found in natural settings.

10. Bodies of Water

It’s evident that freshwater ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams can be life savers when you need water. Look for fast-flowing water at higher elevations for the cleanest water. And check to make sure the water is away from possible wastewater contamination from humans or livestock.

If you can’t locate water, here are a few signs to look for:

• Animal trails
• Low-flying birds
• Insect activity

11. Snow

In the winter, you can melt snow and ice as another water source. This video shows three methods you can use.

12. Morning Dew

Depending on the time of year and your location, you may be able to harvest the morning dew to quench your thirst. Try tying a bandana or a t-shirt around your ankle and walking through the dewy landscape. You can wring the moisture into a jar or into your mouth. This video shows how easy the process is.

13. Plants

Some plants have a high water content. This article details some of the do’s and don’ts when it comes to getting water from plants in a survival situation.

Water for Other Purposes

Although we need to drink water in order to survive, we also rely on water for our gardens and for sanitary purposes. Here are some sources of water you may be able to use for other purposes, reserving fresh water for cooking and drinking.

1. Pools and spas
2. Radiators
3. Water beds
4. Hot water boilers (part of the home heating system)

How to Purify Water

Although removing all the chemicals from our water may be impossible, the following methods are standard ways to purify water.

• Boiling. Filter water through a clean paper towel, coffee filter, or cloth. Then, bring the filtered water to a rolling boil for at least three minutes. Cover water and allow it to cool before drinking.

• Tincture of iodine. Add five drops of tincture of iodine to one quart of clear, strained water (or 10 drops to one quart of cloudy water). Mix well and allow water to stand for 30 minutes before drinking.

• Purification tablets. Water purification tablets are available online and in brick-and-mortar stores. They are small, lightweight, and effective.

• Bleach. Liquid household bleach that contains 6 percent hypochlorite is suitable for water purification. Do not use scented bleach, and do not use bleach that you purchased more than six months ago. Read the product label for the correct proportions.

• Portable water filter. Portable water filters are a good choice for backpacks and bug-out bags.

For more information on water purification, here are some helpful resources.

• Ways to Purify Water
• Guide to Water Purification
• Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water
• Drinking Water Purification Methods

We never know when our water supply could suddenly be curtailed. Road work and construction can damage water mains. Severe storms or earthquakes can destroy infrastructure. And, as have seen recently in the warfare Russia is waging on Ukraine, public utilities can be on the causality list.

For these and other reasons, the time to plan for water scarcity is now. For example, look for nearby freshwater sources and become accustomed to using purification methods. Another critical measure is to store enough water to last each member of your family for at least three days.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends storing a minimum of one gallon of water per person per day for three days for drinking and sanitation—and a two-week supply if possible.

You May Also Like:

• 20 Ways to Purify Water Off The Grid
• Introduction to Backyard Farming
• What's A Dry Flush Toilet? – The Beginner's Guide
• Where Did The Pioneers Get Their Drinking Water?
• 5 Off-Grid Water Sources and Systems

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