Self-Isolation - The Pantry (as of March 19 2020)

When I returned from exercise on March 9, 2020 our son asked me to please stay home.  He said he would go to the store if anything was needed.  Of course I agreed.  I thought before sending him to the store I needed to do an inventory of what food we already had, and what food and meds we had for his little dog.  It took me about ten days to get everything in the computer. 

By then had gone to the store one time and to the drug store to get a prescription.  He went to Home Depot to get wood for a project, and was a tad freaked out about all the people so he stepped out and said we should look into having items we needed delivered.  I remembered how helpful Walmart had been with delivering items for my mom, so started with them...

This list does not include the items in the frig, but it does include items I had delivered from Walmart. 

I had a heck of a time trying to put things into categories, and even naming them.  But I tried.  Here is the list in alphabetical order:

In practice, it was too difficult to cross off things as they were opened or used, so I started a note sheet on the frig and wrote things down as I opened or used things up.

I tried to add the items as they were received from delivery services, but that got too complicated too.  Instead I have a notebook where I add the printed orders, and check things off as they are received.  This has worked out well.

But it seemed important to do this pantry inventory.  Would have been useful to have little numbered labels to put on the top of cans - then transfer that label to the sheet on the frig, then I wouldn't miss as many things as I think I have!

In addition to Walmart, a wonderful neighbor has offered to pick up a few things for us each week when she goes to the store.  I left her cash or now use Venmo so she is does not have out of pocket expenses for this.  I usually ask for some combination of onions, carrots, celery and another vegetable and on different weeks, I asked for bread or tortillas and cheese.  Now she has trying having the store deliver to her place.  So I asked for more items that I couldn't get at Walmart: pepper, sugar, and more.

One of my husband's colleague's was going to Costco, so I asked my husband to ask him to pick up a few things.  So we have had salmon, meatloaf, trail mix from him.  I used Venmo to pay him.  He told me about a restaurant that was converting to delivering groceries since they had closed their kitchen. I have never been to that restaurant, but I will after this is over!  They sent the most beautiful veggies, cheese, dried beans and more.

We tried Von's, but they were so over whelmed they cancelled the order after a week of waiting.

We tried Amazon Fresh, but never were able to get a delivery date.

We tried a smaller delivery service that went to smaller local stores and got half what we ordered, but a huge bill that took a few emails and weeks to get settled.  Won't try them again.

But now in addition to the fresh foods, we have a very good selection of food in the pantry.  Powdered eggs, powdered milk, canned and dried beans, rice, pasta, pasta sauces, canned veggies and fruit and lots of oatmeal to start the day.

I have also kept track of all our meals...  --> next post