Are You Stocking Up for the Third Wave?

You would think that 10 months into this pandemic, our food supply chain would be more stable.

That we wouldn’t have the food shortages we experienced when this all began.

And the grocery stores and food manufacturers would have figured out how to keep a steady supply of goods coming.

But with a third wave bearing down on us, that just isn’t the case.

Stores are still short of critical items.

It seems each wave has had a unique set of goods that were in short supply.

This wave is no different. 

Here are the items with limited stock for the winter wave:

1. Canned soups

Stores are reporting having issues keeping canned soups in stock.

It makes sense. 

Not only is soup a comforting food during the winter, it’s also a popular ingredient in many holiday recipes like green bean casserole.

The holiday demand has left many soup shelves bare.

But not to worry.

If you’ve been with me awhile you know that when it comes to soup, I believe homemade is often best.

And super easy to make.

Chop up veggies from your fridge, throw them in a pot with some chicken broth, add some beans and let them simmer.

If you have any leftover chicken from a previous meal, you can throw that in too for some added protein.

Any unused soup can be stashed in the freezer for another day. They’re good in the freezer for 2-3 months.

2. Coffee

I admit this one got me feeling a little panicked.

Because I can’t go a day without my coffee.

Coffee sales were up 60% last year, putting a strain on the supply.

If there’s a brand of coffee you love, stock up on it now.

Because dealing with a pandemic is hard, but going through it without coffee would be a nightmare.

3. Lettuce

As folks started making their health a priority in 2020, they began eating more salads.

In fact, lettuce sales were up over 25% last year.

That’s great news, but also means finding salad greens has been a challenge. 

You may not find your go-to spinach or romaine in stock.

That’s okay. Go with what they have. You might even find a new type of lettuce you like.

4. Shelf-stable milk

Back in the day, if you wanted shelf-stable milk, your only option was powdered cow’s milk.

Not anymore.

Now you can get shelf-stable soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, milk flavored with vanilla, or other flavors.

There’s literally a whole shelf in my local health food store just for shelf-stable milk.

If you like milk with your coffee, you’ll want to have some shelf-stable milk on hand.

5. Meat

The meat industry has been hit hard by the pandemic.

As processing plants have had to shut down due to coronavirus outbreaks, supply of poultry and beef has been disrupted. 

We likely won’t see the same shortages we saw last spring, but some items might have spotty availability over the next few months.

If you’re worried about having meat available in your town, consider getting it now and freezing it.

Ground meat like beef and turkey can be kept in the freezer for 3-4 months. And steaks and roasts are good frozen for 4-12 months.

More than a third of Americans started stockpiling for this winter wave in the fall.

Another third plan to stockpile to help get them through the season.

And the #1 thing they’re stocking up on is food.

Now is not the time to be complacent.

Learn from the lessons of the previous waves.

If you see some of these items snatch them up now. And, keep getting them as food becomes more available.

Because one thing we’ve learned from the whole experience is our food supply chain is delicate… and unreliable in a disaster.

Stock up now to keep your family well-fed through these uncertain times.