Shopping & The Flour Famine

from Facebook 1 April at 11:40 ·

So out with Thunderthighs to Sainsbury's, begloved and with scarves around mouths, only to be told "Only one person per household allowed in the store."
So I take the shopping list and Guardian chitty from Thunderthighs, hand him the car keys so he can sit in the car, and go in.

I managed to get everything except flour; Sainsbury's Heaton is out of flour.

When I come out Thunderthighs is waiting for me.
"I've got an idea. You go to the car and I'll go in and get my bits."
You'll have to use the self-checkout if you're using cash.
"That's fine"

 
So I hand him the Nectar card (always get the points) and go and sit in the car. 

After some minutes my mobile crows.
The text reads "Did you get crumpets?"
I reply: Yes 2 packs
Moments later
"What about mayonnaise?"
I reply: No
So he gets 2 jars

I know the rules are all about public safety but what about single parents, or people whose partner has dementia, or me if I was alone with Ferretfingers, who cannot leave the person they care for on their own?

The Squireen I went this morning too. There was a lady in with a child and I saw Thunderthighs on the way out. I must admit I like the peaceful shopping

Bentonbag Did he say hello? We must have passed like ships in the night.

Miss Mercy Yeah, Morrisons in Byker is also out of flour. Seems like an odd thing to panic buy!

Bentonbag I think lots of people have started making their own bread. All those breadmakers are being dragged out of the back of kitchen cupboards.

Mr Earth haven't found any flour for 2 weeks!

Mrs Lad  aldi has lots of flour in

Mrs Jeremy, I agree - I think people have started making their own bread and also potentially their own pasta??

Woodburn Woman I’m using it to make playdough and I’ve found that I have more time to hand make things and bake and do pancakes for breakfast

Paganess But you can buy bread! Bet all that flour gets thrown out on its use by date!

Kingmen Cameraman Do you still write a newspaper column or blog? Pose the question there and tweet the link to the supermarkets.

Bentonbag I do still blog - however I suspect the answer will be "vulnerable people can shop online or by phone."

Bess Cavalier No flour to be had in Milton Keynes either or yeast.  Mr Cavlier, who has been making bread for years, is getting very cross about it and the possible waste of good ingredients.

Bentonbag We're fortunate in that when Thunderthighs goes out on his daily exercise/Guardian/local shopping expedition he regularly comes back with cheap/bogoff loaves on their sell-by-date (from Tesco/Iceland) which we put in the freezer if the bread bin is full. It's just that Fester makes excellent breadmaker bread, old fashioned and crumbly, how he and I like it.

Hagrid You’d be gobsmacked at how many people I know bought flour. Bread flour. I’m like “oh so you got yeast then?”  *blank look*

Mrs Lasagne I would love to make bread but no yeast xxx. I’m glad you’re all doing well xxxx

Goddaughter I managed to find flour at a local(ish) deli who have a click and collect service - picking it up on Friday morning :)

Mrs Banjoman I went to the small Tesco in Acorn Rd yesterday. Queue was quite long but patient. Only one person allowed in and that was OK. Tape in every aisle marking the 2 metre zone. So I waited in my zone whilst a woman browsed the empty shelves in front of her. She kept staring as if something would magically appear. Meanwhile I was stuck in my zone and she made no attempt to move.so it took ages and to crown it all, they did not have most of the items I wanted. Back to Waitrose tomorrow I think!

Erica I got flour in Tesco delivery.  I was allowed in Tesco on Sunday with Posy and just one trolley. Have you got a sunflower lanyard ?

Bentonbag Somewhere I've got one for Ferretfingers, but I doubt Thunderthighs would wear it.

Mrs Delune We just got in to ours, I was wearing the sunflower lanyard but others were just in couples. There were no.problems, it was very well done.

Ms PH They must be able to use discretion (?) There must be a lot of people in similar situations.
Just be grateful we aren't in Spain - friends of my Manchester folks were fined €500 for 2 in a car going to supermarket!