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Grocery store talk - pandemic edition (1 Viewer)

honky kong

Footballguy
I figure if I'm going to catch this virus, I'm probably going to pick it up from the grocery store. So I'm trying to figure out the best time to go to minimize the risk. I've been going on a weekday before 7 am and there aren't too many shoppers but  there are stockers on most of the aisles. Now I'm thinking a Monday night around 8 might be the way to go. Anybody found the sweet spot?

 
Dunno.

We've only gone out to stores a handful of times. But we treat our front door as an airlock/clean room. Nothing goes through without decontamination first- including us. Everything gets sanitized/scrubbed, and clothes/shoes are removed.

 
I went to my local Trader Joe's last Tuesday, April 7th. On Friday, Trader Joe's announced a crew member at that store tested positive for Covid-19 and the store would close for additional cleaning. The last day the infected crew member worked was Tuesday, April 7th. I was bundled up pretty good when I was there and hosed down my groceries thoroughly when I got home. I applaud Trader Joe's for the transparency but to be honest I wish I didn't know anything about it. Just adds to the already high amount of anxiety.

 
I take some hand sanitizer to keep in my pocket and go first thing in the morning.  I'll use one of the cart wipes if they've got them (50/50).

Thought about sanitizing all packages, but I'm not going that far. I put them away and wash my hands well.

I don't mean this in a "it's the flu bro" way, but I'll be careful and cautious, keep my distance, and keep washing my hands well, but if I get Corona because I didn't sanitize every inch of a box of IPA's, that's just the way that one is going to go down. 

 
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I went this morning, Walmart Neighborhood Market. I went about 8:30 (they open at 8). There were few people and I was able to keep distance , only coming anywhere close to anyone twice my whole trip, one of those being the lady at self-checkout who had to approve my alcohol purchase(s).  TP and water were plentiful (since they implemented 1 per customer policy) and I didn't notice anything being completely sold out.  My only gripe was there were no checkouts open today, so had to do self-checkout with a buggy full, which is fine, other than it takes longer that way. 

 
I don't think there's a safe time to go but if they disinfect a lot at night and a little throughout the day then it stands to reason that early is safer than later, but neither is completely safe.

My process 

- make a printed list of all essentials a couple days before going.  Add to the list as you realize that you're getting low on toothpaste or need a new can opener, etc.  

- understand how much freezer space i have before i go. Plan to buy meats that can go in the freezer after a couple days 

- wear old clothes 

- clean out trunk except for Clorox wipes and a trash bag 

- have a couple clean sleds or other containers in the garage ready for when i get back

- bring a mask and two sets of gloves. The first set goes on before i go inside. The second set goes in the driver seat.  

- go alone. This isn't a field trip to bring your kids. 

- have my credit card out in my pocket and leave everything else in the wallet in my car.  Bring cash as backup

- get shopping cart, wipe it down and shop. Avoid things that aren't in packages that can be wiped down or washed easily. 

- check out using credit card and get disposable bags 

- pack groceries in trunk.  Remove old gloves, put in trash.  Clean hands and the handle to the trunk, get in car, drive home. 

- park car in garage, take off shirt pants and shoes, throw clothes in washer. Wash hands.  Shower.  Change into new clothes and put on new gloves. 

- take one item at a time out of the trunk, wipe down with disinfectant wipes, put in sled a couple feet away.  Every square inch of every item gets wiped down thoroughly.  

- if multiple trips are required, change gloves and bring the sled only inside the house for wife to unpack. Wait for her to finish then repeat until all groceries are inside and put away. 

- when finished, wipe down the trunk, the drivers seat and steering wheel, door handles going in and out, basically the whole cockpit

- take off shirt pants and shoes, put clothes in washer and run on sanitize.

- wash hands and shower again

 
I figure if I'm going to catch this virus, I'm probably going to pick it up from the grocery store. So I'm trying to figure out the best time to go to minimize the risk. I've been going on a weekday before 7 am and there aren't too many shoppers but  there are stockers on most of the aisles. Now I'm thinking a Monday night around 8 might be the way to go. Anybody found the sweet spot?
Obviously going to vary by area, but there is a grocery store near me that hasnt reduced their hours. They were never crowded between 8-9 PC. So I figured I would give them a try after 8 AC. Place was dead. At end of my shopping I was the only customer. Place was well stocked too. When I left I took a pic of the three cars in the parking lot, one of which was mine. Third car cant be seen, it was like an aveo tucked behind mine. I figured they must be the two workers' cars. Was a monday night at 8:20pm. 

No hand sanitizer, but they did have TP.

 
I don't think there's a safe time to go but if they disinfect a lot at night and a little throughout the day then it stands to reason that early is safer than later, but neither is completely safe.

My process 

- make a printed list of all essentials a couple days before going.  Add to the list as you realize that you're getting low on toothpaste or need a new can opener, etc.  

- understand how much freezer space i have before i go. Plan to buy meats that can go in the freezer after a couple days 

- wear old clothes 

- clean out trunk except for Clorox wipes and a trash bag 

- have a couple clean sleds or other containers in the garage ready for when i get back

- bring a mask and two sets of gloves. The first set goes on before i go inside. The second set goes in the driver seat.  

- go alone. This isn't a field trip to bring your kids. 

- have my credit card out in my pocket and leave everything else in the wallet in my car.  Bring cash as backup

- get shopping cart, wipe it down and shop. Avoid things that aren't in packages that can be wiped down or washed easily. 

- check out using credit card and get disposable bags 

- pack groceries in trunk.  Remove old gloves, put in trash.  Clean hands and the handle to the trunk, get in car, drive home. 

- park car in garage, take off shirt pants and shoes, throw clothes in washer. Wash hands.  Shower.  Change into new clothes and put on new gloves. 

- take one item at a time out of the trunk, wipe down with disinfectant wipes, put in sled a couple feet away.  Every square inch of every item gets wiped down thoroughly.  

- if multiple trips are required, change gloves and bring the sled only inside the house for wife to unpack. Wait for her to finish then repeat until all groceries are inside and put away. 

- when finished, wipe down the trunk, the drivers seat and steering wheel, door handles going in and out, basically the whole cockpit

- take off shirt pants and shoes, put clothes in washer and run on sanitize.

- wash hands and shower again
Holy crap that is a lot of work.  

 
i'm just hitting the same two mini-marts, i go every other day. 

gloves and face covered, no humans encountered either to or fro ... any customers at the stores keep their distance. 

packages are disinfected on our stoop, shoes stay out there, as well - clothes immediately come off, and tossed in the proper bin in the laundry room.

ETA: i will not enter any of the big places, #### that ... human petri dishes, that lot - no thanks. 

 
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I'm going on Tuesday or Wednesday between 9am and 10am.

When I was there last Tuesday at 10am it seemed like the perfect time.  When I got to the check out, I was the only person in line with 3 registers open and only a handful of people in the store.

I'm going to the local "Whole Foods" type of store where it is a bit more expensive.  But they've done a much better job of limiting customers, sanitizing carts and creating spacing within the store. I feel a lot safer here.

 
I don't think there's a safe time to go but if they disinfect a lot at night and a little throughout the day then it stands to reason that early is safer than later, but neither is completely safe.

My process 

- make a printed list of all essentials a couple days before going.  Add to the list as you realize that you're getting low on toothpaste or need a new can opener, etc.  

- understand how much freezer space i have before i go. Plan to buy meats that can go in the freezer after a couple days 

- wear old clothes 

- clean out trunk except for Clorox wipes and a trash bag 

- have a couple clean sleds or other containers in the garage ready for when i get back

- bring a mask and two sets of gloves. The first set goes on before i go inside. The second set goes in the driver seat.  

- go alone. This isn't a field trip to bring your kids. 

- have my credit card out in my pocket and leave everything else in the wallet in my car.  Bring cash as backup

- get shopping cart, wipe it down and shop. Avoid things that aren't in packages that can be wiped down or washed easily. 

- check out using credit card and get disposable bags 

- pack groceries in trunk.  Remove old gloves, put in trash.  Clean hands and the handle to the trunk, get in car, drive home. 

- park car in garage, take off shirt pants and shoes, throw clothes in washer. Wash hands.  Shower.  Change into new clothes and put on new gloves. 

- take one item at a time out of the trunk, wipe down with disinfectant wipes, put in sled a couple feet away.  Every square inch of every item gets wiped down thoroughly.  

- if multiple trips are required, change gloves and bring the sled only inside the house for wife to unpack. Wait for her to finish then repeat until all groceries are inside and put away. 

- when finished, wipe down the trunk, the drivers seat and steering wheel, door handles going in and out, basically the whole cockpit

- take off shirt pants and shoes, put clothes in washer and run on sanitize.

- wash hands and shower again
Remind me never to piss you off.  My murder would undoubtedly go unsolved.

 
I went to my local Trader Joe's last Tuesday, April 7th. On Friday, Trader Joe's announced a crew member at that store tested positive for Covid-19 and the store would close for additional cleaning. The last day the infected crew member worked was Tuesday, April 7th. I was bundled up pretty good when I was there and hosed down my groceries thoroughly when I got home. I applaud Trader Joe's for the transparency but to be honest I wish I didn't know anything about it. Just adds to the already high amount of anxiety.
Had to go to trader joe's for my in laws on friday. Wife was delivering them their groceries saturday and of they need to have the trader joes natural peanut butter and the TJ almond milk, unsweetened, vitamin a and d added. 

Went in morning right when they opened. Line was out door around the corner. Never even got out of my car. Went back at about 2pm, line was about 20 deep so I waited. Man did they have a system setup. Only letting people in after people left. people outside cleaning carts. Stations for waiting for checkout spaced 6 ft apart. A person telling you which next station to go to. Employee tells you when to push your cart forward. You stay in the spot. They ring everything up and bag it. Then they step away from register and you swipe your card. After you swipe your card and take your stuff a different employee cleans everything. Place smelled like lemon scented bleach. Was kind of wild. 

Every single employee wearing a mask and gloves. 75% of customers had masks on. 

Only annoying thing is they had a two item maximum for any item. Wanted to buy 6 of the 32 ounce almond milk containers so they don't have to go out. So I had to buy 2 of three different kinds, which I am sure my MIL wont even drink.  

 
I take some hand sanitizer to keep in my pocket and go first thing in the morning.  I'll use one of the cart wipes if they've got them (50/50).

Thought about sanitizing all packages, but I'm not going that far. I put them away and wash my hands well.

I don't mean this in a "it's the flu bro" way, but I'll be careful and cautious, keep my distance, and keep washing my hands well, but if I get Corona because I didn't sanitize every inch of a box of IPA's, that's just the way that one is going to go down. 
Agreed. I'm also assuming I've been potentially exposed multiple times already, and will in the future. 

 
I figure if I'm going to catch this virus, I'm probably going to pick it up from the grocery store. So I'm trying to figure out the best time to go to minimize the risk. I've been going on a weekday before 7 am and there aren't too many shoppers but  there are stockers on most of the aisles. Now I'm thinking a Monday night around 8 might be the way to go. Anybody found the sweet spot?
I have been going later at night about an hour before closing and it has been dead.  Maybe been 5-6 people in store all spread out.   All the markets around me are way too busy in the AM hours.  Most people go early in hopes of getting toilet paper and paper towels.

 
Had to go to trader joe's for my in laws on friday. Wife was delivering them their groceries saturday and of they need to have the trader joes natural peanut butter and the TJ almond milk, unsweetened, vitamin a and d added. 

Went in morning right when they opened. Line was out door around the corner. Never even got out of my car. Went back at about 2pm, line was about 20 deep so I waited. Man did they have a system setup. Only letting people in after people left. people outside cleaning carts. Stations for waiting for checkout spaced 6 ft apart. A person telling you which next station to go to. Employee tells you when to push your cart forward. You stay in the spot. They ring everything up and bag it. Then they step away from register and you swipe your card. After you swipe your card and take your stuff a different employee cleans everything. Place smelled like lemon scented bleach. Was kind of wild. 

Every single employee wearing a mask and gloves. 75% of customers had masks on. 

Only annoying thing is they had a two item maximum for any item. Wanted to buy 6 of the 32 ounce almond milk containers so they don't have to go out. So I had to buy 2 of three different kinds, which I am sure my MIL wont even drink.  
They have the same system here except they don't wipe everything clean after you buy it. Maybe they do now. No gloves on workers either. What annoyed me was they had a bagger in addition to the cashier so i had 2 sets of ungloved hands touching everything I bought. Funny, I have the same issue with the almond milk being 2 max. I bought 2 regular, 2 organic.

 
Yeah, after seeing BF's post, now I'm feeling pretty inadequate. :unsure:   However, as for me...

I just move through the market like a SWAT team, calculating my steps 10 feet ahead of time, with alternate routes and reversals planned at every turn. Directly to my items. Route planned ahead of time. I know this tundra like the back of my hand. It feels like home, just with more masks. Diverting from the plan only with a stray text from my child with a super-important request of something like Takis or Laffy Taffy or root beer in the glass bottles. But being the hero father I am, I break ranks and make that trek back around to the other side of the market and I do it with the pride only a father can feel. I sidle up to the self-checkout, masking my mild displeasure of no in-person checkouts being open, which will delay my planned time-in-store, but only slightly, because fortunately I have the self-checkout skill that most can only aspire to. Produce item that requires a PLU lookup? Pfft, no problem. I can ring up bananas in my sleep (PLU 4011, you're welcome). Alcohol purchase requiring an ID verification? Please. I eat pieces of #### like that for breakfast. I flag the lady down before I ring that up and tell her I'm going to need her in just a minute, to which she happily obliges and pre-approves the remainder of my approval-requiring purchases. Yes sir. I was born for this. 

Walk softly, wash with soap and water, and carry an aerosolized disinfectant I always say. :coffee:  

 
I go like once a week.  No mask.  No gloves.  Wipe down the cart if they have disinfectant if not no big deal

Use some hand sanitizer when I’m done loading groceries in the car

no disinfecting grocery's at home.  50/50 if I wash my hands when I’m done putting them a way

:shrug:

 
It seems like I end up at the grocery store pretty often. Not as often as pre-virus, but probably more often than I should. There is a Safeway about a mile from my house and it is really hard not to take advantage of it.

Sometimes I wear a scarf over my face, but not always. I always use ample hand sanitizer and wipes though.

But I believe it is highly probable that my whole family was exposed to the virus early on. My wife and older step-son were really sick for over a week with symptoms that, in retrospect, sound very much like COVID-19. My younger stepson and I never got sick.

 
Great breakdown Boston--this is very much what we do. We don't go in stores and just use curbside or delivery for most everything. We just leave the non-perishable stuff in the car for up to 2-3 days. We always use my car, which is a hatchback with the backseats folded down, and we have a big tarp lining the back.

We have been staying home, but this is a big risk week for us. Wednesday we are getting up and going to Lowe's for propane right as they open at 6:00 am (no one delivers this around here) , then later in the morning my wife is going to the pharmacy for my insulin and other meds. This pharmacy doesn't offer a drive through--so not cool. She is also doing curbside pickup for alcohol right after this--not worried about that stop. We are doing a curbside grocery pickup up Friday and then also on that day, we are letting our 15 year old have a friend over for the first time, but they are going to stay outside. 

I hate that every move has to be thought out like this. 

 
I figure if I'm going to catch this virus, I'm probably going to pick it up from the grocery store. So I'm trying to figure out the best time to go to minimize the risk. I've been going on a weekday before 7 am and there aren't too many shoppers but  there are stockers on most of the aisles. Now I'm thinking a Monday night around 8 might be the way to go. Anybody found the sweet spot?
I have been going later at night about an hour before closing and it has been dead.  Maybe been 5-6 people in store all spread out.   All the markets around me are way too busy in the AM hours.  Most people go early in hopes of getting toilet paper and paper towels.
This is what I am shooting for.

 
I don't think there's a safe time to go but if they disinfect a lot at night and a little throughout the day then it stands to reason that early is safer than later, but neither is completely safe.

My process 

- make a printed list of all essentials a couple days before going.  Add to the list as you realize that you're getting low on toothpaste or need a new can opener, etc.  

- understand how much freezer space i have before i go. Plan to buy meats that can go in the freezer after a couple days 

- wear old clothes 

- clean out trunk except for Clorox wipes and a trash bag 

- have a couple clean sleds or other containers in the garage ready for when i get back

- bring a mask and two sets of gloves. The first set goes on before i go inside. The second set goes in the driver seat.  

- go alone. This isn't a field trip to bring your kids. 

- have my credit card out in my pocket and leave everything else in the wallet in my car.  Bring cash as backup

- get shopping cart, wipe it down and shop. Avoid things that aren't in packages that can be wiped down or washed easily. 

- check out using credit card and get disposable bags 

- pack groceries in trunk.  Remove old gloves, put in trash.  Clean hands and the handle to the trunk, get in car, drive home. 

- park car in garage, take off shirt pants and shoes, throw clothes in washer. Wash hands.  Shower.  Change into new clothes and put on new gloves. 

- take one item at a time out of the trunk, wipe down with disinfectant wipes, put in sled a couple feet away.  Every square inch of every item gets wiped down thoroughly.  

- if multiple trips are required, change gloves and bring the sled only inside the house for wife to unpack. Wait for her to finish then repeat until all groceries are inside and put away. 

- when finished, wipe down the trunk, the drivers seat and steering wheel, door handles going in and out, basically the whole cockpit

- take off shirt pants and shoes, put clothes in washer and run on sanitize.

- wash hands and shower again
While many might consider this extreme—I applaud it.  Nobody definitively knows how easily this virus spreads. Cuomo himself said today that they are still getting 2000 infected people per day coming into New York hospitals—and this is weeks after stay at home orders are effect.  Doing what you can to make your house a “clean zone” is the way to go until we know more. I utilize a similar methodology—but I do a couple things different.  I ordered large packs of white terry towels that I leave in my garage (each pack has 50 towels).   I also have a few misting spray bottles—and a couple of them I fill with bleach diluted with water.  When I unpack my groceries in the garage—I mist all of the packaging with the bleach/water mix and wipe them down with one of the towels. Of course I’m gloved and masked up when I do this.   When I’m done—I put the clothes I’m wearing, the towel I used to wipe things down, and the blanket that i did this over all in the washing machine, and even though i take my shoes off in the garage at the entrance to the house—i even mist the soles of my shoes with the bleach and water mix.  I then  wash my hands, carry the stuff in the house, immediately shower and put on a new set of clothes.  It’s a lot of work—but being that my grocery trips are seldom—it’s worth it. On my deliveries—I implement a similar strategy.   I did order a couple UV-C sanitation chambers (one for my house and one for work)—so that should hopefully simplify the process a bit. 

 
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I go like once a week.  No mask.  No gloves.  Wipe down the cart if they have disinfectant if not no big deal

Use some hand sanitizer when I’m done loading groceries in the car

no disinfecting grocery's at home.  50/50 if I wash my hands when I’m done putting them a way

:shrug:
Good thing you're not in a hotspot or anything.

 
I don't think there's a safe time to go but if they disinfect a lot at night and a little throughout the day then it stands to reason that early is safer than later, but neither is completely safe.

My process 

- make a printed list of all essentials a couple days before going.  Add to the list as you realize that you're getting low on toothpaste or need a new can opener, etc.  

- understand how much freezer space i have before i go. Plan to buy meats that can go in the freezer after a couple days 

- wear old clothes 

- clean out trunk except for Clorox wipes and a trash bag 

- have a couple clean sleds or other containers in the garage ready for when i get back

- bring a mask and two sets of gloves. The first set goes on before i go inside. The second set goes in the driver seat.  

- go alone. This isn't a field trip to bring your kids. 

- have my credit card out in my pocket and leave everything else in the wallet in my car.  Bring cash as backup

- get shopping cart, wipe it down and shop. Avoid things that aren't in packages that can be wiped down or washed easily. 

- check out using credit card and get disposable bags 

- pack groceries in trunk.  Remove old gloves, put in trash.  Clean hands and the handle to the trunk, get in car, drive home. 

- park car in garage, take off shirt pants and shoes, throw clothes in washer. Wash hands.  Shower.  Change into new clothes and put on new gloves. 

- take one item at a time out of the trunk, wipe down with disinfectant wipes, put in sled a couple feet away.  Every square inch of every item gets wiped down thoroughly.  

- if multiple trips are required, change gloves and bring the sled only inside the house for wife to unpack. Wait for her to finish then repeat until all groceries are inside and put away. 

- when finished, wipe down the trunk, the drivers seat and steering wheel, door handles going in and out, basically the whole cockpit

- take off shirt pants and shoes, put clothes in washer and run on sanitize.

- wash hands and shower again
Seriously, if you substitute "body parts" for "groceries", this reads like a murderer's how-to book. :scared:

 
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I go like once a week.  No mask.  No gloves.  Wipe down the cart if they have disinfectant if not no big deal

Use some hand sanitizer when I’m done loading groceries in the car

no disinfecting grocery's at home.  50/50 if I wash my hands when I’m done putting them a way

:shrug:
This except 100% I wash my hands.. but then I always have washed my hands too much.

 
my routine is similar to bfreds:

i bring masks/gloves, wipes and hand sanitizer in the car

wear old clothes i don’t really care about

wear mask and gloves into the store

credit card in pocket, no other belongings come into the store with me

wipe down shopping cart handle before touching

after checkout, pack groceries in trunk, return cart and dispose of gloves

wipe down car (trunk latch, door handles, etc).  

sanitize hands

put on new gloves

drive home

take groceries out of car and organize in the driveway

wipe everything down

start a small fire in the back yard, burn mask and gloves

(sounds excessive but i usually get a small fire going in the evenings anyway)

bring groceries into the garage

wash hands

remove clothes

wash hands and other body parts thoroughly

put on clean clothes

take the old clothes out back and throw them on the fire

wash hands

put groceries away in the kitchen/pantry

take a shower

take the towel from the shower out back throw onto the fire

set fire to the groceries

set the car on fire

burn down the house

wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds

 
my routine is similar to bfreds:

i bring masks/gloves, wipes and hand sanitizer in the car

wear old clothes i don’t really care about

wear mask and gloves into the store

credit card in pocket, no other belongings come into the store with me

wipe down shopping cart handle before touching

after checkout, pack groceries in trunk, return cart and dispose of gloves

wipe down car (trunk latch, door handles, etc).  

sanitize hands

put on new gloves

drive home

take groceries out of car and organize in the driveway

wipe everything down

start a small fire in the back yard, burn mask and gloves

(sounds excessive but i usually get a small fire going in the evenings anyway)

bring groceries into the garage

wash hands

remove clothes

wash hands and other body parts thoroughly

put on clean clothes

take the old clothes out back and throw them on the fire

wash hands

put groceries away in the kitchen/pantry

take a shower

take the towel from the shower out back throw onto the fire

set fire to the groceries

set the car on fire

burn down the house

wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds
:lmao:

 
my routine is similar to bfreds:

i bring masks/gloves, wipes and hand sanitizer in the car

wear old clothes i don’t really care about

wear mask and gloves into the store

credit card in pocket, no other belongings come into the store with me

wipe down shopping cart handle before touching

after checkout, pack groceries in trunk, return cart and dispose of gloves

wipe down car (trunk latch, door handles, etc).  

sanitize hands

put on new gloves

drive home

take groceries out of car and organize in the driveway

wipe everything down

start a small fire in the back yard, burn mask and gloves

(sounds excessive but i usually get a small fire going in the evenings anyway)

bring groceries into the garage

wash hands

remove clothes

wash hands and other body parts thoroughly

put on clean clothes

take the old clothes out back and throw them on the fire

wash hands

put groceries away in the kitchen/pantry

take a shower

take the towel from the shower out back throw onto the fire

set fire to the groceries

set the car on fire

burn down the house

wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds
"And that's why you can never have too many houses...."

-- @krista4

 
Not to be the Ahole of the thread, but to all of you going to the store multiple times per week or weekly - why?  Do you not have the means to "stock up"?  Genuinely curious...

I'm not advocating hoarding by any means.  There's 4 of us in my house, and we do Kroger online order/curbside pickup every 2 weeks right now, and haven't had to "make a quick run" in between.  If I was going to go enter a store and shop for myself, my process would look like Fred's because my wife is a germaphobe, and I have two people in the house who are immunocompromised that I'm trying to shield.  

 
I take some hand sanitizer to keep in my pocket and go first thing in the morning.  I'll use one of the cart wipes if they've got them (50/50).

Thought about sanitizing all packages, but I'm not going that far. I put them away and wash my hands well.

I don't mean this in a "it's the flu bro" way, but I'll be careful and cautious, keep my distance, and keep washing my hands well, but if I get Corona because I didn't sanitize every inch of a box of IPA's, that's just the way that one is going to go down. 
This is where I was...until last week or so, when the deaths really ticked up and there were people that were basically me and younger dying.

That scared the last of the "whatever will be will be" complacency out of me. Living in NYC with a pre existing condition and two young kids...I'm not taking any chances out of laziness or complacency any more.

 
Not to be the Ahole of the thread, but to all of you going to the store multiple times per week or weekly - why?  Do you not have the means to "stock up"?  Genuinely curious...

I'm not advocating hoarding by any means.  There's 4 of us in my house, and we do Kroger online order/curbside pickup every 2 weeks right now, and haven't had to "make a quick run" in between.  If I was going to go enter a store and shop for myself, my process would look like Fred's because my wife is a germaphobe, and I have two people in the house who are immunocompromised that I'm trying to shield.  
Pretty sure they mean prior to sheltering at home. 

For those of us that cook at home frequently, getting fresh produce matters. You can't accomplish that grocery shopping once every couple weeks. We usually do about one decent sized shopping trip per week and then a second smaller one for specific items. Occasionally that trip isn't needed or it turns into an extra two trips in a week, but that's about average for our household of 5.

 
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I don't think there's a safe time to go but if they disinfect a lot at night and a little throughout the day then it stands to reason that early is safer than later, but neither is completely safe.

My process 

- make a printed list of all essentials a couple days before going.  Add to the list as you realize that you're getting low on toothpaste or need a new can opener, etc.  

- understand how much freezer space i have before i go. Plan to buy meats that can go in the freezer after a couple days 

- wear old clothes 

- clean out trunk except for Clorox wipes and a trash bag 

- have a couple clean sleds or other containers in the garage ready for when i get back

- bring a mask and two sets of gloves. The first set goes on before i go inside. The second set goes in the driver seat.  

- go alone. This isn't a field trip to bring your kids. 

- have my credit card out in my pocket and leave everything else in the wallet in my car.  Bring cash as backup

- get shopping cart, wipe it down and shop. Avoid things that aren't in packages that can be wiped down or washed easily. 

- check out using credit card and get disposable bags 

- pack groceries in trunk.  Remove old gloves, put in trash.  Clean hands and the handle to the trunk, get in car, drive home. 

- park car in garage, take off shirt pants and shoes, throw clothes in washer. Wash hands.  Shower.  Change into new clothes and put on new gloves. 

- take one item at a time out of the trunk, wipe down with disinfectant wipes, put in sled a couple feet away.  Every square inch of every item gets wiped down thoroughly.  

- if multiple trips are required, change gloves and bring the sled only inside the house for wife to unpack. Wait for her to finish then repeat until all groceries are inside and put away. 

- when finished, wipe down the trunk, the drivers seat and steering wheel, door handles going in and out, basically the whole cockpit

- take off shirt pants and shoes, put clothes in washer and run on sanitize.

- wash hands and shower again
You should just stay naked after the first disrobing. Would save you a stack of 10 minute old dirty clothes. 

 
Not to be the Ahole of the thread, but to all of you going to the store multiple times per week or weekly - why?  Do you not have the means to "stock up"?  Genuinely curious...

I'm not advocating hoarding by any means.  There's 4 of us in my house, and we do Kroger online order/curbside pickup every 2 weeks right now, and haven't had to "make a quick run" in between.  If I was going to go enter a store and shop for myself, my process would look like Fred's because my wife is a germaphobe, and I have two people in the house who are immunocompromised that I'm trying to shield.  
I do the weekly pickup.

2 gallons of milk barely last the week with 4 of us here eating every meal.  Fresher vegetables (mainly now just bagged salad) don't last 2 weeks.  Nor do fruits.  

Meatwise and most staples im pretty well stocked on.  But ever week there is usually a need for some things that just aren't going to last 2 weeks...and then there are things that we maybe got 2 weeks ago than need replenished while I am doing that and so on.  Eating in more..we just eat more and a lot of it doesn't last or stay fresh.

 
Cross posted in the COVID Thread...but my experience from today.

Went to the grocery store...had a pickup time for food...but several essentials were not "available"  so I donned my mask before my pickup to grab a few items I know we needed that I could not get into my order.

Id estimate it was 50/50 masks vs none.  And that includes the one lady whose mask was merely for show it seems, noticeable gaps on both side of her mouth and around her nose.  It was about as loose as it could be without falling off.  Not sure what she was going for there.

Id say a good 90% of the people were trying to keep a distance.  The 10% that weren't...Id guess they were always the inconsiderate type.  One couple was doing something I would be annoyed with before all of this...cart on the right...both standing looking at something on the left of the aisle.  Blocking everyone's path completely and touching a ton of things and putting them back.  Noticed as I entered that aisle and watched them a moment hoping they would move on.  After I got the item I needed...they were still there doing the same thing.  With 2 more people and carts waiting to get by...I turned around and found a clear aisle to exit.

Now...the pickup...there are 8 pickup car lanes at this grocery store outside.  (4 are overflow that don't have the little loudspeaker and you call into the store with your phone).  When I pulled in, zero of the lanes were occupied and the rest of the parking lot was pretty full.  People still seem to be choosing much more to go into the store than using the free pickup service.  I know, I was part of that grabbing a few things too...but this seems to be the case each week I have been out.  The pickup lines are nearly empty and the regular lot has plenty of cars.

Adding...I wear a mask inside...wipe my cart down.  Keep a small bottle of hand sanitizer in my left pocket.  My debit card in my right pocket.  (both of those in the jacket I was wearing today since it was cooler weather.  I only touched handles and items with my right hand.  Unloaded the cart to checkout with just that hand.

Once items loaded...I sanitized my hands and wiped the card reader screen with a wipe.  Put the card in...input numbers.  Put card away.  Got to the car opened the door with keys in my left pocket...loaded things sanitized the hands again and went home.

I wipe down things with a wipe once I bring them in the house and then put them away.  Wash hands.  I have a UV sanitizer that I use on my phone and remotes and things pretty regularly...threw in the keys and debit card after this trip.  

Masks are reusable the I wash at home...in the washer now with a load with hot water.

 
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I went this morning, Walmart Neighborhood Market. I went about 8:30 (they open at 8). There were few people and I was able to keep distance , only coming anywhere close to anyone twice my whole trip, one of those being the lady at self-checkout who had to approve my alcohol purchase(s).  TP and water were plentiful (since they implemented 1 per customer policy) and I didn't notice anything being completely sold out.
I went to our local Walmart Neighborhood Market last Friday and it was the first time in a month that I saw a semblance of normal paper products aisles. They were maybe stocked 1/4 full on TP and paper towels ... but since those are huge aisles, that was still plenty of stock.

Man, I was truly shocked to see a proper pile of paper-towel 12-packs. In several brands! Not just a few odd overpriced single rolls.

 
Not to be the Ahole of the thread, but to all of you going to the store multiple times per week or weekly - why?  Do you not have the means to "stock up"?  Genuinely curious...

I'm not advocating hoarding by any means.  There's 4 of us in my house, and we do Kroger online order/curbside pickup every 2 weeks right now, and haven't had to "make a quick run" in between.  If I was going to go enter a store and shop for myself, my process would look like Fred's because my wife is a germaphobe, and I have two people in the house who are immunocompromised that I'm trying to shield.  
Agreed. I took today and tomorrow off (plan was 6 days off for spring break) and I did my Costco run that I hadn’t done in weeks. $800 in groceries later, we’re good for a while (wife and 3 teenage boys). There are some small things we could use from the grocery store so I will likely do pickup (always booked) or do what I did today and do a stock up run. I’d hope that we’re good for at least a few weeks. Trying to keep the runs down with online orders as well, but I couldn’t imagine how much today would have cost me online.

I sure didn’t pull a Fred but I did do gloves and a mask and went before Costco opened (they were open a half hour before scheduled). Threw away the gloves and sanitized after before driving. I did wipe down the car and all door handles after I unpacked but I didn’t do anything too crazy. I don’t have enough Clorox wipes to wipe every box down. I tend to take things out of the boxes anyway and put those in our big recycling bin (same size as garbage). Wash my hands well after unloading and putting things in pantries and outside/inside fridges. I did throw my clothes in the washer and shower after unpacked. I think I’m just before the almost crazy line, way safer than most folks but not a doomsday prepper. 

 
I take some hand sanitizer to keep in my pocket and go first thing in the morning.  I'll use one of the cart wipes if they've got them (50/50).

Thought about sanitizing all packages, but I'm not going that far. I put them away and wash my hands well.

I don't mean this in a "it's the flu bro" way, but I'll be careful and cautious, keep my distance, and keep washing my hands well, but if I get Corona because I didn't sanitize every inch of a box of IPA's, that's just the way that one is going to go down. 
This is the way I'd like to do it at home ... but I am outvoted   :kicksrock:  

I am quite sure that years down the road, there'll be an article somewhere or a book written that will cover some of the 'needless things people used to do in response to the pandemic' ... and one of them will be 'wiping down groceries'.

 
I'm not ashamed to spend too much time keeping my family safe.  I have regrets in life but knowing that I exposed my family to a deadly virus because I wanted to stock up on a couple quick things isn't going to be one of them.  

 
Not to be the Ahole of the thread, but to all of you going to the store multiple times per week or weekly - why?  Do you not have the means to "stock up"?  Genuinely curious...

I'm not advocating hoarding by any means.  There's 4 of us in my house, and we do Kroger online order/curbside pickup every 2 weeks right now, and haven't had to "make a quick run" in between.  If I was going to go enter a store and shop for myself, my process would look like Fred's because my wife is a germaphobe, and I have two people in the house who are immunocompromised that I'm trying to shield. 
On two separate outings last week (Thursday and Friday afternoons) I went to three different grocery stores and to the same dollar store twice. Let me explain.

1) I'm starting off from the premise that grocery shopping is just not all that risky assuming the store is not packed. I think wearing an N95 masks, sanitizing my hands constantly (easily every 2-3 minutes while in the store), and staying 6+ feet away from others (more like 8-10) is protection enough.

2) Due to random-ish outages, I have found it impossible to go to one place one time and get everything that I want/need to stock. Until last Friday, ONLY the nearest dollar store ever had paper products. I had a two month stock of TP and two weeks of paper towels on March 11 (the night the NBA shut down). My initial thoughts were to be ready for a two-week quarantine ... which has stretched to a month so far and will for sure be a second month. It didn't occur to me in mid-February to stock stuff like that for, say, three months.

Last Thursday, it was eggs. Main local chain grocery had no eggs, so I went to the nearby budget grocery and score two dozen. Neither place had any kind of paper products so I stopped in the close-by dollar store just to see. Their paper doesn't come until Friday ... so no dice.

So on Friday ... I check the local WalMart Neighborhood Market out for paper products and hit paydirt (see above). Since I'm there, I also pick up a lot of items that I prefer to buy at WalMart because their price is always cheapest -- plus, it gets me ahead on trips out of the house. Since I was also on an Easter-candy/gift mission, I hit the main local chain grocery (slow afternoon, plenty of space) and the dollar store again.

...

Well, that was a lot of writing. Ask anything ... it doesn't make a lot of sense, I don't guess. But it depends on the amount of risk you feel you're taking on. My thing is not being at the grocery -- I'm fine with that. My thing is more not being at a crowded grocery where it gets hard to maintain my six-to-ten feet.

 
I go like once a week.  No mask.  No gloves.  Wipe down the cart if they have disinfectant if not no big deal

Use some hand sanitizer when I’m done loading groceries in the car

no disinfecting grocery's at home.  50/50 if I wash my hands when I’m done putting them a way

:shrug:
Pretty much exactly what I'm doing but I did wear a little mask when I went out last week. 

 

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