Like, Oh. My. God! It's been a month since our last snow storm! Howsoever shall we get ready? Have no fear, consumers, Stop & Shop is here to help, with a handy checklist it just blasted out to its scan-card customers, which urges you to stock up NOW on essentials such as hard candy, lollipops and at least seven gallons of bottled water PER PERSON. Oh, and pepper, because remember all those poor people in Baltimore bereft of pepper last week?
Wait, something's missing from their list. Where's the bread, eggs and milk? How can you have a storm without them? Also missing: Toilet paper. Who wrote this thing?
Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!
Ad:
Comments
Toilet paper?
By samablog
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 10:27am
Who needs stinkin' toilet paper? I use lollipop wrappers during snowstorms.
This is my favorite comment in weeks.
By Jody
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 12:36pm
It's too perfect...
Girl Scout Cookies
By KellyJMF
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 10:37am
Luckily it's cookie season and I have a hallway full of Thin Mints for the comfort food category.
Got a spare bed?
By SwirlyGrrl
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 2:49pm
I think I'll move in with you for the duration of the storm.
Come on over
By KellyJMF
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 3:31pm
You'll have to bunk on the couch with the 22-year old cat, but she doesn't move much and is soft and warm.
Hah!
By Suldog
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 10:57am
I came here specifically to post that alert, which I just received. You beat me to it, Adam.
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
Even if it were not for your
By ShadyMilkMan
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 10:58am
Even if it were not for your french toast obsession it is a bit incredible that they do not list bread, eggs OR milk to the list. Those are every day staples that people could live on for days if that is all they had.
As for toilet paper, maybe they figure who needs is when you have all that fresh snow
The White House Posts French Toast Alert
By Cynic
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 8:10pm
Did everyone see that WH Press Secretary Robert Gibbs wrote down 'eggs, milk, bread' on the palm of his hand, as a gag during today's press conference? A national color-coded system can't be far behind.
Send Stimulus Funds!
By SwirlyGrrl
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 8:40pm
If they want to use the system, they can send stimulus funds to the Gaffin household, c/o Adam Gaffin.
Gibbs
By Allstonian
Wed, 02/10/2010 - 8:22am
We saw that too - and then he said he'd crossed off bread but was getting the eggs & milk so he'd have the makings for pancakes if he got snowbound. Excellent - a tweak on Sarah Palin AND a nod to the French Toast Alert System both at the same time.
That much snow?
By SwirlyGrrl
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 11:00am
If there is that much snow, all the better. Just tie a rope to a sled, hook it to your waist, strap on the skiis, go to the store!
In Stop and Shop's Defense...
By anon
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 11:11am
It does say they got this list from FEMA. FEMA tends to plan for the worst in weather emergencies, i.e. hurricanes where people could loose power for days. Yes, even if someone in Boston lost power in a snowstorm they could put their milk/eggs/whatever in a cooler filled with ice and refresh as long as needed to keep the food good. In post-Katrina New Orleans, I think they'd have more trouble with perishable items.
That being said, Stop and Shop could have modified the list prior to sending it out to include needed french toast supplies.
Essentials Missing
By anon
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 11:12am
Why isn't alcohol on the "comfort/stress" food list.
Because that abllot measure failed
By samablog
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 3:22pm
Had supermarkets been allowed to sell beer & wine, it would have been on the Stop & Shop list.
Be Prepared!
By SwirlyGrrl
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 11:39am
It isn't just for boy scouts anymore ...
A friend asked me if she should stock he NYC apartment with the emergency supplies, back when Homeland Security was airing those scare ads about sheltering in place. I pointed out that we all should have this stuff around anyway - not out of fear of terrorist threats, but because plastic sheeting is very handy when a noreaster sends a limb through a window, hurricanes happen, snowstorms can trap you in for days, etc.
Terrorists are nasty, but Mother Nature has her shining tantrum moments on a far more frequent basis!
Well, first of all, it has
By anon
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 1:49pm
Well, first of all, it has bread right on the list, which you missed in your kneejerking. This is actually a pretty sensible list. It is clearly geared toward possible power outages, which is sensible and possible in areas receiving heavy snowfall. You are the irrational one, overemphasizing items they placed on a "comfort" list and mocking them for not including items that require electric-powered refrigeration.
Refrigeration
By SwirlyGrrl
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 2:47pm
Snow storm can take care of that, no?
I hear you on the perishables. I went to a 7-11 for some last minute things before Hurricane Bob hit, and remembered when I was near the front of the line that I really should get some ice to stuff the freezer with. So I got out of line to get ice. I got back into the long line with the ice, only to have about half of those in front of me turn around, look at the ice in my hands, and head back for some of their own.
Pet Food IS Food!
By Laurence Glavin
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 2:50pm
Under the heading "Store these essential non-food supplies", S&S lists pet food. Hey, pet food IS food! Just ask my cat.
Pets or Meat
By SwirlyGrrl
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 3:01pm
I've heard people refer to their household animals as "reserve food supply".
No, no
By Kaz
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 3:03pm
It's "Pets or Food". As in, PetsorFood.com.
No
By Allstonian
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 3:06pm
I assumed she was referring to the Michael Moore film - which is indeed entitled "Pets or Meat."
Reserve food supply
By Jay Levitt
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 9:25pm
That's the funniest thing I've read all day.
Do they get little thought bubbles with a kitten between two pieces of bread?
Went into the Stop and Shop in Stoneham earlier, as Tuesday
By roadman
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 8:35pm
is my normal grocery shopping night. Hardly what one would call the classic pre-snowstorm "panic mode" situation, as the parking lot was only about two-thirds full, there was a smaller than average crowd inside the store, the shelves were very well stocked so close to a major snowstorm, and the checkout lines were short despite there only being two cashiers on duty.
Based on these observations, it seems that people in my neck of the woods: a) have already completed their shopping well in advance of the predicted storm, b) are putting their faith in the original forecasts issued yesterday and think the snow will somehow magically disappear once it gets north ot the Mass. Pike and NOT reach the ground, or c) will postpone their mad dash to the supermarket until 10 am tomorrow morning once they see the first snowflakes start to fall.
And, for the record, the provisions I bought did include bread, milk, and eggs. However, I haven't yet decided if I want to make French Toast sometime this week.