By Eric W. Schoen
What’s going on in our grocery stores? It took me visits to 2 supermarkets, Family Dollar and Dollar Tree earlier this week to pick up the things I needed. Store shelves are empty unless you go everyday when shipments come in. Even then you don’t know what you will find.
It started a month ago. My sister wanted Cat food, cat litter, plain white vinegar and baking soda for her cat, Sidney (named after my dad who had a belly like Sidney does). Anyone who has a cat knows you don’t just change the food or litter on the cat based on what’s on sale. Three grocery stores, two in Yonkers and one in New Rochelle to find the correct cat litter and cat food. (Now don’t tell me to go online and order. The brands she uses are sold out online.)
My sister uses the vinegar and baking soda to keep the cat litter fresh. Vinegar is used by many to clean as it is inexpensive. They had a few bottles of the expensive Heinz Vinegar, but none of the store brand vinegar. Same with the baking soda. Since many of the store brand products are made by the same companies who make the name brands, are manufacturers only shipping the more expensive name brands so we have to pay more?
Could there be so many of the store brands waiting to be shipped at the ports in California? A sales clerk told me the lack of vinegar is because people are eating salads. All of a sudden people are eating salads with white vinegar on them? Don’t people buy the 100’s of brands of expensive vinegar like the Balsamic from Modena on store shelves?
Let’s talk about my trip. Remember I am 1 person. I wanted deli made tuna salad (I know I am nuts paying $10 a pound ) which Stop and Shop had none. I wanted high protein, low calorie, high fiber frozen pancakes. Out of stock for weeks.
I wanted pocket frozen sandwiches from Sandwich brothers. Egg and Cheese, Cheeseburger, all they had was Sausage and Cheese. Little Table Talk sugar free $1 apple pies. None. I did see a brand of low calories, high protein, high fiber sandwich rolls. It was October 15. They were dated October 14. Covered with green mold.
I needed Vicks Vapor Rub for a chest cold I felt coming on. $9? My father who swore that consuming a spoon full of vapor rub when you were sick killed anything would roll over in his grave if I spent that much. I ended up purchasing Dollar Tree vapor rub which when put on your chest does the same thing as the $9 product. Don’t worry, I didn’t consume a spoon full (note: PLEASE DON’T) but I do know other people whose parents believe in the magical affects of consuming vapor rub!
I went to Shoprite. They had the store made tuna fish. $10.99 a pound. I’m worth it! They had 1, yes 1 box of the high protein pancakes. Is there some kind of run on Kodiak Cakes flapjacks? Plenty of kodiak cakes waffles in all varieties (Note Target has been out of the pancakes for weeks!). They didn’t have the Sandwich Brothers pocket sandwiches. But they did have an item I had a $9 off coupon for so I was a happy camper.
I like Mountain Dew Energy Drinks. It’s only 80 calories, and I drink half the can at a sitting. $1 to $1.25 each. I know that if I go to the Family Dollar Store in the old library in Getty Square Square on a Sunday night (they are open to 9) I will find the Fruit Punch Mountain Dew Energy Drink I want. Not at Acme. Not at Stop and Shop. Not at Shoprite. Only at the Family Dollar store in Getty Square will I find them.
For right now, sadly the days of finding everything you want in one store are next to impossible. What day should you shop when the stores will have the largest stock of Merchandise. There is no answer to that question. I really feel sorry for families with children who are limited in what they will eat. Check store circulars weekly for items on sale but again that’s no guarantee the store will have the product you want when you arrive.
Sale on Cozy Shack sugar free rice and tapioca 4 packs. Sale at Stop and Shop started Friday. I went Friday. Manager said they never came in. Target Circle, Target’s discount app had the Sandwich Brothers items at 25% off. Frozen food manager said they never came in. I notice the same lack of product with many Target Circle items.
What can I say? Buon Appetito!
HOT TOPICS:October 15 is the day the landlord must supply heat if the temperature is below 55 degrees. Heat or hot water complaints in Yonkers. Call the very kind Joanne at City Hall at 377-6560 or her supervisor, Pat Losco at 377-6527.
Talk in the Journal News about burying power lines underground to prevent outages. At a cost of millions of dollars per mile do you ever think it’s going to happen. Keep dreaming.
When will they ever learn? Political signs are illegal on public property. They are legal on private property only with the permission of the property owner. Kudos to Yonkers Public Works employee Steve Squig and his crew who collect the illegally placed signs and return them to their rightful owners. Do they have to do that? No. Should the City of Yonkers enforce the laws on the books and fine candidates for illegally placed signs? Certainly would greatly enrich city coffers.
Congratulations to the Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus on their 45th Anniversary Celebration this past weekend. This organization and its members supplied the support monetarily and grass roots for many women in leadership roles today. We need many more political groups to help candidates from all backgrounds navigate our complex political system!
Gas prices keep going up and up. Who can we blame it on this week? Gas Buddy, Waze, AAA Mobile, Gas Guru, Mapquest, and GetUpside are some of the apps you can get on your iPhone that will connect you with the cheapest gas. Paying by credit card can add 10-20 cents per gallon so be careful. Look for shops that don’t charge you more to pay with your credit card. As for me I hate pumping gas. Believe it or not many service stations that pump gas for you are cheaper than those where you have to pump gas yourself. And who wants to get their hands all messy.
Everyone knows what great libraries we have in Yonkers and Westchester. Many people have computers, iPads, iPhones, laptops and desktops sitting collecting dust. Yonkers Public Library has Tech Workshops for Seniors Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m.-12 Noon at the Will Library Computer Room.Tech Drop In for all ages where you can learn everything from setting up an email address to installing one of the apps I mentioned above takes place Wednesday and Thursday from 12-3 at the Riverfront Library.
The doors of the Yonkers Public Library are wide open with a wonderful staff who can help you and magnificent resources for everything from preparing your resume to preparing your next vacation to preparing dinner! Visit www.ypl.org or call the library at 914-337-1500 for a wealth of information! So much is available for free online!
Many of you know that I am the long time President of the Friends of the Yonkers Public Library. For over 25 years prior to Covid we have presented live musicales attended by thousands of people. We had to lay low during the pandemic but I am happy to inform you that live music presented by Friends will be back at the Will Library in November. A little tickler. We have a Salute to ABBA featuring Larger than Life on November 14. You will have to be masked and we will only allow 100 attendees,. No dancing in the aisles, but it will be wonderful to have live music for all to enjoy!
Reach Eric Schoen at thistooisyonkers@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @ericyonkers. Listen to Eric Schoen and Dan Murphy on the Westchester Rising Radio Show Thursday’s from 10-11 a.m. On WVOX 1460 AM, go to WVOX.com and click the arrow to listen to the live stream or download the WVOX app from the App Store free of charge.
