Blizzard on the way. Tips for success? Snacks? Provisions?

[DrZeeLit]

This is my first Vt blizzard and I want to be successful.
What would you suggest?
I'm almost ready to make a run to the market.

(and it's a rousing 7 degrees at the moment)

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

1. Be prepared for long lines

And people freaking out and grabbing all the bread, milk and bottled water. Get stuff you can prepare and eat in case the electricity goes out. Stock up on snack foods. Good luck!

[DS1]

4. People are sooo stupid at the stores at times like this

Really, just what do you plan on doing with 3 gallons of milk, 8 pounds of steaks, 2 full turkeys and 14 bags of potatos?

Morans! Of course, they then proceed to have the Suburban electrically open its own rear door remotely, and then leave the cart right there instead of taking it back. Damn, I hate people.

[JimmyJazz]

7. Aren't we in a good mood, this p.m.?

Some of us have little kids and need to have milk on hand - otherwise, I pretty much agree with you. BTW - I don't have a Suburban and I always return my cart. :P

On edit: I see that noon has passed - I was up to my eyeballs finishing a project and didn't notice the time.

[DS1]

9. It's the hording mentality that gets to me.

Ownership society indeed. When someone walks in and reaches their greedy, chubby, bling-infested fingers towards the meat shelf and takes just about all of it for themselves, enough to last for a month because a couple inches of snow are expected it pisses me off. There's no sense of sharing, community, decency, OR common sense.

Or maybe I'm just jealous that they can afford to do that, and I can't :P

[JimmyJazz]

10. I agree with you - the OP was just trying to have some fun

though and ask some of us what we do during snow storms - I don't think he expected social commentary on the ills of an ownership society. We can start a socialism v. capitalism thread if you would like, though. I have the time, seeing as how I am now officially snowed in. :7

[DS1]

12. Nah

I've said what I need to.

[DrZeeLit]

15. Thanks, yes... I was "trying" to have fun. FUN is my middle name...

...since I don't have one (a middle name), I change it a lot.

Okay, so I went to the market. You are right. Lots of people decided to get prepared. We are in Vermont, so it's not exactly the "chick and deboner" society. Lots o' flannel and Lands End. Not too many gas guzzlers or status cars. I didn't see any hording (sp?). Since I've been here, one thing I notice quite clearly is the civility -- in political discourse and in life style.

Anyway... I bought one 10 pack of popcorn, 2 x liter of Diet Cherry Cola, fixin's for chili, one chicken to roast, two large potatoes for baked-potato-and-top-with-all-refrig-leftovers night, one 1/2 gal milk, one quart half/half (my last vice), one bottle Shiraz (that's for the Scrabble Tournament) and assorted veggies for munching. The dh already had beer.

The ski areas will be happy. The people here rely on tourism for their living and it's been dreary -- unemployment is up. Despite the cold temperatures, I saw some warm smiles, and terrific attitudes.

Sooooo, I think we're ready.

[JimmyJazz]

17. Only ONE bottle of wine for a Scrabble tournament!

Oh, I think you have failed in your mission. :P

Enjoy the snow - stay warm. I'm already snowed in here in southern PA.

You do know that I was only teasing DS1, don't you - it's my official job here in the lounge. :)

[Left Is Write]

23. Three gallons of milk would last us just under three days.

With that said, I don't "horde" for blizzards. In 34 years in Minnesota, I was never snowed in more than two days. There's always enough food in the house for way more than two days.

Edited to add that I did once walk three blocks in a blizzard to pick up a carton of cigarettes for my roommate and me. Would have been bad to be snowed in for the weekend without smokes. I don't smoke anymore, so that didn't automatically come to mind.

[JimmyJazz]

2. Movies and firewood are very good things to have on hand.

[notadmblnd]

6. gas on hand and the generator handy

videos
popcorn
beer

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. At the store

get candles (if you don't have any)
canned goods (easy to heat up and prepare)
puzzle books, magazines, etc, to have something to do if the electricity goes out.
Paper plates so you don't have dirty dishes in case your water freezes

When you get home, fill up jugs with water-in case your pipes freeze, you'll have water for washing, etc.

Hope you have a gas stove or a camping stove for heating things.

Good luck.

[DODI]

5. Salsa and Chips! I bought roast beef hash and rye bread for a

big ol' hearty breakfast tomorrow!

[Deja Q]

8. The M$M hypes it up as being major so more goods get sold.

The 10" we were supposed to get was... 4.

[Guaranteed]

11. BOOOOOOZE.

Lots of it. The key to this snow thing is being able to drink your way through it.

[hedgehog]

16. Absolutely

I don't drink, but when it snows in Buffalo everyone stocks up on beer. You're not going to be doing any driving, so you might as well party. The best storm was the year Buffalo got shut down the day after Christmas. The party never stopped! (Well, at least until the snow stopped.)

[skygazer]

13. Don't panic

Vermont is used to blizzards. The road crews are very good, the power companies are on the ball. Make sure you have candles (lanterns are better - safer and better light), if you have a generator, make sure you have gas. If you have a wood stove, plenty of wood. Some bottled water is good, too.

All that's going to happen is that it's going to snow and blow a lot, you will want to avoid using the roads and you may lose power. Light candles and tell ghost stories, that's what we used to do when I was a kid growing up in Vermont. My dad worked for the power company so her was never home during a blizzard and we lived in a very remote area so our power went out regularly. Still, my power here in the bay area of California goes out more often and for longer periods than it EVER did in Vermont! :wtf:

[sbj405]

14. Booze - lots of it.

Not just beer and wine, but think morning drinks and hot toddies. I like peppermint schnapps and hot cocoa.

[Liberalynn]

18. Shoveling

Also go out and shovel a bit from time to time. I know it seems like a waste of time but it is a lot easier than trying to dig off all the accumulation at once. Just be careful, dress warmly, and don't overdo. Also keep a shovel in the house in case the snow piles up around your door.

Know where things like extra blankets, batteries, and flashlights, candles, matches, and battery operated radios are, in case the electricty goes down.

Also we've always filled up the tea kettles and pitchers with water from the tap in case the pipes freeze. Last night I also boiled a couple of pieces of chicken so we'd have that to eat in the event the power goes down.

Luckily we have enough food, already had bottled water from last week since we had a water advisory because one of the suppliers pipe to the treatment plant broke, and I have enough books to fill a library, and some DVD's I got for Christmas. I have Monk Season One, and Lord of the Rings Return of the King extended edition, so I am set.

Hot Cocoa and Tea are great ideas.

Upstate NY is used to dealing with it too. The worst was the Ice Storm of 91 and the Blizzard of 1993.

The interesting thing is taking the dog out to do her necessaries. She loves snow and doesn't see the urgency of needing to get back inside as quickly as possible.

[DrZeeLit]

19. Exactly. We shovel during snows, too. And as for the dog...

...ours LOVES the snow and thinks it a fun game to bounce in and out like he's Tigger...but he's not. He's a little white dog. However, since it is hovering at 5 degrees, he'll be brought back from his reveries rather quickly. It seems the only thing he really does dislike about all this is the cold -- oi, his feet!

Meanwhile, we are warm and toastie inside, with wine and a fire, good music and books. (we don't have t.v.)

The wind is howling.

Thanks for the tips on the water. Yes, if the electricity goes (which it hasn't but once in five years) our well will not pump and we will be out of luck with water -- so, we've set some aside.

[shesemsmom]

20. Been there and done that

You need a shovel, dry way heat or salt, your probably never find either now. Good gloves, flashlights batteries, candles and bottled water. I hope your heat doesn't go out. Next, you need plenty food and the snacks depend on wheather you have a kid in the house or not, if so this will cost more than everything else put together, including the house payment this month. Frito's chips, dip, soft drinks, I perfer cocoa and a good book ( when not shoveling. Try this, cambells feista nacho cheese and feista chili and beans mixed with just enough salsa warmed on the stove , dip with tortillia chips, it's a big hit here. Have fun.

[BlueHandDuo]

21. Back in MY day...

...we survived blizzards by subsisting on whatever we already had on hand. And the challenge led to the creation of masterpieces of culinary ingenuity from a few simple ingredients:

Peanut butter.

That fruitcake no one would eat during the holidays because it tasted like burnt wax paper.

The Hickory Farms Beef Stick no one would eat during the holidays and Kraft Old English cheese spread on Bremner Wafers.

What better time to crack open that jar of loquats in heavy syrup that no one ever fessed up to bringing into the house four years ago? And capers are a vegetable, right? They'll help balance your diet.

Chocolate chips, or if you have 'em, chocolate sprinkles.

When the electricity goes out, you'd better eat up that can of Reddi Wip, 'cause it'll go sour without refrigeration. Try it on some of that fruitcake if you don't have any other ideas.

Squeeze ketchup. Straight into your mouth. Good source of lycopeine.

Thought you'd be smart and store your gallon of milk out on the porch to keep it cold, and now you have a solid block of milk-colored ice in a plastic jug that's split down the side? He, he, he. How did I guess? It's evaporated milk for you now. Or eat your corn flakes dry.

Yes, you CAN eat pumpkin straight out of the can if you're hungry enough. And it's a good source of beta carotene.

Aha! Fruitcake! Look, you got three of your four basic food groups righ here!

You can mix Bisquick with melted snow and bake the resulting dough on your gas space heater. Sort of.

Wash it down with that large bottle of non-alcoholic Harvey Wallbanger mix.

And for dessert -- hey fruitcake!

[DrZeeLit]

22. That, my dear, was a masterpiece. I must save your post!

Terrific writing, excellent humor, and... so true!
WHO DID bring that can of loquats into the house?

So far, surviving.

And p.s. What's the little "signpost" at the bottom of the page? the oracle at delphi?