During this time of chaos, this is what I have done to find success with getting groceries.

I have done this the past two weeks and have gotten almost everything I had on my list.

-Order for pick up. I read that pick up and delivery orders often get first pick for food, because a lot of times employees take it right off the pallet before the food is stocked on shelves.

-Reserve an early morning pick up time. I always shoot for the 8-9AM slot. Any day should work. Most places are receiving frequent deliveries.

-Make it very clear they should substitute items where possible. Don’t just select that it’s okay. Spell it out. Just because they are out of “no salt added store brand peas” doesn’t mean you wouldn’t accept “salt included Del Monte peas”. I always leave comments so they know.

-When you order pick up (at least at my local store), if they substitute an item, you get it for the cost of the original item. So today, I ordered hot dogs that were on sale for $2, but they gave me hot dogs that cost $4 and adjusted the price to $2. This doesn’t happen if you shop in-store.

-Over order, but not by much. You likely won’t get everything you ask for, but you might be surprised! I always over order a little, just in case.

After doing pick up, we quarantine all shelf-stable foods for 24 hours to be safe, and wipe down the others. This is probably unnecessary, as we are at low risk for transmission, but we are extra cautious!

Today I ordered $210 worth of groceries and received $192 worth. I have had great luck getting essentials like bread, milk, and eggs!