If you’re getting early 2020 (or “just before a snowstorm”) vibes when you go to the grocery store, I do not blame you even a little bit.
Grocery stores are unfortunately starting to run out of a ton of critical food items…raising the specter of nasty shortages and “limit 1 per customer” signs as we all try to navigate how to feed our families.
It’s getting ugly out there, so here are the foods to stock up on while there’s still time:
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Berry harvests (think blackberries, raspberries, blueberries) were already being negatively impacted by climate disruptions (think droughts, floods, extreme weather of all kinds)…
And then ICE decided to start raiding farms in California, which supplies more than 70% of the United States’ fresh produce.
It’s a double-whammy that has spiked berry prices and led to shortages all over. Get your fresh fruit while you can!
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Almonds are one of the best foods I’ve ever found to take care of my hunger cravings.
They’re just…good! Especially with a little bit of salt.
Almonds are also heavily impacted by California farm yields, and they’re also facing global supply constraints. In fact, Blue Diamond, THE almond producer, just announced that it’s closing a processing plant which will likely make the shortage even worse.
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Weather variations are to blame here.
Remember that mild Spring we all enjoyed?
Unfortunately, it damaged broccoli and cauliflower yields in critical growing areas like Arizona.
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If you’ve noticed seafood prices spiking and shortages at your local store, you’re not alone.
There are of course long-term climate issues around fishery yields (as well as problems from overfishing in various places worldwide)…
But the bigger issue at the moment is the chilling effect of the global trade war, which has directly impacted seafood imports.
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We all know that eggs have faced an extremely well-publicized series of challenges over the last several months.
Bird flu, of course, is the major culprit.
But we’ve also seen a number of big recalls (here’s one that wiped out 1.7 million eggs practically overnight) that have further depressed supplies and left grocery store shelves bare.
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Yes, even sugar could be in short supply soon.
Prices are spiking because input costs are soaring – and the recent collapse of the California sugar industry hasn’t helped.
I’d grab an extra bag or two just to make sure.
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Yep, coffee supply is looking incredibly tight.
Brazil and Vietnam, which are both major coffee producers, had a rough growing season, which led to a double in the price for Arabica futures earlier this year…
Plus, disruptions in Red Sea trading routes due to Middle Eastern geopolitical tensions haven’t helped.
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Citrus yields in Florida (and elsewhere) have been down due to ongoing climate issues, and that’s caused juice prices to spike and even isolated shortages of fresh orange juice.
It’s part of a healthy breakfast – and hopefully we can navigate the current issues and ensure that continues.
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Lots going on here – domestic wheat production is dipping as farmers move to better-paying crops like corn and soybeans…
And Ukraine, which is historically one of the world’s largest wheat producers, has obviously seen widespread and continuing devastation…which is of course impacting the broader flour market.
We’ve seen rolling shortages since the war began, and some of those issues have intensified recently.
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As you can see, these are all supply issues – disruptions either where food is:
– Produced (ICE raids, climate change)
– Transported (geopolitical tensions and trade route disruption), or
– Imported (trade war, tariff issues).
And unfortunately, untangling this snarl is just going to take time.
With that in mind…
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I’d recommend thinking through your gameplan for making sure you keep a well-stocked refrigerator, freezer, and pantry for the months ahead.
If you have any tips, please share them in the comments! Let’s build a community and get through this together.
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