Everyone has heard or seen first-hand how COVID-19 has affected the nation as a whole. One of the trending places during this global pandemic is grocery stores. Many people have decided to start bulk buying certain products to prepare for a longer lockdown. We’re going to look at what people are bulk buying in order to prepare for quarantine.

The bulk-buy that started it all is toilet paper. When COVID-19 first started to gain more attention, people started to bulk buy tons of toilet paper to the point multiple stores were completely sold out. Now there have been limits to one package per person when it comes to purchasing this necessity.

Another set of products that people have been bulk buying is flour and yeast. These products can be used in many shapes and forms, mainly for baking, but yeast has been growing with more popularity in the grocery aisles when it comes to learning how to bake your own bread versus having to risk going to a store and buying a new loaf when the one you have at home expires or when it’s all gone.

An obvious bulk-buy during this pandemic is lots and lots of cleaning supplies. Clorox wipes as well as paper towels, bleach, any sort of cleaning product that can kill germs are scarce to find during these tough times as well as hand sanitizer. If you have hand sanitizer, congratulations, you have liquid gold on your hands. Do not let it go.

A surprising bulk buy is also milk. People have been purchasing this product in order to cook meals that contain the ingredient and then to freeze it for the future precautions of quarantine. Milk usually takes up to two weeks to expire depending on when the date is and when it’s being purchased.

Along with the bulk purchasing of produce, there have been limitations on purchasing these “necessities” according to Lauren Miceli, 18, who works at Festival Foods says that “there are signs posted saying there’s a limit to how many items people can get and right now the limit is one per person for all the products [mentioned above].”

If you need to go to any type of grocery store for essential items, please try to refrain from touching items that you won’t buy. Be kind and think of others before you decide to bulk buy an item that other people may need more of. Stay safe, try your best to stay inside, and wash your hands. Also a special thank you to all of the essential workers helping the world through this pandemic.