There is always a perfect time to hoard milk, eggs, bread and toilet paper- during snowstorms.
Every predicted blizzard alerts consumers to stock up food and supplies in their homes. Different people may have different choices, of course. Some may opt to buy booze while others may buy snack foods and even ice cream. No matter the variations, it has been observed that there are a few significant items that seem to appear in everyone's grocery list.
"It appears that New Englanders can take credit for the purchasing of milk and bread prior to the storm," AccuWeather.com said. "It was the monumental blizzard in 1978 that trapped many in homes for weeks that gets at least some credit for the current tradition."
In November 2014, Virginia Montanez investigated on this mystery for Pittsburgh Magazine. Montanez's research revealed one of the city's local newspapers referenced bread as being "doled out in some stores" and milk as "the one shortage that has hit all sections"- this is all because of 3 feet of snow that caused one of the city's worst snowstorms in November 24, 1950.
How about toilet paper? According to Montanez, this may be in reference to folks advising people to cooperate by "buying what they need."
"I don't know about you, but when I'm listing the things we need, if we're going to be snowed in for the next few days, toilet paper is damn sure going to be one of them," she added.
This trend however may not make much sense since during snowstorms loss of power may be anticipated- apparently, milk and eggs must be kept fresh.
The need to hoard on perishables have inspired a certain creativity. The French Toast Alert System "has been developed in consultation with local and federal emergency officials to help you determine when to panic and rush to the store to buy milk, eggs and bread."
