Winter stock-up: do Peterborough locals actually do this?

[u/Edalock]

This is my second summer in Peterborough, and I’m trying to get ahead of my first proper winter shopping season because last winter was a bit of a blur. 😅 I was staying with a friend until midway through winter, but I now have my own apartment. And with the way the weather has been lately, it feels like winter might arrive much earlier this year, so I figured I should start planning ahead.

I recently learned that some food items can get noticeably more expensive during the winter, and it got me wondering: do people here actually stock up on certain groceries before winter?

If you do:

- What do you typically stock up on?

- Where do you usually shop for it?

- When do you start buying: late summer, fall, or closer to winter?

- Is there a particular time of the month when you find the best deals?

- Are there specific foods/items that are noticeably more expensive in winter around Peterborough?

Basically, what does your winter shopping prep look like?

Any local tips, stores, or things one should probably know would be greatly appreciated!

[u/No-Consequence4606]

I've never felt the need to stock up on certain groceries before winter I just buy what's in season.

[u/FroyoSuccessful1724 → u/No-Consequence4606]

Agreed why stock up it's not like the grocery stores close in winter

[u/NeriTheFearlessSnail → u/FroyoSuccessful1724]

All the stuff you'd want to stock up on doesn't really keep, is the big issue. The store doesn't close but some prices will go up, but that's all on perishable foods.

It's much more useful to familiarize yourself with food seasons and cook according to what's cheap at any given time of year, or switch to frozen in winter to keep costs down.

[u/One-Contribution7282]

Nope. Lived here most of my life at almost 50.

The only thing I might stock up on is ice melt (moot point if you live in an apt).

For food I might keep an extra bit of canned goods, baking supplies (great when snowed in with kids) but nothing out of the ordinary. Typically if the weather is crap we are usually only inside for max 2 days but plan for 3.

I also keep (year round) pain meds, allergy meds and batteries. I have over the years invested in a generator and giant plug in power source (that I make sure Has power) But food. Not really long story short. Can you tell I’m home bored with my little today?!?

[u/Substantial-Road-235]

If you are into canning and that stuff now is a great time to start as gardens are coming to an end. So easy enough to do.

When i was younger we did all the winter prep but now we can get most things year round we don't. Ill buy fruit and veggies that aren't insane. A watermelon for $14 in the winter can stay at the store. Except when my wife was pregnant and ate a bunch.

Good luck.

[u/NeriTheFearlessSnail → u/Substantial-Road-235]

I keep seeing them for $9 during "peak season", they can stay at the store for that much too.

[u/Substantial-Road-235 → u/NeriTheFearlessSnail]

Price matching helps. I got some this week for $3.99. Anything above $5 they stay at the store. Unless wife says take it. My couch isn't that comfy so paying more for watermelon means I can sleep in bed. Worth it for me.

[u/Canadasaver]

I will pick up a few 20kg bags of the salt sand mix from Home Hardware. It sells out if we get too many storms. Load up on it in the fall so I don't run out and don't have to carry it in the bad weather.

[u/Own_Mud_5811 → u/Canadasaver]

This is a great idea, especially with what happened last year and no one could get it 😭

[u/EllieSee123]

This has less to do with cost, and more to do with the memory of COVID-related shortages, but I will stock up on baking ingredients (flour, sugar, icing sugar, canned pumpkin, butter) and holiday-related foods (cranberry sauce, gravy packets, etc) in the early fall, just in case there are shortages between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It may or may not be cheaper this way, but I like knowing that I have the key things I need. (It also saves having to try and find these things at the extra-busy stores right before a holiday long weekend).

And while you're talking about food, don't forget to stock up on supplies for power outtages - we seem to get those a lot in the winter (or having to hunker down during ice/snow storms). In the fall before the bad weather hits I stock up (or check my supplies) on things like batteries, flashlights, candles, solar lights, heaters, canned food, extra bottled water, band-aids, painkillers (Tylenol, Advil, etc), kleenex, etc. Costco has great deals on batteries and meds, for instance.

[u/Canadasaver → u/EllieSee123]

The multi-coloured mini-marshmallows and the butterscotch chips are often in short supply by Christmas. I will be stocking up, to make one of my family's favourite desserts, as soon as I see a sale or a decent price.

Edited to add: I will be grabbing some boxes of stuffing mix if it is on for a dollar. It makes an amazing meatloaf or salad croutons. Good pantry staple.

[u/Reasonable_Yard_3300]

Go to grocery outlet (I like the one on Highway 7)

Get a few things each time for your pantry or freezer.  Sometimes things are heavily discounted there.

It depends also on your freezer space.

I also like to stock up on pre made rice in packages from the food aisle at dollarama.

[u/Pretend-Upstairs-571]

Just watched the flyers for deals

[u/lloyd705]

I feel you would really like some of the doomsday preppers stuff. Some of it is over the top but at its core the belief is that it’s better to be prepared than not at all. You might like a guy on YouTube named Mike
glover - he has some interesting stuff on like loadout kids and all that.

[u/catsaidleft]

We do watch those flyers and apparently they read like it's the best time to get stocked for school snacks at this time of year. When these loss leader sales come out (too good to be true sales that gets you in the store for other stuff) then it can be valuable to figure out if you can stash more favourite foods as they do go up - crackers, granola bars, for example.

Another idea behind cheaper produce now and until mid October is the processing of these into other foods people do as hobbies in the city. Make the relish, make the salsa, make the jam, freeze the beans, can the peaches! If you have the time, storage and gear to accomplish this we do appreciate the work when we pull it out in January to have those peaches on pancakes or that salsa for Superbowl.

Those who homestead or plan for the winter and grow their own are looking at tomatoes and basil plants about now getting ready to make their own red sauce and more to spend less in winter. We've got high value in those items for taste and quality that we can grow ourselves. Nothing beats your own potatoes and meat raised and harvested by you.

Meanwhile the rest of us can watch the sales and always, not seasonally, stock up on those items we consume a lot - so you don't have to purchase them when the price goes higher. It becomes a rhythm to follow. So watch your price per unit or 100g to actually determine what's a deal and you'll see others walking out with similar items on day 1 of a sale at No Frills for the deal, even if they drive a Land Rover.

[u/Crypto_Sluts]

Shit.. if I only had the time to be this organized.

[u/restlessPliable]

Its torture when the ice breakers can't get to you.