Sometimes when you head to the grocery store, you might notice some staples are hard to find. Various factors like weather, supply chain issues, and demand can cause regular shortages that affect what’s available on your shelves.
Being aware of these items means you can stock up or find alternatives before they disappear from stores.
Canned Tuna
You’ll often find canned tuna flying off shelves during shortages. It’s popular because it’s affordable, versatile, and stores well for a long time.
Keeping canned tuna stocked can help you make quick meals. It’s great for sandwiches, salads, and casseroles when fresh fish isn’t an option.
Powdered Milk
You might notice powdered milk is often hard to find during shortages. It’s a great alternative to fresh milk because it lasts much longer without refrigeration.
Powdered milk is perfect for emergency kits or when fresh milk supplies run low. Since it’s lightweight and easy to store, it fits well in your pantry for times you need it most.
Wheat Flour
You might notice wheat flour is often hard to find. This happens because wheat production can be affected by weather, conflicts, or supply chain issues.
When flour runs low, it impacts bakeries and your ability to bake at home. Keeping some on hand can help you avoid surprises during shortages.
Eggs
You might have noticed eggs being harder to find or more expensive lately. This is due to supply challenges like disease outbreaks and environmental factors affecting production.
Some stores limit how many eggs you can buy to help manage shortages. Plant-based options like “Just Egg” can be a good substitute in cooking and baking.
Cooking Oils
You might notice certain cooking oils are harder to find these days. Weather issues and the rising use of biofuels are limiting supplies of popular oils like olive, sunflower, and palm oil.
It helps to stock oils with a long shelf life, like ghee or rendered lard, so you always have a backup. Buying in larger quantities can also save you trips to the store.
Canned Black Beans
You might notice canned black beans are often hard to find. Demand for convenient, protein-rich foods keeps them flying off shelves quickly.
Some brands focus on organic or no-salt options, but these can be scarce. Stocking up when you see them can save you trips later.
Rice
Rice is a staple food that often faces supply issues. You might notice it’s harder to find or more expensive at times.
This happens because of weather problems, tariffs, and high demand. Consider stocking up on rice when you can.
It stores well and lasts a long time.
Baby Formula
You might have noticed baby formula is often hard to find. This shortage affects many liquid and powdered options, including popular brands.
Supply chain issues and high demand make it tricky to keep formulas fully stocked. If you rely on formula, it helps to check multiple stores or online sources regularly.