A few years ago, a big blizzard blew through here. It was forecast well in advance, so everyone knew days ahead that we were facing enough snow to shut the city down.

Our pantry was well-enough stocked, so we didn't rush out to the grocery store to stock up, the way a lot people must have done. Just hours before the storm hit, though, I decided that I wanted to get a few more things that we could eat without cooking, just in case the power was out for a while. What I found at the grocery store was amazing.

The store was completely out of juice, milk, bread, and hamburger (none of which I was going to buy). It had, however, normal quantities of flour, sugar, tea, beans, oats, fresh fruits, fresh vegis, etc. (I remember wondering how a visitor from 1800 would respond to a grocery store stripped bare in anticipation of a storm that still had oranges, bananas, and kiwi fruit, not to mention potatoes, onions, and roasting chickens.)

My point, though, is simply that a few days supply of the stuff you eat everyday can make it unnecessary to rush to the grocery store when there's a threat of something like a blizzard or hurricane. Great when it saves you a trip. Even better when the storm arrives without warning so you had no opportunity to make the trip.