I'm not sure there is any shortage :-) There is plenty of flour and other baking supplies in my area. I think most of it is due to stockpiling or as noted, more frequent baking being planned now that most of us are confined to home.

Restaurant suppliers have 25 and 50 lb bags just sitting in storage. Restaurants fed populations until last week. Now groceries are in short supply because the need 'chain' was disrupted. I think bakeries are still operating but not sure.

They restaurant suppliers are delivering and opening to residents now in NY but many items are in bulk. Needs to be shared with family or neighbors.

This article is from a month ago., HERE

Dive Brief:

• U.S. plantings of winter wheat are at their lowest point in more than 100 years due to soggy fields, low prices and slipping demand, according to Bloomberg.
• Farmers planted 25% less soft red winter wheat in Illinois and 7% less in Michigan. The result, Bloomberg reported, could eventually be lower quantities and higher prices in the type of flour used for snacks such as crackers, biscuits, Oreos and Cheez-Its.
• For now, large CPG companies aren't seeing an impact. Tom Armitage, a spokesman for Oreo maker Mondelez, told Bloomberg the company has "a level of protection against the price inflation in wheat" and is seeing sufficient global supplies. Kellogg said the company didn't expect any impact on its ability to produce foods containing soft red winter wheat.

NYC is a bit different than most places. Residents mostly shop as needed with small kitchens and not much storage. Small freezers. Grocery delivery is overloaded. Many that do cook or weekend cook use FreshDirect that is a delivery service for once a week delivery. (they deliver even to walk-up apartments). They are overloaded now and no time slots at all this past week and next.

When the SHTFan, this happened,

I should add that groceries are restocking what they can and limiting amounts of certain things. Will just take some time to fully stock back to any abundance. The supply chain will catch up. Most were thinking 2-3 weeks and mostly quick meals. Cans, pasta and sauce. A family of 4-5 that are usually at work and school will go through tp and food quickly. Those that were caught off guard are waiting in long lines outside.

As I mentioned in another forum, I’ve had a problem finding KA bread flour for several months. I have a Wegmans, ShopRite, Walmart and a Target where, in the past, I’ve been able to get the bread flour. All those stores have been out of the bread flour since well before corona hit. I emailed KA asking why it's been in short supply since before corona, but their response only addressed the obvious current shortage issue.

I said last year that there will probably be a small shortage this year given the horrible growing conditions last year. Flooding so bad some fields were never arable all season. But there was still enough planted/harvested that there should not be total panic. I am leaning toward the "staying home so might as well bake" theory and if that's the case here in a few weeks should be back to normal.

I'm in Northern Utah and there isn't a major outbreak (yet) in the state. Flour has been gone for going on 2 weeks. And if any of you have assumptions about bakers and Utah I'd bet it's untrue for at least 90% of the population. Cookies? sure. Bread? nu uh. The local grocery stores do have 50 lb bags from a local mill but that's it.

I buy directly from Central Milling (lucky to live right by 3 plants) and things have changed with them. You used to be able to go into the Logan plant and get what you need with no notice. I hear they have been short for at least a week. I assume they are shipping as soon as they mill it. I called the Collinston mill, they are the shipping hub, and was told that I now have to call ahead to place and order to be picked up M-Th 10-12 and 2-4 only. On Fridays they are too busy. When i go in on Monday it will be interesting to see if their prices have changed much. Prices have changed before, going down, and was directly linked to falling wheat prices.

I think here it's people thinking, "If we get quarantined for 2 weeks we won't be able to get bread, and have this wild idea about baking their own bread at home (there's no yeast or breadmix in the store either).

But the reality is that in the town where I shop, the demographic includes a very high proportion of dysfunctional people/families, where the parents are often off their faces on drugs or alcohol or both, and the reliance on fast food is high. So I suspect for many the ideas of baking are just a pipe dream and when all this is over all that flour is going to end up in landfill :-/

There still aren't any baking supplies in our stores. I don't get it. I buy a 10-kg (22.2 lb) bag of flour at a time, but as you know I've been making my own bread, rolls, muffins etc for years.

All of a sudden, everyone is turning into a baker? I can see the small bags being sold out but everything? As I mentioned in the WFD thread I was looking for molasses to make some bran muffins. None to be had. I did find it, but not without asking online if anyone knew where I could get it.

That's when I got chastised by a FB stranger about having to go out and buy a can of molasses to make fancy muffins instead of staying home. I tore a strip off her to be sure.

Everyone is saying they can't find yeast anywhere. I still have enough in my freezer. I don't like sourdough bread.....except for what they serve at the Keg :-) as it's not sour to me. Ifirc, sourdough doesn't take yeast.

I've also seen a few posts about making yeast from potato water or something like that, so there are alternatives to yeast, apparently.

I’ve been “guilty” of trying to become a baker. Last night was pizza night again and my family is really liking it. I’ve got a Zoji I used once when I first bought it years ago, and plan to finally put it to work. Slim pickings in the commercial bread aisle. I’ve not seen flour here recently and wish I had bought more ten pound bags at Costco while I still could. Actually I shouldn’t say I can’t as I don’t know; it’s not a store I feel like going to at this point.

I live in Northern Michigan and we have been out of flour for about two weeks. We also have limited paper products and no eggs. I also cannot believe that people are actually baking during the quarantine. Many restaurants have closed and are not expected to reopen.

I am looking for flour for the family cooking. But reading all this makes me think I ought to save the pound or so that I do have for our sons' birthday cakes we have coming up in May. I certainly understand baking projects if you are shut in. I had wanted to bake some Irish soda bread, but that will have to be delayed till I know I have enough for the cakes. I mail the cakes, and the family members look forward to them every year.

Trust me....people who never baked before are baking!! I have always baked bread.....for easily 60 years....but lately friends who never baked before say they aren't going anywhere so they might as well learn to bake bread.....
And mixes.....while I don't use them and haven't been to the store in more than 2 weeks I hear there are no mixes on the shelves.
People are quarantined and learinig to bake!!

I think there are a lot of people baking that didn't before. Hopefully they were able to get hold of yeast and/or baking powder when they bought the flour.

Jasdip, there are two kinds of yeast that are used in baking bread: Commercial and "sourdough". Sourdough starter is just wild yeast. It's the same yeast as in the potato water, on grapes, on grains, etc. You can make any slow rise bread with it. Use more starter and a quicker rise and it won't taste sour.

Even those who don't have yeast or bread making knowledge are likely to know how to make biscuits or quick breads. These are certainly things many would think of baking if store trips were limited and income uncertain.

Just was on the KAF website. Yeah, pretty much everything, including yeast, is sold out. I'm down to half my jar full. I sure hope they get more at some point. I did order a couple of cookie mixes for my DIL and a donut pan + 3 donut mixes for me. I love donuts but haven't had them in a long time. Never made them before so it will be interesting to taste these. But according to the website it is just that they were overwhelmed with orders and to expect delays in shipping. They say they are working with their suppliers to get back to normal as quickly as possible but they were making no guarantees. So we'll see.

My take is that there is no shortage........here :-) Availability of baking supplies must be very regional as the shelves here are very nearly fully stocked, at least with AP. Other, less in demand flours (the gluten free assortment, rye, whole wheat, etc.) may not be as fully supplied. And there are also plenty of mixes or packaged goods available as well or were when I was last at the grocery on Thursday.

I found both kinds of KA that I always use...the all-purpose and the bread flour....at Target this week....no limit, so I got two of each! I was excited as I have not found any since this madness started! Today just took a wild chance, ran in, and found Bounty paper towels!! But, I bake all the time...make bread all the time....so I was missing that flour!!

ediej - I just ordered SAF on Amazon.

FOAS, thanks. Heading there now!

Kevin went to the store today and scored some TP in addition to whole wheat flour - we already had white flour. He said the shelves were not empty but supplies were low. It was impossible for him to find distilled water, which I need for my CPAP machine, but in an emergency, I can use filtered or spring water (we have both), and I have a separate old water pan that I can use for non-distilled water. The problem with that is that it gets a residue on it that cannot be removed.

Everything else on my list Kevin was able to buy, and he also brought back a bunch of fresh tamales. I have a large supply of yeast in the freezer - I buy it by the pound.

BTW, I have an awful lot of semolina flour that I had been storing in my freezer, and I guess I should get around to using it. I use it in pizza dough as well as pasta, but I don't have my pizza pans here (although I have a comal that I could use), and I forgot to bring bread pans, but we're not out of bread yet. Anyway, I can make free-form bread or focaccia.

Kevin also bought eggs, and so we are not short on those. He bought mushrooms, but he did not select them very carefully, or else there was not much to choose from. I did not ask as I did not want to insult him. I will try to use them quickly, however.

Lars, how do you package your yeast for the freezer?

I put it in a small glass jar and vacuum seal it with my Foodsaver.

I was also thinking about how some of this has to be due to people, who may have eaten out a lot before this, stocking up and cooking at home, not necessarily hoarding. Before now, there was lots of reporting about how more & more Americans were eating out than in the past. Now they simply cannot.

And I bought a 5# bag of flour a couple of weeks ago, and haven't opened it yet, so I have plenty.

I haven't been in a store for about 2 weeks now. So glad I stocked up before the you-know-what hit the fan...

No shortage of restaurants doing curbside by me. I’m not comfortable with it but “they” say the containers are the issue, not the food. So dump it onto your own plate, wash your hands, mangia!

As with much else flour is in very short supply in the local grocery store. Maine Grains a local flour mill is evidently well stocked though expensive. I usually only buy small bags from them. Evidently they have a run on online bread related supplies from bored quarantined bakers as they ordered some bread knives from us this week.

Luckily I went into the health food store as they were dealing with a shipment of 50 lb bags of King Arthur. They were preordered but there were a few extra. It costs about half the amount per pound as buying in 5 lb bags. I finally got some large ziplock bags to repack it to store in the freezer.

I have quite a bit of yeast. I buy it by the pound.

Regarding flour, I just found this on Amazon. Supposedly, the flour is stone ground, so it’ll have a course texture. They sell red whole wheat flour and sifted versions too.

https://www.amazon.com/Homestead-Gristmill-Whole-White-Wheat/dp/B086G5T614/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=homestead+gristmill+whole+wheat+flour&qid=1585448525&sr=8-3

My newest pastime is scouring Amazon for opportunities to order hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, and alcohol. I just happened upon the Gristmill products during one of my searches.

It MAY even be worse as far as SUGAR is concerned. Talked to one of the local winery guys, who says he will need about 2.5 TON of sugar again this season. He is being limited to 25 lb bags once per day, if they have it. No advance/standing orders available. The COSTCO cash register will only ring up one bag per card per day. He has always been able to procure it from Costco in the past.

I told him to use the paper and see if we could put some sort of challenge out to the public so they could help. I told him I'd trade him sugar for a couple future bottles of his wine ...

If he needs tons, why is he getting it from Costco rather than a wholesaler?

I've indulged in flour and yeast (or will have when they arrive...hoping, but you never know), but I have most of a bag of sugar, and I think that'll tide me through. We really don't need cake and ice cream. :)

Wonder what wine guy you talked to....the Grobins were my neighbors for a number of years....Jasper Winery.

I bought two bags of flour and sugar at my grocery store last week. Ample supply and the flour was on sale for 99 cents a bag. I know nothing of this shortage but I guess it is a good thing that I have it.

The reason we have shortages [hoarders] is because stores get their supplies on a regular basis, like once or twice weekly, and they have those supplies based on what is normally sold. But when customers exhaust certain items in hours, there is the perception of a shortage because the store won't get a delivery until the next time a shipment comes in. There is no getting an extra shipment.

Tissues, TP, cleaners, flour, sugar, soups, ground beef, chicken, milk, bread (unless the store has a bakery), produce, eggs and frozen boxed dinners come to mind ... though the meats to a much lesser extent here in the buckle of the meat and grain belt.

We have an egg farm just outside of town, so it seems weird when we run low on eggs in the store, but that's a chain decision, because 1 million chickens from one plant don't produce enough eggs to supply a multi-state grocery store chain with over 100 stores.

I had to make my own brown sugar to make cookies this weekend ... weird, no big whoop.

There is definitely a shortage...a disruption in the supply chain somewhere. I don't think it has to do with people baking. You cannot even get flour on the King Arthur Flour web site. The only flour available appears to be gluten free. I have been trying to get flour in the store for two weeks now to no avail. Definitely something going on.

DH came home with 10 pounds of flour for me yesterday--Kroger brand. I am not fussy about most brands these days. Now I can get to the baking I have wanted to do. Irish soda bread did not happen for St. Patrick's Day, and the cakes four our 3 May birthdays (I mail them).

I bought the staples needed for very dire circumstances a month ago before it really hit the fan. I got the same stuff for my son and his family, too. At that time they thought I'd flipped and they see the light now. It hasn't gotten dire yet but it's not fun to go shopping right now around here. Anyway, I stocked up on flour, sugar, yeast, powdered milk, pinto beans, corn tortilla masa, rice, cooking oil and a few things like a big container of onion flakes and some cans of Rotel tomatoes and jalapenos. I haven't had to crack any of it out of the pantry or freezer yet but my previous supply of flour is getting low so I might have to open that. I need to try making some flour tortillas, I've only made the corn ones. I've read that tortillas freeze well, I should just do it.

Tortillas do freeze well. All breads do, and the least moisture freezes the best. Flat also helps with freezer space. :)

Ooh, 10 pounds. Lucky you! I would even take bleached flour at this point. I have backups (bread flour, OO, spelt, 5 grains, coconut, semolina, etc) but I still need AP to mix with all of them!

Shop the stores early in the day. The shelves are stocked at night around here, so early shoppers get the "worm."

The 2019 crop was the largest since 2.309 billion bushels in 2016 and compared with 2.005 billion bushels as the recent five-year average.

The all-wheat harvested area in 2019 was estimated at 38.052 million acres, down 1.56 million acres, or 4%, from 39.612 million acres in 2018. The average wheat yield in 2019 was estimated at 51.6 bushels per acre compared with 47.6 bushels per acre in 2018. It was the second highest average yield on record falling short only to 52.7 bushels per acre in 2016.

More: https://www.world-grain.com/articles/12683-usda-estimates-2019-us-wheat-crop-at-1962-billion-bushels

I think a lot of people are buying flour just because they think the world is about to end & because flour is considered a staple; _____% of them have no idea what to do with it.

This twitter thread just appeared on my feed, yes, people are baking! And some tasty looking stuff, too.

Last week when I was at the store there were only four 5 pound bags of flour on the shelf, I was nearly out but only took one, hoping when I need another bag, others will be considerate and not take more than they'll use (hah, yeah, like TP, which has been sold out for 3 weeks now).

My hub found some rice flour and spelt on his last foray out, but I've never cooked with either - I may have to learn how if things don't improve on the baking aisle. I have two packets of yeast left, will probably use a little of one and make up a sourdough starter, just so I have some ready to go yeast.

I ordered yesterday on amazon. Found a couple things that will be nice to try. The OOFlour is estimated Apr 16th. The cornflour is now 5 days sooner than estimated. So now Apr 3rd. Stock will return. Toilet paper by the end of April.

Who knows now that Amazon workers are going on strike. And instacart.

🙂

How widespread is the Amazon strike? I read somewhere that it is only in New York, specifically Staten Island, but that the Instacart strike is nationwide. I do know that non-essential items ordered through Amazon now have a 3-4 week delivery instead of two days.

Yep, I ordered a couple of books this morning and it will be the end of April before they will get here since someone considers them "non-essential." When you are stuck in a house with nothing to read I'm sorry but they become "essential" LOL!

I'm not sure Lars. This was a big story this morning here demanding hazard pay and proper safety gear...masks, etc. I'm up early, usually 3am.

Nurses are walking off work after asked to ignore CDC safe practices they have followed for years.

In my immediate area I have not witnessed anyone without a mask. All deliveries are gloved and wearing masks. DH filled both our cars with gas with a bag over his hand 10 days ago and noted the two inside employees were wearing masks. We use Clorox wipes on everything....credit card, car door handle, steering wheel, door handle coming inside, straight to the sink with lots of soap. (he did not go inside the 'mini mart'.) just wanted to fill our cars. it is just 2 miles up the road.

Mailman who I adore, is doing double duty. He was up the road Sunday and twice today. Our front liners want to get to us what we need. ALL needed employees are wearing masks.

UV is not enough outside no mater how hot the sun.

Do both. Spray or wipe first, Clorox correct dilution, or alcohol. dry in the sun spinning along a table...soapy soap in a bowl or sink. Rinse. What can be soaped.

Please watch what we are going through in NYC.

You can make a difference in your community. Proactive.

I am 18 days indoors, DH 10. this is serious.

Edie, you can always get digital books and read them on your computer. If you don't fancy Amazon, there's the Guttenberg project. There are also e-books available directly from publishers.

edie there are a gazillion book stores you can order from. Why not support a local bookstore that may still be doing online orders or at least an independent bookstore instead of amazon?? I don't get the appeal of Amazon; it's doing like walmart did, putting all the mom and pops out of business until it's the only choice.

here's one in AL; I'm sure there are more:

https://www.alabamabooksmith.com/

Thank you. The reason I went thru Amazon was because I was in direct contact with the author and that was the link she gave me. I am certainly going to check out the Alabama Booksmith site. I appreciate the link!

DH went to the store today and nothing came any further than the front door before getting a thorough wipedown with Lysol wipes and DH washed his hands really well as soon as he disposed of the bags. Normally we stockpile them and take them back for recycling but I don't want them in the house. Fortunately we only need a few things so not many bags and it will probably be at least a week before he has to get more milk.

DH got everything on the list today at Aldi. Even flour & sugar. No limit on tuna.

He witnessed a lot of extra sanitizing measures being taken at both of his stops, Aldi & WalMart. Checkout key pads, conveyer belt being wiped down by an employee after each customer. Same with carts. Tape on the floor to maintain social social distance in check out lanes... He didn't say anything about masks & I didn't think to ask. Probably not, not yet. Only one confirmed case in this county, one each in two other adjacent counties and two cases in the other adjacent county...those two cases acquired on a cruise.