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applestar
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Does anyone (hint hint @imafan :wink:) know if there is Macadamia nuts shortage going on?

Expensive stuff anyway in best of times, but this is a personal indulgence I allow myself in spite of negatives on the ledger.

BUT my local big supermarket stores have not had them in stock for a couple of weeks now — always getting shot down as “unavailable”

Maybe Macadamias have available seasons like chestnuts?

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TomatoNut95
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A lot of particular items are hard to find. I didn't know there was a global paper shortage??? I had also heard that the price of chocolate and cocoa was going to go up.

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We've all heard that avocado prices are going up, because import of Mexican avocados was banned, due to threats to some American safety inspector. Yet I went food shopping, for the first time in a long while, and all the avocados there were Mexican, as well as the cukes and many other things. I guess these were already in the country?

I have found very few shortages, since the pandemic started, but then, I usually don't shop very often - only if there are a number of good deals at particular stores. Today there was a good one at Lidl - a place I hadn't been to since December, and I had a ? next to the item in the list - Pork loin halves, for $1.49/#. However, lately, almost every time I'd see any deals on pork, at supermarkets or Aldi, it's "water added" pork, meaning it's been brined, and I refuse to buy it! If I want it brined, I'll do it, and add my own water! This one was labeled "no solution added", which is what I'm looking for! I realize many people want the seasoning mixes added, but let them have it, and let me add my own! Chicken is getting that way recently, too, so I checked their chicken, and didn't see any with salt and water added, so that's good.

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applestar
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Haha didn’t mean for this to turn into general account of shortages, although it might be interesting to have highlighted view of what’s going on in different areas….

Avocados — the day the Mexican import pause hit the news, DH just happened to order kimbap for lunch from a new place we recently discovered that make good ones, and he got me their special ones with avocado (he knows if there’s anything on the menu with avocado in it, I would likely order it LOL) — these were good & perfectly ripe. I imagine we’ll feel the shortage once the ones already here are used up. Bummer.

He made one of his big stockpot of soup today, and the small whole chicken he ordered to make it with was Kosher. I was surprised and asked why he got that, and he said they substituted what he ordered with this one — meaning they didn’t have regular whole chicken?

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applestar
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This thread can be used to post any topic that you don’t think merits it’s own discussion thread if there isn’t a suitable one already. If something turns into a lively exchange, the subtopic could be split off for focused brainstorming session.

:>

imafan26
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I guess I came late to the party.

There are plenty of mac nuts in my freezer, so I really did not notice. But, you are right there is a shorter supply. Production is down the last couple of years because of heavy rains. Rain at the wrong time can really mess up crops. There is apparently a new invasive insect the farmers have been dealing with.

Actually for years, because of the monopoly on the Big Island of the Macnut processors, there has been primarily only one buyer. Farmers were getting such low prices, compared to what the nuts retailed for that at least one farmer decided to pave his driveway with his crop rather than sell it below cost of production. The price for farmers has gone up to make up for the shortfall in production. They still have to cover the additional costs of battling the new pests. Mac nut orchards are not fast crops. It takes about 7 years to establish the trees, so you cannot get into the business overnight. Most of the farmers are on the Big Island had day jobs and the orchard was additional income. They get a higher price if the outer shell of the nuts are taken off. My uncle used to grow mac nuts in his yard for retirement income. His biggest problems were the rats, who also love mac nuts. They had a horde of nuts stashed in his junk car from the glove compartment to the trunk. At night you could hear them rolling the nuts in the attic.

https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local ... ens-future

As for other things, actually, while there are some things that are still hard to come by. The stores have been able to restock the shelves since Christmas. Some things are disappearing soon after the shelves are restocked, but there are fewer holes. Except for cat food, that is still a big problem, especially for finicky cats. The things that come from China or use chips are still problems. This is not the time for your refrigerator, or washer to break down. It could take months to get a replacement.

I haven't noticed a shortage of avocados yet. But they are also produced in California and Florida. The U.S. still is a net importer of the fruit. While the markets are not likely to be totally bare. There may be a shorter supply in the future. Besides avocados are backyard trees in many neighborhoods. The crop either in the Spring or the fall depending on the variety.

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Gary350
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No Macadamia nut shortage here I saw some in our store last week. I bought 32 oz container of Honey Roasted nuts. Christmas before last there were no whole nuts that you crack open yourself in any of our stores I searched several stores. This year I found whole nuts in 2 Walmart's and Super Kroger. I bought whole pecans to plant in the yard to grow trees. Last week TV claimed there is going to be an Avocado shortage next day at the store there are 2 large displays of Avocadoes instead of 1 display. Its called, The Covid Syndrome, companies have learned people panic if they think there is going to be a shortage, toilet paper, bleach, paper towels, alcohol, meat, flour, sugar, nuts, ice cream, cheese, milk, wine, so companies put out fake news for TV News to learn about then its on TV then people panic. If you want to double sales claim there will be a shortage. A month ago David Muir ABC TV News said, there is a wine shortage. A few days later I went to the wine store near me everything in the store prices were up $5 more expensive per bottle. I drove 7 miles to another wine store prices had not changed so I buy all my wine from them now. I will never return to the wine store near me even if they lower prices to normal again.

imafan26
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Well, while there is not a shortage now of avocados here either. Although, the price has gone up. But prices are going up everytime I go shopping so what is new. The U.S. banning Mexican imported avocados will affect the supply. It kinda of depends who is buying all the avocados anyway. There are domestic suppliers and they can still sell their avocados, so it depends on where your market was sourcing them. Avocados can be frozen. The color sucks, but if you are going to make guacamole or a smoothie, it would not matter that much. There is also avocado powder. I have not tried that. I have gotten the sugar free peanut butter powder. That works fine in smoothies and a lot less work than trying to get natural unsalted unsweetened PB out of a jar that needs to be stirred. I still prefer the regular peanut butter for licking off a spoon.

I have been checking the shopping apps. I went to Sam's club for my monthly trip and they did not have the Friskies canned cat food. I checked the app the other day and they are out of stock in the store and online. I bought extra cat food last month, but my cats are hungry little mongrels. I have to supplement them with fish and chicken. They did not like the chicken livers I made them, but they ate it with protest. I can still find dry cat food, so when they start nagging, I can give them an extra snack of dried food. I know they are hungry. The cat food prices have not only gone up, the cans are smaller, so they are getting less. I guess I will have to get more chicken hearts. They like it better, but they can have only 1.5 hearts each a day.

I have cheated on my pantry challenge. I am not supposed to buy meat, since I have to use up what I have, but I found some hot dogs (I know they are not good for me) for $1 a package and a turkey chub for less than $3. I don't even like turkey that much. It was just too good to pass up. This is why my freezers are too full. I haven't been really bad though. I still have a reduced shopping bill. I have stocked up on shiratake noodles, because I miss pasta and it is the only one I am allowed on a low carb diet, and it is a filler when I am hungry. I bought some velveeta cheese also on sale. (I really don't need cheese. I don't have velveeta, but I am loaded with other cheeses.) The price of beef chuck roast came down a little, but the price of pork is up. Chicken is about the same for the legs. I did buy some of the boneless thin pork chops for a recipe (pork and squash), but I passed on the meats. I have chicken in the freezer and I don't know if I have beef, but I have a lot of meat that needs to be used first.

The vegetables looked sad, so I just got the staples, onions. I cannot have potatoes and I already have carrots and celery. I went to the farmers' market last and got some lettuce. It must be that everyone planted the lettuce at the same time. It looks better than the market but it was a bit bitter. So, they are harvesting late lettuce or the weather is getting too hot for them already.

Home depot and Lowe's have their patio furniture out already. I looked at the chairs. I will think about it some more. They won't fit in the car anyway.

I am seeing more people on the streets and in the parks without masks, but they are generally keeping their distance from other groups. It is nice to actually be able to spend time in the park with friends. It has been so long, since I have gone to a park. The park I went to is a big park near Pearl Harbor. They have and dancercise group there on Fridays. However, this park has been plagued with the homeless for a long time and they are also still around. It is not as bad as before.

The news reported that most states are dropping their vaccine and mask mandates ahead of any announcement by the CDC and there are about 11 states that have not. Hawaii apparently still has the strictest rules. However, the safe travels and the booster requirements are being eased in some counties, and some of the requirements are due to expire and it seems like the state may allow them to expire at the end of March. Restaurants can be full capacity with safe distancing but they no longer have to require vetting for vaccination status. It does not help some restaurants that said that if the state does not reduce the requirement between tables from 6 ft to three feet, they don't have the space to go to full capacity and many still face staffing as well as supply shortages so it makes it hard for them to open all their tables and they have to change their menu based on what supplies the chef can get to prepare food. The price of everything going up, locals are spending less on luxuries like eating out.

Break fast at McDonald's (it is not on my diet), was $8. I got a local deluxe plate which is only sold here. The price went up a $1`. I contains about a cup of cooked rice, an omellette, spam and Portuguese sausage (not the good kind). I actually did parlay that into a second meal. I normally don't eat rice much. I had half of the egg and the meat and saved the rice, the other half of the egg omelet and the meat. I picked some green beans from the garden and a carrot from the frig and chopped those up and nuked them so they would be softer. I chopped up the meat and eggs. I fried the meat, added in the beans and carrots along with some minced garlic. I added oyster sauce (way too much salt, but really good), the rice, the egg, and some chopped green onions from my yard. That was lunch. So, my second meal from the McDonald's breakfast menu. Needless to say, this was counted as my diet vacation day.

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applestar
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I wanted a really quick snack….

This is actually not that bad …considering… but I ended up with coffee flavored instant cinnamon raisin oatmeal when I used the Keurig for the hot water, and forgot to make sure I threw out the coffee pod from this morning— I didn’t :oops:

imafan26
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I had ramen for lunch. I know really bad stuff and not on the diet. I have been craving spaghetti noodles lately and I was hungry and harvested bok choy, beans, broccoli, and one semposai leaf. I figured I could at least put some of the vegetables in the ramen. One bowl of ramen was 600 calories and more than my daily limit of salt, and I did not even drink the broth. I never drink the broth anyway. Actually, the package says there are two servings in it. Tell me, who eats half a package of ramen! It has stopped my noodle cravings. It is probably still better than making spaghetti, because that would have been way more than one serving of spaghetti.

Coffee flavored oatmeal? Hmmm. A new trend?

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I was using half the ramen powder, but even that was more sodium than I was comfortable eating.

I'm only eating ramen now when I take the time to make the bone broth from scratch.

But I really miss trying out all the different Korean ramen that are out there.

imafan26
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I usually do the same and use only part of a packet, or I use the salt free bouillon instead. I save the packets for other things. Ramen noodles have a lot of uses. It can be used crumbled on top of chinese chicken salad when you don't have won tun pi chips, or make fried noodles. It is a cheap emergency food since it is shelf stable for a long time. But definitely not healthy since the noodles are fried before they are packaged.

A lot of people like the kimchi ramen. I actually don't.

I like kim chi on rice or kim chi fried rice, but not so much kim chi ramen or kim chi jigae. The only jigae I like is the crab jigae. jigae is thicker than a soup and does not usually have noodles. It is more of stew.

https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/kimchi-jjigae
https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/kkotgetang

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digitS'
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Ramen was important for me to begin eating more vegetables.

Most important was starting to stir-fry. But, it's easy to load up a bowl of ramen with veggies!

Those packets of spices are NOT to my liking. Using just a little or tossing them for your own choices is best. There are a number of instant noodles in the Asian markets. Some will be in the frozen food section. Ramen isn't really a favorite with DW so we do stock up with others. All can take that good handful of vegetables and even if they require a few moments more cooking time than the noodles, it amounts to a very quick meal when you are coming in from being busy in the garden ;).

Steve

imafan26
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When I have small amounts of an assortment of veggies in the garden like bok choi, broccoli, beans, peas, komatsuna, Tokyo bekana, peppers, and mustard greens. It is easy to put them in ramen or make fried noodles with the ramen and stir fry the vegetables with the noodles for a quick meal. I always have chives, garlic chives, and green onions to add in. Right now, I still have some cilantro. I always have mint. Sweet basil is hard to grow because of basil downy mildew. I do have other basil but they either taste like Thai basil or hot basil.

imafan26
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I have so many vegetables coming in now, that I have to think of other ways to use them. I made a vegetable soup. I will probably be eating it for at least a week. I found it easier to track by putting the add ons like the meat chicken, beef, or pork later. That way I can have the soup with a different "flavor" and it is easier for me to track them for my diet. I have also been adding shiratake "noodles" to give it more bulk and fiber. I could actually add the soup to ramen as well.

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digitS'
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Slippery Noodles

Twirl them, whirl them, slop them, slip them,
twist them, curl them, whip them, flip them,
sip them, slurp them, chew them, beat them.
But you must use your fork, when you eat them.

Eric-Shabazz Larkin

Your fork, unless you can use chop sticks :D .

imafan26
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Noodles are actually easier to eat with chopsticks. They fall off the fork. I like the Italian way that they use a big spoon and a fork to make a ball out of spaghetti. But it is more fun to slurp the noodles, just a bit messy.

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Gary350
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Have time zones changed in 50 years look at this 50 yr old planting zone chart. TN is zone 3 and zone 6 in south tip of FL. There is no zone 7. Wow the FL keys must get snow. LOL.
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imafan26
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It is a very old chart. Did you mean planting zones instead of time zones? The newest USDA planting zone chart accounts for more micro climates especially those associated with elevation. But the map does not look all that different. I think most people buying seeds retail from the seed racks don't really know how to use the chart. I used to be in zone 11, now I am in 12a. But, it matters less to me since the chart is all about last frost dates. I don't have a frost date. All I have to be concerned with is the average temperature and daylight hours when I do plant. And of course disease and heat tolerance. Most of the packages just say plant when danger of frost is past or start indoors, 6 weeks before last frost date. For me temperature and daylight are more important considerations and that is not always on the package. It is still better than the seeds I get from the university seed lab, which only has the name and year on it.

imafan26
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I'm wondering with the cost of everything going up, how much it actually costs me to have a garden. I have always gardened for the pleasure as well as the fresh produce. I know for the herbs, if I use them, I am definitely ahead in terms of flavor and cost. Some of the vegetables are marginal because of the time, space, production cost as to whether they are worthwhile or not. Definitely, the ones I never get to eat because the birds got it, or I just did not get to it on time, went to the compost or to feed the worms so that was nearly all cost. What is the value of the crops you grow and is it worth it?

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TomatoNut95
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imafan26 wrote:
Mon Apr 04, 2022 3:42 pm
I'm wondering with the cost of everything going up, how much it actually costs me to have a garden. I have always gardened for the pleasure as well as the fresh produce. I know for the herbs, if I use them, I am definitely ahead in terms of flavor and cost. Some of the vegetables are marginal because of the time, space, production cost as to whether they are worthwhile or not. Definitely, the ones I never get to eat because the birds got it, or I just did not get to it on time, went to the compost or to feed the worms so that was nearly all cost. What is the value of the crops you grow and is it worth it?
This is exactly something my family has discussed. As expensive as soil and fertilize and bug poisons is it doesn't seem worth it to grow your own produce. BUT produce in the store its probably genetically engineered or will get recalled for salmonella or e.coli. So its probably a bit safer to grow your own stuff.

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applestar
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Don’t forget the value of your garden in supporting your mental health — the simple pleasure of working with growing things, watching them change and develop from seed to fruit, interacting with nature, closer connection to weather … taking in the sun, the air, rain and wind … and the universe in general.

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TomatoNut95
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applestar wrote:
Mon Apr 04, 2022 8:01 pm
Don’t forget the value of your garden in supporting your mental health — the simple pleasure of working with growing things, watching them change and develop from seed to fruit, interacting with nature, closer connection to weather … taking in the sun, the air, rain and wind … and the universe in general.
Good point to. I take pride and pleasure in growing my own homegrown produce and giving it to friends and family who appreciate it. I wouldn't trade that for any store bought produce in the world even if it might be cheaper. Besides, homegrown stuff tastes better than store bought anyway. Especially tomatoes.

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digitS'
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The price of food is also rising. If it made sense to grow vegetables 5 - 10 years ago, it still makes sense.

We used to sell at a farmers' market but that ended with the pandemic. Selling produce paid for our gardening however, we were doing the extra work for less than minimum wage. Still, a lot of good food showed up at the table and it still does.

It has been a way to stay productive and, if we compare it with most hobbies and the gain for the food budget, it isn't really expensive. The garden is a pleasant environment. It's good exercise and not boring like doing so many of those repetitions.

Steve
fair weather gardener :D.

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digitS'
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If you want to cut into food costs, be seasonal salad eaters. Don't put emphasis on storage vegetables - those that ship well. They are cheap to purchase.

Suitable for fresh eating, tender veggies are expensive. You can grow a tremendous amount in a small area. Your climate is likely to allow for succession planting. Protective growing can extend the growing season with parts of the garden under plastic film or fleece coverings.

You may be daily carrying baskets of garden produce into the kitchen!

Steve

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General Chit-Chat, lets talk about diarrhea. LMFAO

I'm laying on sofa with a warm cozy blanket watching TV another pedestrian was hit in the dark on Dickerson Pike last night. Another hit & run driver. TV said, 279 pedestrians have been hit on Dickerson Pk.



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