How to Safely Grocery Shop While Social-Distancing

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During the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been forced to adjust our lives to socially distance in an attempt to avoid spreading the virus. For some people this means working from home, exercising to Youtube videos, homeschooling over Zoom, and communicating with loved ones on Facetime. However, the one thing that hasn’t changed is the need to eat and with restaurants closed everyone now needs to safely get groceries to prepare food at home.

Options for Buying

Many grocery stores are offering alternative solutions to shopping in their physical stores to help reduce the risk of spreading the virus. One popular option is placing orders online through apps such as Instacart or Peapod and either picking up groceries at the store or having them delivered to your home. In Lancaster, we have the local options of Lemon Street Market, Freinschaft Market or the Lancaster Common Food Hub. Each of which are offering ordering ahead and contact-less pick up options.

Another option is meal-kit subscriptions. As of now, services such as Blue Apron, Sunbasket, and Hello Fresh are still able to deliver food.

Groceries stores have remained open and are still an option for buying groceries, however there are precautions to take when shopping to ensure the safety of you and your loved ones.

Safety Tips for Visiting a Grocery Store

  • Avoid visiting the grocery store at peak times. For vulnerable costumers, most stores are offering specific hours dedicated to reduced amounts of customers
  • Avoid contact with anyone—that means waving at neighbors and friends that you may see
  • Bring hand sanitizer and wipes and use anytime you touch a new surface and avoid touching your face throughout the store
  • Make sure to wipe your cart and any surfaces you may touch
  • Wipe down your non-porous items when you arrive home
  • If having groceries delivered, opt for no-contact delivery and request for the groceries to be left outside of your home

We hope you use caution when obtaining groceries. Hopefully this new normal will not last long and we can move forward with life as usual soon. By all of us erring on the side of caution, we can contain the spread of COVID-19.