When the weather man calls for snow, ice or sleet the groceryman smiles. Why you ask under your breath as you rush to the Foodland…is it because folks have a great urge for toast and warm milk…do they crave french toast or maybe they want to make a bread pudding to go along with the snow cream….whatever the reason store shelfs become bare of milk and bread when the word S-N-O-W is uttered by the local teevee weather Guru…but why?
According to AccuWeather.com, we might be able to thank a particular region for at least some of it.
“It appears that New Englanders can take credit for the purchasing of milk and bread prior to the storm,” the site reported on its site. “It was the monumental blizzard in 1978 that trapped many in homes for weeks that gets at least some credit for the current tradition. Also it could be from an article in a local newspaper in the Pittsburg area during the storm on November 24, 1950 that told of milk as “the one shortage that has hit all sections” and bread as being “doled out in some stores” because of a storm that ultimately brought almost 3 feet of snow.
As for this want of things to hoard during a snowstorm…most times we have a blizzard we lose power…without power milk and eggs go bad and we certainly cannot prepare our toast and warm milk.
Maybe we should have a milk and bread shortage alarm …to be given by your local weather guru..stating when stores of bread and milk are running dangerously low there by staving off a mad dash to the local market.
