When the Coronavirus scare 
hit my town a month or so ago grocery stores increased their sanitation practices to protect the health of its customers. I understand and appreciate their concern and efforts in this regard. However, Trader Joe’s took it to a unique panic level and made its customers stand in line outside the store several feet apart while an employee in the front controlled the number of customers who could enter at one time. We were told it was an effort to keep distance between customers shopping inside. I went along with this procedure a few times till I realized that once inside my items were not available…so I’d stood in line for 15 min or more to find that I’d wasted my time and went away frustrated. Well, one day I was there early and only needed milk so I stood in line for a little while hoping for the best…My common sense and reason took over when I viewed Fry’s across the street and left. I haven’t been back and don’t know if I ever will return.
I got my milk without fuss at Fry’s that day and although I had a few disappointments there with products not being available I’ve continued to shop there hoping that things would get better. They did! I discovered that they’d put a 2-item limit on everything in the store, and by persevering I discovered great products to replace what I’d been buying before, and new foods that have added nutrition and enjoyment to my diet. Take a look:
- Oat bran in bulk on sale for $.95/lb…I add it to my pancake batter.
- Kroger (Fry’s brand) Mexican Shredded Cheese…delicious!
- Pepperidge Farm 15 Grain Bread that tastes great and is loaded with nutrition (I’d given up on commercial bread but since I couldn’t get my flat bread from TJ I decided to try it and was I delighted!)
- Better tasting Extra Virgin Olive Oil that isn’t bitter like the TJ brand I’d been using.
- Box of Penne pasta with Semolina Wheat, Durim Wheat, lentil flour, pea protein, and the flours of barley, chickpea and spelt. The TJ package only had wheat flour.
- Cheaper Sardines (saving about .50 a can)
- Milk is cheaper now too. I buy the whole milk and I love it.
- Eggs are cheaper by about .30 a dozen.
These are just what I’ve discovered so far. Browsing the store in aisles where most people don’t shop like the 
International section I found lots of healthy items I want to try.
All of these new experiences were the result of trying something new. I have become more flexible and able to adapt more easily to situations I can’t control.
Like animals and plant life in the wild that have adapted to their changing environment we can adapt and thrive if we are willing to embrace change.
