Why Are Milk and Bread the First Items People Buy for Storm Preparation?

When news of a major storm, especially a snowstorm, starts circulating, many people’s first instinct is to head straight to the grocery store and stock up on supplies. Toilet paper, water, and canned goods are some of the first things they toss into carts. After all, can you imagine being stuck at home due to severe weather and not having any toilet paper? It would be miserable.

Being hungry wouldn’t be any better, which is why many people load up on nonperishable foods, which is just a fancy term used to refer to a group of foods that don’t require refrigeration. Since most of these typically have a long shelf life, it makes sense to buy those in large quantities.

What doesn’t always make sense, though, is the rush to buy milk and bread before a storm. Because won’t the milk go bad? Indeed, it will, so why do people do it? There are a few reasons.

When severe weather is predicted to hit, people tend to stockpile milk and bread because it gives them a sense of control over a situation that is, quite literally, uncontrollable. That’s one reason, according to Lisa Brateman, a New York City-based psychotherapist, who spoke to HowStuffWorks in 2012.

“The thought to get milk before a storm is followed by the action or compulsion to go out and stockpile it,” she said. “In one way or another, we spend a lot of time and energy trying to feel in control, and buying things you might throw out still gives the person a sense of control in an uncontrollable situation.”

FOMO (fear of missing out), a dated term that’s gained renewed attention recently, might be another reason. When people see others loading up on milk and bread, or notice store fridges and shelves empty or barely stocked, it can trigger a fear of not having those items, even if experts warn against buying them ahead of a storm. Milk, especially, isn’t an ideal choice since it requires refrigeration.

Still, when shoppers see everyone else grabbing milk and bread alongside water and other storm essentials, it’s hard not to feel compelled to do the same. You might even be guilty of it yourself, noticing your store’s milk supply is nearly depleted and tossing a carton or two into your cart just in case.

But, as we mentioned, experts don’t recommend milk and bread as top priorities for storm preparation.

According to Ready.gov, better options include ready-to-eat canned foods like fruits and vegetables (just be sure you have a manual can opener), dry cereal, peanut butter (this is where bread might come in handy), canned juices, non-perishable milk, and dried fruit. Keep in mind that once the milk is opened, it will need to be consumed quickly if the power goes out and refrigeration isn’t an option.

People have been stocking up on milk and bread before storms for a long time, going all the way back to the 1970s. According to AccuWeather, the habit dates back to the Blizzard of 1978, when people in New England were stuck in their homes for days due to a major storm and couldn’t get to grocery stores.

Since then, the practice has stuck, and many people still feel it’s better to have milk and bread on hand than not before a storm hits. But as a reminder, milk can spoil if the power goes out and there’s no refrigeration available, and bread will typically mold within just a few days.