Snow Storm Is Coming: Time for Grocery Store Dash?

By now, you’ve heard that there’s snow on its way to Northern Virginia.

Next on most people’s list today: A mad dash to the grocery store for everything from essentials like toilet paper and bread to a wish list of comfort foods.

You can’t be expected to ride out the storm without those must-have cookies or popcorn while you’re snuggled under blankets catching a movie instead of heading to work or school, right?

What is it about snow that makes people worry about what’s in their refrigerators and pantries? Sure, icy roadways and snowbound cars make it difficult to get to the store. But most snow storms in the D.C. area aren’t exactly going to keep anyone homebound for too long.

A recent story by Time.com notes that it’s a mob mentality — the same reason you find a lot of people running out to shop in the middle of the night on Black Friday — that kicks in, especially when you see empty shelves and long lines.

Consumer psychologist Kit Yarrow recently explained to Time how the supermarket grab mentality comes to be: “Clearly we’re responding to emotions and crowds, and our brains are a few steps behind.”

“It starts with a normal impulse to stock up on things that might not be available for a few days,” Yarrow told Time. “It’s not so much a thought as it is an impulse that hits, and it’s associated with the caveman parts of our brain that take over when we perceive we might be in physical danger. We are prewired to fight for food when we sense that resources are scarce.”

In addition to those “must haves” like bread, eggs and milk, here are some essentials you would need to ride out a storm, that Irwin Redlener, the director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University, recently told ABC News, are truly necessary:

1. Non-perishable food
2. Batteries and flashlights in case your power goes out
3. Medications if you’re about to run out
4. Diapers
5. Pet food
6. A battery-powered radio in case your power goes out

So, what’s on your grocery list before a snow storm?