Arctic front: How North Texas grocery stores are faring

If you’re bundled up and ready to brave the arctic cold front for your groceries, you may find a mixed bag.

“I had to go to three stores to find corn today," said Joel Delgado.

He landed at Tom Thumb in Fort Worth after trying a nearby Walmart and an Albertson’s in Grand Prairie.

"Looks like... a hurricane went through there. A lot of stuff, a lot of shelves empty," he said.

Inside, videos show low stock on vegetables and charcoal—out of stock on firewood.

But Mary Langsather said she found everything she needed for her and her six kids.

“In the past, when storms have been predicted to come in, usually I have a hard time finding those essentials like the milk, bread, things like that, but luckily, it hasn’t been a problem," she said.

Temperatures are expected to be below freezing for a prolonged period.

Some are opting for the 2024 version of grocery shopping: Sending someone else to do it.

Tychyanna Simpson picked up goods for Instacart at a Dallas Kroger.

“It’s kind of hectic in there; there’s people on top of each other, and they’re constantly on every aisle. There’s barely any room to move," Simpson said. "It's pretty sold out of everything."

“We are very, very busy today," said employee Carlos Romero. “They better come down here and hurry up and get to shopping, honey!”

John Votava, director of Kroger's corporate affairs, said they’ve seen a flurry of customers move in, along with the chances of sleet and snow.

"It's been a busy weekend, so far," he said.

Votava said there are usually some hot commodities during cold fronts.

"It's going to be water and milk, and then we're also going to see bread. Hamburger meat is a big item. And then we're also going to see chips and other snackable items, too, are usually big sellers," he said.

But Votava said they’ve worked with city and state agencies to make sure they can keep up.

"To make sure that our distribution centers are open and fully stocked and ready to keep the lights on and the trucks rolling out to the stores," he said.

A spokesperson for H-E-B and Central Market said they've also seen an increase in customers over the last few days due to the cold front.

"H-E-B and Central Market are prepared for weather events, and our stores are well stocked and receiving additional product shipments. Across the company, our Partners are ready to serve our customers with the products they need," said Mabrie Jackson, who thanked customers for their patronage and patience.

So, while you may have to try a couple different stores, you should be able to find what you need before heading into hibernation.

“No need to panic, just you got to have patience, though, as you come to the stores. People are rushing and people are trying to push to get to whatever they’re going to do," Delgado said.