Let’s say you’re snuggled up on the sofa with the cat on your lap and you get a fierce craving for some Cap’n Crunch. The wind is howling, you’re wearing fleece pj bottoms covered with dancing tacos and the cat has no intention of letting you get up. What do you do?
Online options now abound for appeasing cravings, re-stocking staples you forgot about or even avoiding your weekly grocery run altogether. But here in the Upper Valley, what you can get and how quickly you can get it depends on your zip code and how much you’re willing to pay.
If you need perishable items and you need them right now(-ish), Instacart is the way to go. Unfortunately, you can avail yourself of its services only if you live in Lebanon, Hanover, Claremont or certain parts of Enfield. Through the Instacart website, you can order items from Shaw’s, Price Chopper, BJ’s Wholesale Club or CVS and get them delivered to your door the same day. Your delivery fee varies based on what you order, or you can pay a $99 per year fee for Instacart Express and get free delivery on orders over $35.
Other grocery stores that offer online shopping services haven’t expanded into this region yet, with the exception of Walmart in Claremont.
If you’re more interested in stocking up on pantry items than snagging a wheel of brie for tonight’s dinner party, you’ve got several options. Not surprisingly, pretty much any shelf-stable item you can imagine, from Keurig cups to almond flour, can be ordered at Amazon.com and delivered to any address in the United States. Websites such as Jet.com and Google Express offer similar services. Most of the time, prices are comparable to those of traditional grocery stores after shipping or membership fees are figured in. Ordering from the Upper Valley, you won’t find much selection of fresh foods through these services, but if you poke around and don’t mind spending a little extra, you might be able to track down a box of sirloin tips or a block of cheddar.
Local foods enthusiasts, however, are out of luck — for now. The Hanover Co-op Food Stores don’t yet offer online shopping services, but exploring online ordering and delivery service options are among the company’s priorities for the coming year, according to Public Relations Director Allan Reetz.
Many other stores and sites say they’re rapidly expanding into new areas. But for now, it looks like many of us will have to put on pants and find the car keys when those cravings hit.
Sarah Earle can be reached at searle@vnews.com and 603-727-3268.