OK, so by now you know I like to share personal thoughts, random ideas, heartfelt feelings, jokes and even some little secrets on this blog. Well, today’s post won’t be any different. I, Nicole, aka Healthy Chow, would like to admit that I am a hoarder. Phew! Glad I got that one off my lack of chest! When I like something, I feel the need to have it readily on hand, all of the time. Also, I like to have multiples of the items that I covet. You just never know when you’re going to run out, right?
Now I know this totally goes against the Law of Attraction and the properties of scarcity versus abundance. But at times that feeling of not having enough of something or not being able to have access to it when I want or need it, makes me go into panic mode. And I thought yoga was supposed to help to alleviate this?
So now that the new season is here and the weather is changing and soon the leaves will being doing the same and falling, it’s definitely time for autumn foods. Thus, that translates as pumpkin everywhere! Pumpkin in your latte, pumpkin in your pancakes, your pasta has pumpkin in it, your pie is filled with pumpkin, your tea is infused with it and finally, your baked goods are busting at the seams with PUMPKIN! The latter is what I’m the most juiced about and I’m starting to think I’m not the only one. All you food bloggies keep churning and ‘pump’ing out all these great recipes for pumpkin cookies, muffins, breads and even scones! What’s a gal like Healthy Chow supposed to do but want to make her own gorgeous gourmet gourd goodies?
Well, when I was at the grocery store a couple of months ago, I noticed that the shelf where the Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin usually resides was a tad barren. There were only two cans of the 15 oz. size left but a good number of the 29 oz. cans still sitting on the shelves. So, I quickly grabbed the last two 15 oz. cans and said to myself, “if they run out of the smaller size, I guess I can buy the bigger ones.” About a month or so later, I went back to the grocery store and noticed the Libby’s stock was practically gone. The only cans that were now left were the 29 oz. size – of course I snagged one (OK, it was more than that). Fast forward to this week and after visiting various grocery stores in the Massachusetts area, the Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin stock has been depleted. I can’t find a can to save my life! Even the Libby’s Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix is now gone. WTF?! And I know one can just roast a whole pumpkin on their own and just remove the roasted flesh, but Healthy Chow <3 convenience!
Is everyone just making/baking insane amounts of food and baked goods with pumpkin? Is Libby’s going out of business? Are the grocery stores boycotting these fabulous canned orange gourds? I couldn’t figure out why on earth everyone was suddenly out of my beloved canned pumpkin. It just boggled my mind. And then, I googled ‘Libby’s pumpkin shortage’ and the mystery was solved. The first result that came up was a news story entitled, “Canned pumpkin shortage almost over.” The article stated,
You may have noticed a shortage of canned pumpkin on store shelves.
A viewer brought this to Fact Finder’s attention, so we did some checking Thursday to learn the reason.
We called Nestlé, which makes Libby’s Pumpkin, and Spokeswoman Roz O’Hearn confirmed there is currently a nationwide shortage, but she said that won’t be the case for much longer.
The shortage is blamed on a poor growing season last year.
O’Hearn said the company usually has a surplus of canned pumpkin from the year before to carry them through, but they ran out this time around.
“Mother Nature likes to remind us from time to time that she is in charge, and we had a harvest last year that was bedeviled by lots of weather problems,” said O’Hearn.
O’Hearn said this year’s harvest of 5,000 acres of pumpkins is underway outside Morton, Illinois, and more Libby’s Pumpkin will be shipped to supermarkets across the country starting next week.
Hallelujah! I was starting to wonder if Healthy Chow was just imagining this shortage. I was starting to go out of my ‘gourd’! So glad that this mystery has now been solved. Now, I can sleep at night (hey Sarah, are my hyperbole and sarcasm translating?). But just to be sure that the above news article wasn’t yanking my chain, I decided to go onto the Libby’s website to do some CSI Healthy Chow investigating. I didn’t see any mention of the canned pumpkin shortage or of its imminent replenishment. So, I turned to Tiffany. If you’ve never chatted it up via Live Chat by LivePerson, it’s a must! I might just chat with Tiffany when I’m bored and pepper her with my perpetual praise para la pumpkin (or ‘calabaza’ en Español – another one for you, Sarah!).
So, it’s going to be another couple of weeks until Libby is back in my life. Actually, that’s not entirely true. Remember I told you I was a hoarder? Well, I actually have three cans in my cupboard right now. But I’m saving them until my local Stop & Shop, or Tiffany, can prove to me the shortage has ended by presenting me with a can. Until then, my baked goods and other cooking are going to be sans that luscious orange fiber. But fear not, I think I might have found a new friend…enter the kabocha.
My secret stash…
Everyone seems to be kabocha krazy!
You know what they say, “And if you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re with…”
Thought you might enjoy some pumpkin quotes while you wait for your Libby’s to come back…
- “I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion” -Henry David Thoreau
- “Men are like pumpkins. It seems like all the good ones are either taken or they’ve had everything scraped out of their heads with a spoon.” -Anonymous
- “Only the knife knows what goes on in the heart of a pumpkin.” -Simone Schwarz-Bart
- “Produce great pumpkins, the pies will follow later.” -Anonymous
- “If you’re in a war, instead of throwing a hand grenade at the enemy, throw one of those small pumpkins. Maybe it’ll make everyone think how stupid war is, and while they are thinking, you can throw a real grenade at them.” – Jack Handy
Image Credits – picsearch.com
What’s your favorite pumpkin recipe? I want to be good and ready when the stores are! Or, what’s your favorite way to eat pumpkin?
Namasté,
Nicole
Hi, I'm Nicole and welcome to Healthy Chow. My last name is Chow and this is my journey to living a life that is healthy and well-balanced. That being said, I thought Healthy Chow would be an appropriate name for my blog! I love to eat, I'm growing my love to cook and I'm in love with family, yoga and creating my own jewelry. This blog was started as a way to remind myself (and the world) that there isn't just one definition of healthy. We each just need to find our own meaning. Please join me as I find mine.
Email me at 
Ok SO many reasons why I love this post and awkwardly laughed through the entire thing on a crowded train…
-gracias for the espanol amor!
-your hyperbole and sarcasm translated. But, I must ask, were you actually exaggerating? I think it’d be completely legitimate to lose sleep over a beloved food going MIA! Then again, I have an abnormally romanticized, dramatic relationship with food haha
-that thoreau quote! Omg, I might love you. I have quoted that so many times bc I’m a lit geek and thoreau is my favorite philosopher!
-i, too, am a hoarder. Not with everything but with certain items. I am ALWAYS overstocked with yogurt bc I fear the morning I wake up and realize I’m out. I refuse to let that happen. But, yea, I definitely get anxiety when I think about running out of any of my go-to foods. I’m not sure if this means we are responsible individuals who take necessary precautions-or that we need therapy…
Hehehehe Sarah! Glad you liked it and can empathize with me. And I wasn’t exaggerating at all
I hate not having access to the stuff I like! Ha! You wouldn’t be the first person to tell me I need therapy. Actually, it sounds like a fine idea!
Favorite pumpkin recipe? I love pumpkin oats, pumpkin double layer cheesecake, but my most favorite are pumpkin ginger cookies (I LOVE THESE!!!!).
I am going to continue to buy winter squashes at the store for as long as they are on sale for .69 a lb! Gosh, I’m going to become orange. This Tiffany lady sounds funny lol. I use to have SmarterChild on my buddylist when I had AIM.
Pumpkin ginger cookies? Katharina? That sounds amazing! Do you have a recipe for that? Tiffany is pretty cool – you should check her out
I used to say the meanest things to SmarterChild. I was so evil!
Love the Thoreau quote. : )
Thanks Kaytee!
what?????????? a pumpkin shortage??????? what would fall be without pumpkin?? guess you’re just going to have to roast your own gourds!
lol that’s hilarious about the hoarding-looks like its serving you well.
i also can’t believe that Libby’s has someone you can livechat with!
and the pumpkin quotes-love!!
lemme know what you do with the kombucha-i haven’t experimented with it yet!
Hi Elizabeth,
Yes, there WAS a shortage. It’s pretty much over now. I finally found some cans of Libby’s the other day – phew! The Libby’s site is pretty cool – you should check it out. The kabocha squash was awesome! I’ll have a post up shortly about it
What?! A canned pumpkin shortage?! My blood pressure just shot through the roof. Hello, my name is Lauren, and I’m a pumpkin junkie. I eat it in oatmeal, bake it into muffins, cookies & breads, I churn it into ice cream, I mix it with yogurt and cinnamon… you get the gist. I haven’t noticed the empty store shelves – perhaps because I’ve been buying a different brand? So interesting about the poor harvest from last year.
WOW Lauren! You’re a pumpkin junkie just like me! Great minds think alike
I had heard about the shortage. So sad! My mom makes these pumpkin apple muffins with a cinnamon and sugar crumble topping. They are to die for! I also like pumpkin in oats. Of course, because i am trying to eat gluten free, neither one is an option with out some gluten free oats and flour.
I have never had kombucha, but keep reading about it. I think it’s time to try!
Hi Shannon – Those muffins your mom makes sound so good! The kabocha was great – give it a try, you won’t be disappointed!
We must have been at the same stop and shop because mine looked the same exact way! I went to another store and bought the LAST can of pumpkin!
Hi Pam – you are so lucky!
nicole, i just came across your blog through brandis. It’s been great to read so far! you are really cute!!
Awww, thanks Natalie! You are so sweet. I just visited your blog as well. I loved your post about blossoming…it was so touching and true!
I got 3 large cans on clearance for Target last winter and THANKFULLY saved one of those cans (it’s in my pantry tucked away safely). I’m so so glad I did!!! I wish I had gotten MORE. I can’t decide if I should save it for Thanksgiving or use it up NOW. I feel like the cans have to be back by T-Day or the world will flip over. At least there’s still canned butternut squash
HAHA! Allie, you sound like a hoarder like me. The shortage is over though. Have no fear
You can buy your canned pumpkin now – we can all sleep soundly now.
Ah I loved your post! I have been on a pumpkin hunt myself. I just moved to London and I thought maybe they just didn’t do the pumpkin thing here. I can’t find it anywhere. I can’t even find any good baking pumpkins. I’m so desperate but maybe the pumpkin shortage is affecting England too and it will be on shelves soon….? Fingers crossed.