If you need to find some last-minute ingredients for your holiday dinner, you'll have to brave the Christmas crowds.
"Potatoes, veggies, for Christmas day we're probably doing pot roast," said Judy Dunn. Thursday night, she was checking off her grocery list and finding the finishing touches at Wegmans during the holiday rush. "We're going crazy, my attitude is you just have to know what your getting in to and try not to get upset, and just go with the flow."
This is the busiest time of the year for grocery stores. The parking lot is lined with hundreds of car, and spotting a space is just the first step. Then it's maneuvering through the aisles and avoiding the occasional shopping cart traffic jam.
"It was crazy, we were trying to move around other customers and bumping carts with some people," said Sarah Kate Glass.
Each check out lane was lit up Thursday night, as cashiers worked through the lines.
"I think everybody has the same idea to do the last minute shopping," said Carol Kerr. "I'm doing a pot roast with potatoes, carrots, salad, soup, all that good stuff."
Wegmans has been planning for this rush, identifying trends and what people buy to make sure it's on the shelf when they need it. The big sellers this year are ham, turkey and roasts, plus all the favorite sides. But if you're serving a bird The Food Institute says it will cost you 30% more this year. Produce and pie are pricier too. Onions, sweet potatoes, and pecans are up anywhere from 20% to 40%. But for some shoppers like Merilyn Glass, christmas is costing less this year. "I think we're spending a little less, we're just staying simple," said Glass.
Tomorrow is expected to be another busy shopping day in grocery stores. If you need to head out on Christmas Eve, most stores have abbreviated hours so call your local supermarket before you head out. Wegmans in DeWitt closes at 6 PM on Christmas Eve.
