People in Dallas likely remember the massive snowstorm from February 2021, and with predictions suggesting a repeat this weekend, many are opting to prepare ahead of time.
The storm from two years ago effectively paralyzed the city for about a week, triggering icy roads and a lack of resources to tackle such severe weather. The aftermath included power outages and even a tragic incident due to ice on the highway.
These events have created a sense of urgency to stock up, as grocery stores face shortages, echoing a reminder of those challenging times. Earlier this week, I ventured out on a particularly busy shopping day with the aim of finding apples and bananas for my smoothies. Looking back, I snapped a few pictures along the way, which stirred up memories of when the pandemic began in March 2020; February 2021 didn’t resemble much of anything I had experienced before, including stockpiling toilet paper.
These images were captured on the evening of January 22, 2026, at an Aldi and Walmart in Irving, Texas.
aldi
The bread shelves at Aldi were nearly empty, as part of the frantic shopping rush.
Before heading to Aldi, I grabbed most of my groceries at Sam’s Club. The place was crowded but generally well-stocked—except for the shopping carts. They were either in use or scattered around the parking lot.
While I waited in line for pizza, I watched in disbelief as someone completely grabbed the cart I had parked nearby. Back to the parking lot I went to find another.
Meanwhile, the meat aisle left much to be desired, as it was nearly bare.
Luckily, I had secured my sandwich components at Sam’s Club, as Aldi seemed to be running low on everything.
Even Sam’s Club wasn’t spared from the panic buying mindset that had overtaken Dallas. I had come to Aldi because the apples and bananas had already vanished at Sam’s.
The selections available were, well, quite disappointing compared to the sought-after fruits.
A glaring absence was the bottled water; there wasn’t a single case left on the shelves.
I thought I had finally spotted my prized smoothie ingredient but ended up with a plantain instead of a banana. Disappointingly, there were no bananas to be found.
Unwilling to give up, I decided to check out Walmart, only to find it was even more hectic than Aldi.
walmart
Finding a parking spot was a challenge, as I ended up at the far end of the lot. Once inside, I braced myself for what I assumed would be similar—or worse—than Aldi. I wandered the aisles to see what was flying off the shelves the quickest. Here are some of the most popular items for storm preparation.
The poultry section had nearly been cleaned out.
Even the milk supplies were down, with several varieties missing from the shelves.
Similar to Aldi, the bottled water aisle resembled a ghost town.
Back in the produce section, I felt that familiar twinge of worry. Would bananas be among the few remaining items? The shelves looked utterly picked over.
Lo and behold, there were indeed some bananas displayed amidst the chaos, though half of them were missing. I was so excited about my find that I forgot to snap a photo. I walked away with my purchase of slightly pricey bananas and made my way home following an exhausting five-hour shopping excursion.
panic consensus
As I sit here on January 23rd, sipping on my smoothie, I can’t help but think: is this going to be our new normal? With each storm forecast, I find myself questioning if Texans will overreact as they have in past situations.
I used to grumble about how long my shopping took, and honestly, I’m a bit picky—which contributes—but five hours and four stores just to find bananas? It is a bit baffling.
When it comes to bad weather, road safety ultimately falls on the drivers. Growing up in Colorado, where snow is routine, I always thought it was odd how Texas struggles with just a few inches. And I don’t recall prior to the pandemic people hauling food and water like they were expecting a hurricane.
This might just highlight that preppers aren’t as wild as they seem. After all, no one wants to find themselves racing to the grocery store right before another cold snap hits Dallas.
