Why again, do we buy bread & milk every time it snows in New Jersey?

One of the dilemmas in this state that I've never understood. Every time we hear the mention of a snowstorm, we must stock up on bread and milk.

I honestly don't know why we do this. I mean, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it if you do stock up. I'm just confused by it.

Now maybe I'm the oddball out, but I've never seen the need to stock up on these items before to get through a snowstorm. In fact, I don't recall any time in recent history that required a panic shop to get through something like a nor'easter.

I was chatting with a few of my co-workers about this topic and we came up with some plausible explanations for this dilemma. Could there be actual logic in stocking up on bread and milk?

Before we dive into that, let's first go over items that make more sense to panic shop for during a snowstorm. In other words, if shelves are empty of these items, it'll make sense.

Rock salt

This item is completely understandable to panic shop for. I mean, we do like to make sure our walkways remain clear and safe.

What's funny about this one is we all tend to wait until the last second before running out to get it. We live in New Jersey, a place where it snows in winter. You would think we'd be smart enough to stock up ahead of time.

But then again, we live in New Jersey, so of course, we wait until the last second. And we have no excuse as rock salt is usually in stock well ahead of a storm.

Either way, this item is expected to sell out when we're dealing with a snowstorm.

Snow shovels

Another item that's expected to sell out. Perhaps we misplaced our shovel and need a new one? Or maybe the old one broke from overuse and needs to be replaced?

No matter the reason, this is another logical item a retailer can expect to run out of. I mean, you can't clear the snow without one, right?

Washer Fluid

This one may be an afterthought, but all that grime from the road after a storm has passed can really make it hard to see while driving.

All those chemicals used to treat the roads get kicked up onto your windshield making it very difficult to see through. So even though this may not be a common one to sell out, it is an understandable item to be out of stock.

You get the picture. Certain items are expected to be in high demand when it snows. Now back to the bread and milk. Why, exactly, do we need such high quantities of this?

Here are some thoughts my co-workers and I came up with. We'll first tackle bread.

Toast?

Could it be as simple as that? Do people from New Jersey like to eat a lot of toast when it snows?

Sandwiches?

Maybe there are plenty of cold cuts in the house and we just want the meals to be simple. Or, maybe there's a fear of a power outage, and bread doesn't require any refrigeration to stay good.

Lots of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches could also be on the menu. The possibilities are endless.

French toast?

The never-ending joke of making French Toast when it snows. But could this actually be the reason?

Is there something about the taste of bread dropped in egg and cooked on a frying pan that makes getting through a snowstorm that much easier?

Simply plain?

There is one other possibility. What if we just like bread as-is? I mean, that would be the simplest way to enjoy it.

That might explain some of the bread, but what about the milk? Let's dive in.

Cereal?

Perhaps New Jerians like to eat cereal. I mean, there are certainly many options to go with here, so why not?

Oatmeal?

Or, maybe they like oatmeal made with milk? It's plausible.

Simply plain?

Or perhaps it's as simple as this. Plain bread with a glass of plain milk.

Whatever the reason, the sell-out seems to happen every time. And, it happens just before a storm.

Perhaps I'm the one who's just missing something, but I honestly don't understand it.

I will say this. I'm determined to understand and find out. I want to know why there's such a fascination with bread and milk in this state every time it snows.

So what about you? Do you stock up on bread and milk before a snowstorm? Whether or not any of the reasons above apply to you, it will be interesting to see how many of us do this, and how many don't.

Take the poll below and let us know. And please be honest... this will be fun.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.