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We know winter has been mild across much of the country for the most part, but it’s mid-season now, and we’re already kind of tired of it. Sidewalks are icy or worse, covered in snow. The streets are slushy. You’re cold when you’re outside, then boiling hot as soon as you step into a building. Who wants to leave the house in these conditions?
Of course, we all have to leave the house sometimes to run our weekly errands, but if you don’t have a car, lugging groceries or large items like a shovel are even worse during cold months.
Fortunately, the delivery business is booming, and that means that you can get any number of things brought right to your door (for an extra cost, of course). There’s the obvious stuff like takeout, but the options for outsourcing your acquisition of winter-survival materials are constantly expanding. Hit up some of the suggestions in these 14 categories, and you’ll be all set to hibernate.
14 Delivery Services For Winter
Beer (01 of14)
Winter is a great time for a house party, but what if you’ve run out of beer? In several Canadian cities, you can get the brew brought right to you. The Beer Guy delivers a wide variety of beers, in under an hour, in Toronto. Brew Box ships craft beer once a month across Ontario, so you’ll always have some on hand. Many major cities across the country have similar options, so get searching. (credit:Thomas Winz via Getty Images)
Groceries(02 of14)
Many cities now have grocery-delivery services, which means you don’t have to haul home your food for the week when the sidewalks haven’t yet been plowed. Grocery Gateway delivers in the Greater Toronto Area, including Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, and Cambridge. Grocery Market, Instabuggy, and Urbery also operate in the GTA. Other cities have similar options: e-panneur in Montreal, The Grocery Guru in Halifax and Hourey in Winnipeg. (credit:Jupiterimages via Getty Images)
Pet Food(03 of14)
You can’t let Fido and Fluffy go hungry. Grocery delivery services will likely offer pet food as well. You can also hit the Walmart site and get a huge bag of kibble to your door, along with just about anything else you might need. (credit:humonia via Getty Images)
Booze(04 of14)
Maybe beer isn’t your thing, but some belly-warming whiskey sounds good. There are services for you too! The Beer Guy doesn’t just offer beer but you can also get liquors delivered across Ontario as well. Cheers Vancouver brings beer and liquor around the lower mainland. And Thirstie has expanded to Ottawa and Toronto. (credit:Felipe Rodriguez Fernandez via Getty Images)
Food(05 of14)
While we don’t advocate putting delivery people on the road in a legitimate storm, we do support the idea of calling in reinforcements when you forgot to set the slow cooker before work. Uber Eats is operating in Toronto now, and might soon expand to other cities. In the meantime, look into services like Just Eat [https://www.just-eat.ca/], which operates in cities across Canada. Foodora is another service that operates in Toronto, as well as Montreal. The Travelling Table offers delivery from several St. John’s restaurants. And Skip The Dishes makes it easier to get food to your door in Saskatoon, Ottawa, and other Ontario and western Canadian cities. (credit:stock_colors via Getty Images)
A Shovel(06 of14)
If you don’t have a shovel at your house yet, and you live anywhere in Canada that isn’t Toronto or Vancouver, you should probably do something about that. To be snowed in without a shovel to fix the situation is a terrible thing. Fortunately for you, Canuck favourite Canadian Tire delivers all over the country. Go order a shovel now and you’ll have it in a few days — there’s still a lot of winter left and you’re gonna need it. (credit:Ryan McVay via Getty Images)
Hot Chocolate (07 of14)
There’s nothing like warming up with a mug of hot cocoa beside the fire … or the fireplace channel on your TV. But there’s no need to settle for the chalky store-brand tin you’ve had in the cupboard for a year. Order some decadent hot chocolate flakes from Newfoundland Chocolate Company and get perfect dark or white hot chocolate shipped right to your door. (credit:Jamie Grill via Getty Images)
Veggies(08 of14)
One of the saddest things about winter is the absence of farmers’ markets and fresh local produce. Make sure you’re still getting your five a day by signing up for a local produce-delivery service: they’ll bring a box of fresh fruit and veg to your door, once a week, and many allow other groceries to be added on as well. USC Canada has a great list of CSA (community supported agriculture) programs across the country. Options in Calgary, for example, include SPUD. (credit:Tetra Images - Karen Schuld via Getty Images)
Dessert(09 of14)
Sometimes you just want (need?) cupcakes ... or a whole cake, or a lot of cookies, or some doughnuts. You get the idea. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to fix this problem without leaving your house. For the Love of Cake delivers cake and cupcakes in the Toronto area. Crave offers cupcake delivery in Calgary, Saskatoon, and Edmonton. (credit:ingwervanille via Getty Images)
Kitty Litter (10 of14)
You’ll want to have litter handy if you’ve actually got cats, of course — but kitty litter is actually a good thing to have around in the winter even if you’re a dog person. If you’re out of ice-melting pellets, you can sprinkle a bit of litter on particularly slippery steps. And if your car’s tires aren't spinning, some litter can provide needed traction. Fortunately, Amazon.ca will ship it to you for free if you buy at least $29 worth of stuff, litter or otherwise. (credit:Images By Tang Ming Tung via Getty Images)
Tea(11 of14)
A warm mug of tea is a lovely way to start the day on a chilly morning. David’s Tea has outlets across the country, but also delivers nationwide if you aren’t near one of their locations... or just don’t want to go outside. You can even add on the mug and teapot. (credit:Tara Moore via Getty Images)
Presents (12 of14)
Did you forget to mail a birthday gift to your best friend? Does getting to the post office sound terrible right now? A new service, Giftagram, can take care of that for you. Their app makes it easy to order from a selection of curated, stylish presents and have them sent nearly anywhere in the country — complete with an email to the recipient alerting them to your generosity. (credit:Jupiterimages via Getty Images)
Cozy Socks(13 of14)
It’s terrible to still be cold when you’re inside and nobody wants a shocker of a heating bill either. Help yourself stay cozy and warm with a pair of reading socks. You can get these ones delivered right to your door. (credit:Indigo/Chapters )
Anything Else You Need(14 of14)
And some delivery services will bring you anything you want. Simple Delivery] takes care of fast food, groceries, alcohol, and gifts in Vancouver. Good Foot Delivery in the GTA provides meaningful employment for people with developmental disabilities. Snap Delivery [https://www.snapdel.ca/] will bring you basically anything you want, in Toronto, at any time. Favor has expanded to Toronto, and will bring you goods from a variety of local stores and restaurants. (credit:PeopleImages via Getty Images)