Whenever severe winter weather approaches, grocery store aisles are always clear of eggs, bread and milk.

But why is that the case?

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The CDC recommends bread as a no-cook food to stock ahead of a storm, but not perishables like milk and eggs. A power outage means those foods may not last until the storm passes.

The Atlantic reported that buying perishables may be a matter of psychology.

Duke University behavioral economist Dan Ariely said it's a matter of seeing others doing something and feeling the need to join in. "If we go somewhere and we see other people buying those particular things, all of a sudden (we're) even more interested in those (things)," he said.

"It's like saying, 'The storm will be over soon and I won't be stuck in this situation for long,'" clinical psychologist Judy Rosenburg told HowStuffWorks.

So it may be fine to get bread, milk and eggs as long as you have enough non-perishable foods as well.

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Helen Gilbert places flowers on her brother Eurie Martin’s grave at Camp Spring Baptist Church in Sandersville. Her brother died eight years ago. Three former Washington County deputies are accused of causing his death and are set to stand trial Monday. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

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