Cream cheese isn't the only shortage that could affect your Christmas amid supply chain issues

Holiday cooks will need to check their shopping list twice because the ongoing shortages of key ingredients aren’t ending anytime soon.

But it’s not just the ingredients needed to throw together a Christmas feast. It could be the essentials for setting the table like disposable plates, cups and cutlery, and food for your cat and dog that’s hard to find.

And of course, gifts, including popular video game consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, also are in high demand along with Christmas trees to put the presents under.

As the world reaches the two-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, more items are becoming scarce because of global supply chain disruptions such as congestion at ports and shortages of truck drivers and service workers.

►Can't find what you're shopping for?: Navigate Christmas and other supply chain shortages with these tips

Patrick Penfield, professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management, told USA TODAY that cream cheese, peppermint and international foods are among the food products in short supply.

“As you walk through a lot of stores you won’t see the quantity and quality of items you are accustomed to seeing,” Penfield said. “Unfortunately, as we progress through the holiday season, we are seeing more bare shelves and stockouts of popular items.”

Some of the shortages, could be regional due to labor and truck shortages, Penfield said.

In a recent study by business consultancy KPMG, 71% of grocery consumers said they were somewhat or very concerned about shortages or stockouts with 35% switching brands when their favorite items are out of stock.

“We see demand surges during the holidays that make replenishment especially difficult, particularly given the transportation and store labor shortages and variant surges that can further reduce available labor,” Matt Kramer, KPMG consumer and retail sector leader, told USA TODAY.

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Costco, Publix stores limit purchases

Some retailers have been limiting purchases of select items, similar to policies implemented at the start of the pandemic. But panic buying, especially of toilet paper, returned this summer as the delta variant spread.

In August, Costco brought back temporary purchase limits on some items including toilet paper.

Publix, which has more than 1,280 stores in the southern U.S., started limiting purchases of canned cranberry sauce, gravy, canned pie filling ahead of Thanksgiving. It has expanded its list of limited-purchase products ahead of Christmas to include sports drinks, half-and-half creamers, bacon, toilet paper, disposable plates, vegetable oils and cat food.