How To Eat Healthy & Shop Safely Under COVID Quarantine

Our global state of pandemia has sent many into panic. As a result, the supply in most supermarkets is extremely vulnerable as shoppers continue to stockpile canned goods, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and bottled water. Unbeknownst to most, 40% of food is wasted each year, resulting in $165 billion in waste. Understanding this, adapting to eating and learning how to shop under social distancing is a must.

If done properly, these habits can go on to stick even after we defeat the Coronavirus – great for your health and finances. Quarantining comes with an array of downfalls, including induced anxiety, Vitamin D deficiencies due to our lack of sun exposure, and obesity due to our massive decrease in movement. Frivolous and non-strategic shopping and eating can cause you to give in to these challenges, making your self-quarantine more stressful than it has to be. Here’s what you can do:

Choose Foods & Ingredients Wisely: Make a Grocery List

Carefully considering what should be included in your trip to the supermarket can help more than you think. Think about what you need for a healthy in-home cooking experience. Be intentional about meal prepping and portion control. With more people stockpiling than ever, it’s important to be a good neighbor. This means only purchasing what you need, and will practically eat.

For snacks: avoid highly processed eats such as cookies, crackers, chips, and canned foods with high fructose corn syrup and sodium. Opt for low-fat popcorn and nuts, or nut butters paired with fruits providing high-energy such as bananas and apples, for healthier snacking.

For dinner: consider pairing pasta or rice with a protein, such as a fish. This can help you feel fuller for much longer. With the extra time at home a quarantine provides, this is a great time to put your slow-cooker to use. If you don’t have one, consider investing in one. This can allow for easy, savory cooking without much meal-prep.

Find New Recipes Before Shopping: Tools & Resources for Healthy Recipes Online

Congregating in large settings is a prime way to contract, or spread, the coronavirus. Knowing what you need, and what ingredients your recipe calls for before entering the supermarket can reduce your time exposed to germs. Put everything on your shopping list. This way, you don’t have to stop to browse the Internet on your phone to find what your recipe calls for, furthermore opening a loophole that could expand your shopping list. 

For vegan & plant-based eating: check out Forks Over Knives which has 400+ meals recommended by more than 50 chefs.

For gluten-free, low-carb, and other vegan diets: check out Tasty which provides recipes and personalized recommendations for everyday and holiday eating.

AllRecipes and Supercook can help you search for recipes using the ingredients you already have at home, and Drop can help you find substitutes for ingredients stores have out of stock.

Safety Precautions To Take In The Supermarket:

First, continue practicing physical and social distancing. This means stay 6-feet apart (approximately two shopping cart lengths) from fellow shoppers), and wearing masks or another facial cover when in close proximity with others.

Outside of this, you should:

• Avoid peak shopping times
• Put your phone away to avoid spreading germs
• Use wipes to open refrigerator doors
• Use wipes to sanitize your grocery basket
• Ask a friend or family member to shop for you if you lie within a vulnerable group.

With more students and parents at home than ever, the aforementioned precautions are extremely important to consider. Check out the infographic below. It provides far more in-depth information than what’s in this article. Every day we’re closer to defeating the pandemic. Doing your part will help you, and those around you, stay protected. Here’s how you can practice healthy eating under quarantine.