The current coronavirus pandemic has changed many aspects of daily life, including grocery shopping. With shelter in place and quarantine orders, having a well-stocked kitchen is a priority, especially for those aiming to maintain healthy, fit lifestyles.
Grocery shopping is now a completely different experience than just a few weeks ago. Trips to the supermarket should be infrequent and brief, and you are likely not going to find exactly what you went in for due to panicked shoppers looting shelves. Instead of panicking, have a plan to get yourself in, out and able to maintain mostly normal eating.
Focus on grabbing ingredients that are nutrient rich, not extremely perishable and can be used in a variety of ways.
Dry Legumes
They may take a little longer to cook, but it's worth having these in your pantry. Beans and lentils are an excellent source of iron, protein and fiber, and can be utilized in place of more perishable proteins in just about any meal.Fresh Root Vegetables
Fresh ingredients are tough to stock up on, but that doesn't mean they're off limits. Swap the bin of salad greens that wilts after two days for a haul of carrots, beets, potatoes and squash. These roots have a long shelf life and can even be stored outside of the refrigerator in a dark, cool spot.Cruciferous Vegetables
Luckily, super nutritious vegetables such as kale, cabbage, radishes, cauliflower and broccoli stay fresh longer than other options, are low in calories and are high in fiber, folate and vitamin C.Shelf Stable Milks
Many milks have long use-by dates, long enough to get you through a 2-week quarantine, but if you will feel more secure having an even longer term option, grab an ultra-pasteurized carton of milk (you can find animal and plant based options) from the non-refrigerated section.Herbs and Spices
Time to go through your spice rack and give it an update. This is an ideal time to try new blends (Furikake? Nutritional yeast? Turmeric? Garam Masala?) to give your meals much needed flavor.Skip the Junk
A little comfort food and the occasional treat is never a problem, but taking a 14-day (or longer) quarantine to binge on chips, ice cream and delivery food is not going to prep your body for a potential infection nor will it keep you in a positive mental or physical state during this stressful time.Complete List:
- Nut/seed butters
- Dried fruit
- Protein and granola bars
- Rice
- Quinoa
- Canned tomatoes
- Canned tuna and salmon
- Meal pouches
- Bone broth cartons
- Olive and coconut oils
- Vinegars
- Frozen vegetables
- Frozen fish
- Popcorn
- Coffee
- Jarred pesto
-
Mustard
- Frozen fruit
- Whole grain cereal
- Oatmeal
- Protein powder
- Dried soup mixes
- Dark chocolate
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