You might be feeling a little overwhelmed by the latest information on coronavirus. You may be wondering what to do about it, other than wiping down surfaces with sanitizing wipes and washing our hands. As a preventive measure against COVID-19, which has infected more than 3000 people in India, health experts said that to avoid any risk of infection, people should refrain from eating outside food and prepare your food at home.
Here are the best tips on how to shop for food and prepare your kitchen during this time of self-quarantine.
Stock a Week’s Supply of Food
The key with a contagious illness like coronavirus is to try to avoid enclosed public spaces with lots of people like grocery stores or malls. Supermarkets are places where you will come into contact with people and surfaces touched by lots more people, so it’s best to stay away from big stores. Buy from small stores with few customers while maintaining 1-meter distance.
Buy Non-perishable Pantry Staples
It’s always good to store food that your family will eat, but you also want to try to avoid foods that will make you thirsty. Stick to high energy, nutritious no-perishable foods like protein bars, peanut butter, canned goods, and your favorite comfort foods, like frozen chicken nuggets and sausages. For vegetarians, you can prepare sprouts by soaking peas and lentils. You can stock up dry grains like rice, atta, and lentils that can last a week. These food products do not need refrigeration, are easy to cook, cheap and can help you prepare tasty dishes.
Don’t Neglect Breakfast
It’s good to have oats or cereal for breakfast. Consider buying big bags of breakfast supplies with some nutritional value. You can make your breakfast more nutritious by adding dried fruits or toasted nuts.
Keep Some Pantry Proteins
Anything with some protein in it is good to have in the pantry. Eggs are a good choice as they are a good source of protein. You can use them for baking, stir-fries, hard-boiled and also mix them up with veggies to enhance the taste. If you have a large freezer to store frozen food, you can certainly stock up frozen meat, which might come in handy if you run out of protein diet. It is also good to have dry meat, frozen nuggets and canned fish to recharge your protein.
Pick the Right Fruits and Vegetables
Most fresh fruits last for about a week but apples, avocados, and bananas can last much longer if kept in a freezer. You can also buy bags of frozen vegetables as a good substitute for fresh vegetables. Starchy vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes will last much longer than green vegetables.
Baby Necessities
If you are not a nursing parent, be sure to have an adequate supply of baby necessities. Don’t forget diapers, tissues, and medications so you can treat routine child illnesses during self-quarantine. You can also store non-perishable pasteurized milk, which is good for both toddlers and older kids. If you usually make your baby food from fresh fruits and vegetables, it’s a good idea to switch to pouches or glass jars, at least during the lockdown.
Don’t Forget Quick Snacks
If you or your kids have a favorite snack, whether it’s potato chips, popcorn or bhujia, buy them in good supply. Keep it relatively healthy since staying inside means a lack of physical exercise. You can keep bread for toast, and some crackers too.
Pick up Your Favorite Sick-day Foods
In case you are sick, whether it’s COVID-19 or not, be sure to pick up vegetables or chicken broth. The best sickbed foods are those that are high energy and hydrating so stock up on the chicken-broth packets and veggies which are easy to store and easy to prepare.
Stock up on All the Other Necessities
In addition to food, consider stocking up on any prescription medicines, as well as household basics like toilet paper, laundry detergent, dishwasher soap, pet food, hand soap, shampoo, over-the-counter pain relievers, cold medicines, and sanitary napkins.
You can also add Ecoware biodegradable tableware in your list of necessities as using plastic utensils and plates is not a good idea during the coronavirus outbreak. Eco-friendly disposable plates, biodegradable paper bowls, disposable wooden spoons, eco-friendly disposable cups are some of the Ecoware products that you must have in your storeroom. By using these products, you can prevent some level of contamination in your kitchen. For more information on biodegradable disposable tableware, visit ecoware.in.
