Covid-19 Rescue: How to Shop and Eat Healthy While Stuck in Your House

The Frozen Section

One thing about frozen fruits and vegetables. Frozen produce is NOT less fresh; in fact, these fruits are frozen at peak ripeness. You just have to make sure the veggies weren’t frozen in a sauce, and the fruits weren’t frozen in sugar. Adding frozen berries to a smoothie is a no-brainer, and a vegetable medley to an entree makes for a full dinner. As for the main course of that dinner, look for frozen seafood options like shrimp, tilapia or cod (all of which keep well in the freezer and cost less), salmon burgers or fake meat with low sodium levels (I’m a fan of gardein). If you’re looking for real meat, head to a deli and pick up a couple pounds of cold cuts. They’ll retain taste when frozen up to two months. That’s a good bet for lunch each day.

It’s A Nutty Time

Chef Dan Churchill reported his primary snack recommendations were of the nut variety. He pointed to almonds, cashews and raw walnuts as a mainstay, and suggested keeping a jar of peanut butter around town with a spoon close.  “Nuts are definitely your best friend. Every morning, I pour about 75 almonds into a bowl and slowly eat my way to the bottom. It takes an entire swig of my water bottle to finish, but it’s a quick 20 grams of protein, 75 percent of my daily fiber and loaded with good, honest fats that should help lower my risk of heart disease a few decades from now. That sort of routine also just suppresses your hunger. Try eating a bag of Doritos when you’ve just downed a bowl of almonds. Good luck.”

Crazy is Better Than OK

You’re going to go a little crazy. That’s okay. Channel it into your food preparation and consumption in a constructive way. Empty out your pantry and wrangle dishes together with whatever you’ve got left.  This is the time to try out recipes and learn a little bit about yourself. Cooking is a form of mindfulness, and we all could use a distraction right about now.

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