Grocery Shopping and Cooking During Covid-19
There are times when you need a strategic approach to grocery shopping that differs from your regular supermarket visits. This could happen before an impending stretch of inclement weather, or when preparing to stay home for a long period time such as when you have a newborn baby, or if you are under quarantine during an outbreak of illness. Items available at the store you visit will depend on what part of the country you live in, and when you decide to venture out to the store. While there are many unknowns during times like these, having some basics stocked at home can lessen the panic and make you feel more secure with your food situation at home.
1. Focus on items with a long shelf life.
Utilize freezer space for items that can be frozen and kept from expiring, as well as the pantry shelves for canned and dry goods. Here is a list broken down by food group.
Pantry
Grains: Rice, Pasta, Quinoa, Oats or oatmeal packets, Bread or pancake mix and flour for baking, Whole Grain Cereal, etc.
Protein: Canned beans, Canned tuna, Canned salmon, Canned chicken, Nuts, Nut Butter, Seeds, Dried lentils or beans, Chicken bone broth, etc.
Dairy/Non-Dairy Alternatives: Shelf-stable milk boxes, Canned Coconut milk, light, etc.
Fruit: Dried fruit, Applesauce, Canned fruit in 100% juice, etc.
Vegetables: Canned/jarred vegetables (like mushrooms, green beans, corn, carrots, hearts of palm, and artichoke), Jarred Tomato sauce, Vegetable broth, Canned tomato and vegetable soups, etc.
Freezer
Grains: Frozen precooked rice or quinoa, Frozen pasta like cavatelli, tortellini and ravioli, Frozen waffles and pancakes, whole grain Frozen Dinner rolls, Note: Bread products bought fresh can be frozen!
Protein: Animal Proteins like chicken breast, turkey burgers, and salmon filets, Frozen Veggie or Black Bean Burgers, Frozen ground turkey or chicken Frozen shrimp, etc.
Dairy/Non-Dairy Alternatives: Shredded Cheese, Yogurt Tubs, Cottage Cheese, etc.
Fruit: Frozen Fruit, Fresh Fruit frozen once home, etc.
Vegetables: Frozen vegetables, Frozen beans, Frozen vegetable pasta, etc.
2. Think outside the box for alternatives when stock is empty.
If you live in cold-weather areas, you may notice the night before a big snowstorm, all the bread and milk is gone. People tend to rush to the store to stock up on the SAME exact thing at the same exact time. So, if this happens to you, think outside the box!
No fresh bread? Pick up frozen dinner rolls, a box of bread mix, wraps, or English muffins instead.
No milk in the dairy section? Check the juice box aisle for boxed milks – both dairy and non-dairy. Consider trying a new kind, like soy milk, if your go-to to cow’s milk jug is sold out.
No frozen fruit left? Head back over to the produce section to pick up what you can and freeze in storage bags once you get home to extend shelf-life. You can also pick up jarred or canned fruit in water or 100% fruit juice.
Frozen vegetables sold out? Freeze what you can from fresh versions and grab some canned vegetables as well. Consider trying some spiralized zucchini, carrot or butternut squash if your usual frozen vegetable medley is out of stock. Add mashed cauliflower to potatoes or riced broccoli to a rice and shrimp stir fry.
3. When it comes to fresh items, purchase what has the longest shelf life.
Not all fresh foods are created equal for shelf-life! Here’s what will last the longest from the perimeter of the grocery store.
Produce: Potatoes, oranges, apples, grapefruit, green bananas, cauliflower head, ice burg lettuce, carrots, turnips, and beets.
Dairy: Milks with opaque packaging that does not let light shine through (as opposed to clear glass or plastic containers). Eggs have a 5-week shelf life when temperature controlled. Make sure to keep dairy on the shelves of your refrigerator rather than the door as to prevent temperature abuse each time the door opens. Semi-hard cheese chunks, like Swiss and cheddar, will last up to 2 months (instead of slices which last 1 month). Note: You can freeze cheese too!
Seafood and Meat Department: When buying raw, ask the associate at the counter to cut your bulk purchase up into single 3-4 oz portions that you can freeze individually at home and then defrost portion-by-portion on an as-needed basis.
4. Don’t forget condiments!
In order to keep some variety in your dishes while eating from your rotation of the same or similar foods, remember to spice it up with different flavor profiles! Pick up dried herbs, spices and salt-free seasoning blends, as well as extracts, vinegars, and oils (olive, canola, coconut, etc.).
5. Putting it all together.
Feeling stumped when it comes to putting meals together? Start with the basic blueprint. A balanced meal should generally include 1 serving from 3-4 different food groups. Decide on flavors and themes of meals by using what you have and also considering what you’re in the mood for (it needs to fulfill and satisfy you, as well as nourish you). Here are some examples from the items listed above.
Breakfasts
½ cup oats cooked in 8oz soymilk with ¼ cup raisins, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp vanilla extract, + 10 walnuts.
Egg sandwich with 1 scrambled egg + 1 oz reduced fat cheddar cheese on a whole grain English muffin.
1 frozen waffle with 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 low fat milk box + 1 applesauce.
Lunches
2 Rice cakes with 3 oz tuna mixed in 1 tbsp olive oil sprinkled with dill, black pepper and lemon juice with a sided of 1 cup baby carrots and 1 orange.
Rice bowl with ½ cup brown rice, 2/3 cup black beans, ¼ cup reduced fat shredded cheddar, 1 cup frozen riced broccoli topped with 4 tbsp salsa.
2 slices whole grain bread + 1.5 oz Swiss cheese for grilled cheese sandwich with a side of tomato soup.
Snacks
1 apple + 1.5 Tbsp peanut butter
1 cup whole grain O’s cereal in 8oz low fat or soymilk
12 walnuts + ¼ cup raisins for homemade trail mix
Dinners
¾ cup angel hair pasta + 1 cup frozen spiralized butternut squash + ½ cup tomato sauce + 3/4 cup ground turkey meat
Soup made from chicken broth, canned chicken chunks, egg noodles, canned carrots and frozen spinach, herbs and spices
Stir fry using 2/3 cup brown rice, 1.5 total from frozen peas, diced carrots, chopped onion, frozen riced cauliflower and canned water chestnuts, ½ cup frozen edamame and 1 egg cooked in 1 tbsp oil and 1.5 tbsp low sodium soy sauce, seasoned with garlic powder and ginger
3 oz shredded chicken breast mixed with 1/2 cup black beans, 1/2 cup brown rice, 1/2 cup corn, 1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes, 4 tbsp salsa and 1 tsp chili powder
