Healthy Eating During a Quarantine

Tips for Meal Planning and Shopping

Meal prep for the week and freeze any leftovers. Make a list of your favorite recipes that freeze well, like chili, soup and casseroles.
Make a plan for grocery shopping. Take inventory of your pantry before shopping. Use apps/websites like supercook.com that will suggest recipes based on items already in your fridge and pantry. Only buy what you need.
Prioritize eating fresh foods first. The first week after grocery shopping, plan meals that use fresh produce before it goes bad.
Buy canned. Canned vegetables, beans, chicken and salmon are great sources. Watch out for sodium in your canned foods. Rinse canned food before eating.
Buy frozen. Frozen veggies have the same nutrient content as fresh – sometimes even more because they are frozen within hours of picking.

Don’t ignore your cravings. Don’t completely restrict yourself! Feel free to enjoy sweets, but don’t overindulge.
Watch your portion sizes. Look at the serving size on the nutrition label for guidance. Pour out your portion into a bowl instead of grabbing the whole bag. One cup of chips is about the size of a fist.
Stick to a schedule. Don’t skip meals.
Eat without distractions. It can be easy to eat mindlessly in front of the TV, in bed or at your desk but try to stick to set eating times in the kitchen or dining room.
Find other coping activities. If you are not physically hungry, try out other coping activities to deal with emotions. For example, some healthy ways to deal with stress are to take a socially distanced walk, do an online workout class or meditation, or video chat a loved one.
Enjoy family meal times. Family meals are an important chance for parents to be role models for healthy eating, to strengthen family relationships and create a sense of belonging.

What vitamins are good for keeping me healthy?: Vitamins A, C and E are all antioxidants

Can help reduce inflammation and boost immunity

May reduce risk of many diseases, including heart disease
Should I be taking a dietary supplement with these vitamins?: If you incorporate a variety of whole foods into your diet, you will have no problem meeting the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) with just your diet – food first!

Talk to your doctor to see if supplementation is necessary

Take recommended doses listed on supplement packages
What foods are high in these vitamins?: Vitamin A: dark green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, carrots, eggs, milk, oils

Vitamin C: oranges, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, broccoli

Vitamin E: nuts, seeds, oils, dark green vegetables, avocado, spinach