I recently wrote a post about some suggestions I had for people who were just starting to quarantine themselves at home. In that post, I mention that you shouldn’t spend a lot of time making food throughout the day, which is why I suggest keeping things simple.
I am by no means a pillar of health and I haven’t studied anything formally other than some books and seeing a few colleagues put into practice what those books preach. But in this post, I want to outline some ideas for your shopping list and food to keep at home while you’re in quarantine. It is very easy to think of this as a vacation from normal life, and it is in some respect, but there’s another way to look at it: this is a time to work on your own stuff. And eating properly will be part of that.
Keep breakfast simple and easy to make. There’s no problem with having a special breakfast once or twice a week, but don’t make this a daily practice. You have other things to do and you don’t want to waste your time not just with a one-time meal, but with the fallout from dishes.
Smoothies. Lots of deep greens and sweeter fruits if you can find. I know supermarkets are getting cleaned out in Canada and throughout North America so you’ll have to make do with what you can. You also don’t need all of the supplies at once. Broccoli, lettuce, carrots, different types of seeds, oils (such as coconut or avacado). Get some nut butter if you can and add that to your smoothies. These will be what you can have first thing in the morning.
Can’t make smoothies? No problem. Get some plain yogurt, add some maple syrup (you can use honey instead), add in oatmeal and a nut mixture (almonds, cranberries, walnuts, cashews) and eat that slowly throughout the morning.
For lunch it’s usually a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Again, I don’t want to make a mess and have to think about cleaning up very much. Try those different jams! Cold cuts are great too, but add some greens (such as lettuce) but careful how much of those packaged meats you have since they are full of preservatives. And with sandwiches you can eat half now and then another half later.
Snacks: fruits and veg. Have carrots, radishes or even bananas, foods that don’t require much prep time. Even cutting up apples can quickly become an ordeal. I’m not saying be lazy about your food prep, but you want to take out some of the thinking involved in managing your schedule throughout the day. DON’T BUY THE SUGARY STUFF!
That being said, don’t forget to get some chocolate (the darker the better but regardless of what you have, have in moderation), milk and oatmeal cookies, and ice cream. Let’s face it, it’s going to suck being cooped up all the time and not having any of the fun stuff will make life even worse. Dispense sparingly! And you people in Canada are very lucky to have access to Cadbury Creme Eggs and Mini Eggs during this time! Limit limit limit!
Don’t forget to nap. Instead of having another coffee in the afternoon, lie down for 20 minutes and take the pressure off of your lower back. You’ll feel your body relax within the first few minutes. Set your alarm clock to make sure you get up. Turn your phone onto airplane mode for this nap because it is important you get uninterrupted rest.
The other food I keep ready is boiled eggs. Hungry an hour after your sandwich? A couple of boiled eggs with salt and pepper and you’ll be good for another hour.
For dinner, I go out two or three times a week because sometimes it’s easier than making something and delivery in Beijing produces more waste. If I stay at home, I have a freezer full of meats and fish that I can throw together with something else very simply, such as cooked carrots and asparagus or eggs. Dinner can be something you want to try to make that maybe you don’t normally have time for. If you do order in, that does mean you are supporting the local economy!
Other simple fixes:
Fish with lemon and pepper. Shrimp with garlic, butter and ginger. Steak and eggs with spices. “Burritoes” with beef, cheese, some cut up vegetables such as celery or sweet peppers and tortilla shells. Tuna and pasta. Not just for single men blogging! Carbs and protein. I add quite a few spices to mine and I’ve starting adding packaged kimchi as well. Stays well for leftovers too.
You don’t need to be a master chef every night. If this thing goes on for a while, you want to be able to have enough simple meals at your ready that you can changed them up without getting bored of them.
Stay hydrated. Get soda water if you want something fizzy. Add lemon if you want to get fancy, but avoid alcohol and sweet drinks as much as you can. The first messes with your mind, the second is unnecessary sugar and chemicals. Be aware that soda water also doesn’t hydrate you as well as regular water so make sure you’re still drinking regular water.
And an honest good luck and lots of support to the parents out there! I know it can come down to survival rather than living with kids at home, so make sure you make some time for yourself too!
Who knows how long this quarantine will last so you want to be able to make these things natural and easy to implement. Eat well, rest, and you’ll be able to be productive and feel energetic throughout your time at home. Good luck!