Eating Well While Stuck At Home

Written by Tara Postnikoff, Hon B. A., RNCP/ROHP, CNP

While the current Covid-19 pandemic is changing many areas of our lives and no doubt increasing our stress levels, it is also providing us many opportunities as well.   Spending time at home can be a struggle, especially with the kitchen and pantry open for business 24 X 7.   Here are 5 tips for eating well while trapped at home.

1. Create a schedule.  We do better with schedule and routine in our lives and if we stick to this, it can set us up for success.  This means a sleeping schedule, an exercise schedule and you got it, an eating schedule.  Write down your meal times and keep this visible so that the kitchen is off limits except for meal time.
2. Stock your fridge and pantry well.  If you have a well stocked fridge and pantry it becomes easy to make healthy, nutritious and tasty meals with ease.  Make a menu plan for the week and then make a shopping list before heading out to do your grocery shop.  If eating and cooking at home is new to you, this might feel like a challenge.  A good example of key nutritious staples are cans of organic beans.  You can create a quick chilli or boost a soup or salad with extra protein and healthy complex fibrous carbs.
3. Prepare a veggie bucket.  Before putting your produce away, take and extra few minutes to wash and chop veggies for easy snacks and use later.  Put them in an air-tight container and then they are there if you need a quick something to munch on or prepping a quick meal.  We often want the easy choice of we are tired and stressed and this allows us to make healthy choices more frequently. These good, nutrient dense options will help support our immune system, our brain and will help us feel better.
4. Stay Hydrated.  There is a good chance you are not hungry but are actually thirsty.  Have a glass of water or cup of tea and then re-evaluate your desire for food. Adequate hydration is key for a healthy body and allows for the transport of nutrients and elimination of waste products.
5. Distract yourself.  If you start to feel peckish and its not time to eat, add some simple quick movement to get you up and out of your chair.  This will help boost your feel good hormones and settle that need to snack.  Try 20-30s of jumping jacks or burpees.

If you have more questions about what to eat or how to meal plan at this time, reach out to our amazing team of nutritionists and naturopaths.  Now is a great time to focus on your overall health and wellness.