Top 3 Strategies for Eating Well During a Pandemic

Eating well during a pandemic can be a challenge! We are staying home and social distancing, but many are struggling with financial stress, and possibly facing physical illness or mental health issues. However, it is also a time where we’re (finally) slowing down, counting our blessings and putting extra effort into connecting with others in creative ways. During this time, we have to do the best we can with where we are today but we can also take action and plan for tomorrow, especially with eating well.

As a Dietitian, I find during this pandemic, we face both new challenges and new opportunities for eating well or healthy. Today I will break down my Top 3 Strategies for Eating Well During a Pandemic. These can set you up for success now and can be part of a health-promoting lifestyle when this is eventually behind us. Above all, continue taking precautions recommended by the health experts and the government to stay safe.

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Why is Eating Well During a Pandemic Important?

First, let’s be clear. There are no specific foods that will protect us from getting COVID-19. However, eating well remains vital because nutrition impacts our mind, our body and our energy. Therefore, foods can support our immune system, impact our brain chemistry and mood and give us more pep to exercise, play/read or work from home.

Futhermore, eating a well-balanced diet, and getting movement/exercise and enough sleep can help achieve our best health. (This hopefully puts us in better shape if we get sick.)Additionally, eating well is crucial for both prevention and management of health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer and osteoporosis.

Interestingly, wellness contributors – like diet, sleep, stress, exercise also work together. For example, aresearchstudy of almost 46,000 people found “when dietary interventions were combined with exercise, a greater improvement in depressive symptoms was experienced.”Thinking of our wellness from an interrelated perspective allows us to target different areas simultaneously.

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Top 3 Strategies for Eating Well During a Pandemic

1. Stock your Kitchen with Healthy Options:

I don’t want to make this sound overly simplistic, but this is probably the most powerful pandemic strategy for eating well. Stocking your kitchen like a dietitian is a skill and something we coach our clients to do with confidence. When we have healthy foods available, we are more likely to eat these. “In sight, in stomach.” Conversely, when we have less healthy options available (ice-cream, chips, pop) we are of course more likely to eat these. Think of your grocery cart as the most powerful predictor of what you’ll eat.

For a complete list of Top Fridge, Freezer and Pantry Items to stock up, see this link. This way you can purchase with confidence knowing you have ingredients that are versatile and nutritious for making a variety of meals. For more on meals to make using kitchen basics check out my 15-minute meal ideas.

During social distancing and generally, I recommend a weekly grocery run to stock up on fresh ingredients and any freezer, or pantry staples needed for the week ahead. When you have a well-stocked kitchen as part of your routine you can try basic meal planning – click here to read more on how to get started!

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2. Do a Little Prep:

Healthy eating often involves some degree of planning, but even more so to eat well during a pandemic. After all, preparing items in advance helps you execute healthy eating habits with greater ease. For example, spending 20 to 30 minutes veggie prepping on a Sunday can help you consume more as part of a snack or easily add them to meals when cooking. Think stir-fry or sauces, for example, that are made quickly with pre-chopped ingredients.This habit of food or ingredient prepping will come in handy when back into the usual, busy routine and will build some new habits to facilitate healthy eating!

For example, say you want to make a Cobb Salad with Homestyle Ranch for lunch or dinner. If you know this, try pre-cutting veggies and hard-cooking eggs in advance. Prep extras for future meals as well.It’s more efficient to prep for two days of Cobb Salads than just one meal.

To Make Veggie Prepping FUN:

• Play your favourite music and sing along!
• Set a timer to motivate you to see how much you can get done in a designated number of minutes. This works like magic because we tend to over-estimate how long tasks will take.
• Have a phone call with a loved one while cutting veggies (use headset or Bluetooth).
• Involve family in prepping ingredients – cleaning vegetables, shredding cheese or prepping protein.
• Use veggie prep as a brain break from work. This is often what I do and find it fun to get away for a refresh and also to feel productive!

If you’re looking for healthy snacks during this pandemic – click here for our free snack guide or can read on How to Snack Like a Dietitian.

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3. Cook at Home + Make Leftovers

During this pandemic quarentine, many are cooking (and baking) more than usual. Some state this is because they have more time. Additionally, with restaurants offering takeout only, and everyone encouraging us to stay home, it’s an ideal time to prioritize cooking as part of a healthy lifestyle. This is a habit that can improve your diet, especially if you carry this on when back into a usual, busy routine. Another win for cooking is that we consume more veggies, whole grains and fewer calories, salt and saturated fat. Think of it as if you are in the driver’s seat for the foods and ingredients you put in your body. Similarly, research finds higher home-cooked meal consumption associated with better overall dietary quality and lower body fat.

If you’re looking for meal inspiration to eat well during a pandemic, perhaps you have kitchen appliances you want to use more. Whip out that instant pot, crockpot or sous vide. Brainstorm new recipes to try. Set a calendar date to make this. Now’s a great time to prioritize cooking and trying new things. Or perhaps you want to experiment with “Meal Themes” to inspire meal ideas. Click here for my Top 15 Meal Themes. Don’t be embarrassed to cook simply either. If you are able to make a simple grilled cheese or fried egg sandwich with veggie sticks then all the more power to you! That’s a healthier and cheaper option than takeout.

Lastly, when you do cook, MAKE EXTRAS for leftovers! This powerful strategy to cuts down on the amount of time cooking to create a sustainable, healthy lifestyle, especially during a pandemic. Personally, I rely on leftovers for ready-to-go options that I can have in fridge or freezer. Try making enough for one more meal of leftovers and possibly freezer leftovers for times when you’re too tired or busy to cook.

10 Benefits of #QuarantineCooking:

• Improved nutrition versus takeout.
• Perfect time to try new recipes or learn cooking basics.
• Save money cooking versus eating out.
• Get the kids involved to boost their food skills which is a life-long healthy eating skill.
• Use up ingredients in your fridge or freezer to cut down on food waste!
• Practice meal planning and follow-through.
• Prepare freezer meals/leftovers to heat up when you don’t feel like cooking.
• Try meal themes to inspire dinner ideas – Taco Tuesdays, Fish Fridays, Pizza Night which can continue when schedules return!
• Batch bake or batch cook to share with neighbours – add a kind note.
• Make your favourite foods ‘homemade style’ – nachos, mac and cheese, and pulled pork are all delicious, fun-to-make options and are healthier than eating out.

Getting into the habit of cooking more is a wonderful habit and life-skill for both adults and children. Check out YouTube videos, Pinterest, cookbooks or old family favorites. You can also join Dietetic Directions Instagram on Fridays throughout quarantine for “Social Distancing Dinner Parties.” Each week I share a meal theme and community members tag us and I share all your creations as well as mine.

Check out some awesome Social Distancing Dinner Party creations below!

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Extra Pandemic Strategy: Get Moving!

I decided to include pointers on exercise or movement during this pandemic because it’s as vital of a health-promoting strategy as eating well. We need to move our body however we can. We all know being active offers health benefits – specifically, decreased risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, depression, stress and anxiety (Statistics Canada, 2015).

Being active also supports our immunity and helps have fewer sore throats, headaches, fevers, and other ailments. However, only one in five (or 20%) Canadians achieve the recommended 2.5 hours (150 minutes) of physical activity per week. This could be the perfect time to start a routine to meet these recommendations.

Quarantine Actions for Moving More:

1. Choose movement that feels good for your body. For instance, this could mean going for a walk, doing stretches or belly dancing in your living room.
2. Notice how you feel after your movement. Do you feel an increase in energy, boost in your mood? Noticing benefits experienced after movement helps to perpetuate this habit. We are looking to notice the activated “reward centres” in the brain that turn on when we exercise.
3. Plan for sustainability over intensity. Being consistent in your movement is more important than how intense you work out. Be realistic and if you’re new to an exercise routine then start small. We use this as a starting point and continue to build when we are ready. Be consistent and you will have progress. Finally, congratulate yourself along the way!

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Bottom Line:

Eating well during a pandemic is important for our health and our wellness – mind, body, and energy. During this time of social distancing, possible quarantine and various other challenges, do the best you can with where you are today. There are many supportive people in the community and services available (even if they’re remote at the moment). Here at Dietetic Directions, we are are seeing our clients virtually and you can book spots easily online with one of our dietitians.

Think of this pandemic as an opportunity to practice new (or familiar) healthy habits to eat well. Stock your kitchen with healthy options that can be used to make quick and delicious meals. Start a little meal or ingredient prepping for ease of assembling healthy meals. Also, use this time to cook more. It is part of eating well, can be oh-so-delicious and fun! It’s also a skill so keep practicing and be sure to incorporate your favourite foods. Lastly, spend time moving your body in ways that leave you feeling vibrant, strong and well. We are in this together and we can come out stronger, healthier and with an extra focus on tending to our nutrition and wellness! And, go easy on yourself if you indulge in the occasional treat, as long as you are generally eating well during this pandemic.

Now it’s your turn! How are you using this time of social distancing to better your health, nutrition or physical fitness? How have you overcome challenges? Sending you the warmest wishes to stay safe.