The COVID-19 pandemic is yet to end, and although countries continue to take measures to curb the spread, there’s a lot more you need to do as an individual to remain healthy. Among the practices, you need to adopt healthy eating for you and your family. As you continue to stay indoors and observe COVID-19 protocols, seek information on ways to keep you and your family safe. Do the following to enhance maximum health with good nutrition during COVID-19.
Plan your meals
Planning meals seems like a hectic and boring chore, but it is essential for maintaining good health. Most times, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a tendency to over-purchase goods due to panic. Many of the food products end up being unhealthy choices or spoil when they overstay. Planning your meals helps you be more careful with your daily food choices. Use your plan to purchase what you need by checking what you already have in your pantry and foods that can go bad fast.
Prepare homemade meals
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, when you’d experience the daily hassle of commuting to work, school, and back home, there was less time to prepare meals. The go-to option was mainly takeout, which in many cases ended up being unhealthy food choices. Now, when you’re spending more time with family indoors, prepare healthy meals. One of the challenges of being home is the lack of activity, hence a more sedentary lifestyle. Take advantage of information from the internet to experiment with different healthy recipes such as spicy miso ramen for better health.
Handle food with caution
Food safety is a vital prerequisite for healthy eating and food security. As you strive to provide a nutritious diet for your family, ensure you practice safe handling and food hygiene to avoid contamination and disease. Diseases that result from food lower the immune system, putting your family at a greater risk of acquiring the coronavirus. Some of the food hygiene practices you can embrace include:
- Maintain a clean kitchen and utensils.
- Clean your hands thoroughly with running water and soap before handling food.
- Clean the raw food products with safe water.
- Cook food thoroughly.
- Keep raw and cooked meals separate from each other.
Use delivery services
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more advisable to stay indoors. As such, some people may not be able to go grocery shopping, and most local stores no longer allow walk-ins. Although it is best to prioritize homemade meals, you can still use delivery services for particular meals and ingredients. Delivery services may offer a safer option where there are contactless payment methods and practice safe handling of food. However, ensure that you make healthy food choices with less sugar and salt intake and cut down on alcohol and cigarettes.
Bottom line
Healthy eating is a choice you should make daily, especially during moments like this when your immune system is at risk. Make use of the time with your family to prepare healthy, homemade meals together and encourage your kids to eat. Plan meals prior, use delivery services, handle food with caution, and most importantly, enjoy quality family time during meals.