What to Buy at the Grocery Store During a Pandemic

Lets face it, we all struggle to eat healthy and nutritious foods sometimes but even more so now that we are going through a pandemic! There is a scarcity of food so we buy what is available at the grocery store even though some of the choices may not be the healthiest. And many of us have been emotionally eating to deal with what is going on.

While all of this is okay, there are many things to buy at the grocery store in order to create healthy meals while being stuck at home! I’m sure daily routines are off and grocery store trips have been limited to minimize exposure. Choosing shelf-stable foods like canned goods, pasta, rice, and legumes while utilizing your freezer and storing meat, bread, frozen fruits and vegetables are great food sources to ensure you have the availability to create nutritious meal choices!

It’s important to eat healthy but it is also important to think of others and not over stock on all food items. Other people need to eat too, so be mindful when buying food!

These items will last you a while, so just buy what you need.

Beans and legumes: These are a great source of plant protein and are a versatile food product. You can add them to almost any meal, make bean burgers, or use chickpeas to make hummus.

Nut butters: These are a great source of healthy fats and protein and can be paired with many foods such as apples, bananas, PB sandwich, celery, and crackers. Although all natural can be a bit more pricey, I high suggest investing the few extra bucks to get all natural peanut butter! Teddy’s is my favorite!

Canned fish: To be honest I have only ever had canned tuna and it is my favorite! Canned fish is so convenient and easy to whip up if you’re on a time crunch. Canned fish is also high in Omega-3 fatty acids which makes this canned food heart healthy.

Whole wheat pastas, brown rice, and quinoa: These are the grains you want to stock up on! They are nutrient rich and offer many benefits to your overall health. They can be added to any meal as a side dish or mixed in a main dish.

High fiber cereal and steel cut oats: These are a quick and high fiber meal! Kellogs Special K is a great high fiber cereal. And I love making over night oats.

Frozen fruits and vegetables: Not only will you find that frozen fruits and vegetables are on the cheaper side than fresh, but these are super handy to have in the freezer! They’re great for when wanting to make a smoothie or if you want to quickly saute up some vegetables for dinner. The best part? They last much, much longer than fresh fruits and vegetables!

Meats: Meat is great to keep in the freezer, but make sure to thaw it out the night before you want to use it!!

Oils: These healthy fats are shelf-stable and are great to have in your kitchen for when you cook!

Dried fruit, dark chocolate, and popcorn: Dried fruit is high in sugar, but its a good snack! I love mixing dark chocolate chips and freshly popped popcorn as a snack. This really curbs my cravings. Dark chocolate also has many health benefits (if you eat it in moderation).

Water, stable-shelf milk, and coffee: You need water to survive so no explanation needed there, coffee is needed to be kept sane, and the calcium and vitamin D rich milk will come in handy for cereal, or when you are cooking other meals!

There are so many creative, easy, and fun meals you can make! When making meals with these staple foods, make sure the meal contains all three macronutrients in order to have a whole nutrient dense dish!

Much Love,

Alex