There are a lot of challenges that a family in quarantine has to face and the issue of proper nutrition is definitely one of them. In theory, when it comes to your meal-preparation habits, not much should have changed. Still, due to the situation being what it is, there are a lot of challenges that weren’t there before. Also, due to numerous health concerns, it is more important than ever for your family to stay well-fed and for their immune system to have all it needs. Overall, here are the top five essential nutrition tips that every family in quarantine needs to hear.
5 Essential Nutrition Tips for a Family in Quarantine
1. Watch out for the caloric intake
The first thing worth mentioning is the fact that the majority of people will drastically reduce their daily activity. Even the most active of people will now be forced to adopt a more sedentary lifestyle, which means that you will burn fewer calories per day. This also means that even with the same diet, you and your family might start putting on some weight. The simplest way to handle this is to try making a tad smaller portions. Another reason why this rationing is important is due to the fact that a lot of people turn to comfort food in moments of crisis or even start binge eating out of boredom.
2. Meal-planning is crucial
Another thing you need to dedicate yourself to is the meal-planning. By purchasing long-lasting produces and planning meals carefully, you will be able to reduce the frequency of your shopping trips. In the moment of the global pandemic, this can truly be a game-changer. With every run to the grocery store, you’re increasing the chance of getting infected. With a careful plan, you can get this under control.
3. Macronutrients
The key thing is that you provide your family with all the necessary nutrients (both macro and micro). The greatest challenge, for the majority of households in isolation, is the fact that meat is their key source of protein. When it comes to carbs, oatmeal is pretty long-lasting (same as potatoes) and bread is something that you can bake quite easily. As for the sources of fat, olive oil, avocado, dark chocolate and fatty fish should be your food of choice.
4. Micronutrients
Other than macronutrients (which everyone is obsessed with), a lot of people downplay the significance of micronutrients in a regular diet. Boron, zinc, magnesium, iron, copper, chlorine and other nutrient elements can be found in natural foods and are essential for your health. Other than this, it’s crucial that you pay attention to your vitamin intake. Keep in mind that you get the majority of your vitamin D from sun exposure. Needless to say, this is something that can become a lot scarcer in isolation. Vitamins A, B, and C (and their variations) are always on your priority list.
5. Home-cooked meals
It goes without saying that home-cooked meals tend to be a lot healthier than fast food. Fortunately, now that you’re confined to your own home, the number of opportunities for impulse purchase of fast food will be drastically returned. Still, just because food is home-cooked, this doesn’t make it healthy. So, when looking for new recipes online, make sure to study all the nutrients that go into these meals. You can also search for healthier alternatives to various foods in order to improve the nutrition habits of your family.
In conclusion
As you can see, there are both specific and general nutrition tips that you need to follow. Some of them are related to nutrition, others are more preoccupied with your lifestyle (frequency of shop visits), while there are also those that heavily rely on pragmatism. Seeing as how your family also has their own peculiar taste (not to mention that some of these people have specific allergies), you may have to adjust a bit further. Nonetheless, knowing where to start can be of immense help.
Patrick Adams is a freelance writer and rock-blues fan. When he is not writing about home improvement, he loves to play chess, watch basketball, and play his guitar. More than anything, he loves to spend his time in his garage, repairing appliances and creating stuff from wood.
