As people continuously worry about the COVID-19 pandemic, more people in Australia are shopping for foods in bulk, stockpiling their pantries with food for fewer grocery trips. During such a situation, perhaps you’re wondering what food items you can stock for longer that do not compromise the family’s nutrition.
To help with your next trip to the grocery, below are the recommended food items you can check out in grocery catalogues and stockpile at home that are healthy for everyone to eat.
- Oatmeal
Oats are nutritious food staples. They are rich in iron and other nutrients and are quick to prepare. Go for minimally sweetened or unflavoured variants for a healthier choice. For a healthy morning meal, serve oatmeal with milk and topped with your choice of dried fruits.
- Trail Mix
Nuts in trail mix are a good source of healthy and unsaturated fats. Depending on the type of nuts, they contain varying amounts of selenium and vitamin E, which are essential for a robust immune system. For a sweet and healthy treat, pick mixes that contain dried fruits instead of candies.
- Canned Fruits
Canned fruits are tasty and last longer than their fresh alternatives. Most of these products are high in sugar, which provides more calories than nutrition. Make sure to choose the no-sugar or unsweetened variants for maximum nutritional value.
- Poultry, Meat and Fish
Check out grocery catalogues for frozen poultry, meat and fish. Your local grocery shop should offer a wide range of frozen meats to choose from. For quality and safety, keep them frozen until needed to be consumed. Keeping the meats out of the freezer will only last them one to two days.
- Pasta
Pasta is a crowd favourite. Although children prefer the taste of white pasta, whole grains are more nutritious as they are high in fibre. If you have picky eaters, try mixing half white and half whole grain pasta to incorporate more fibre in their diet.
- Frozen Veggies
Vegetables are important in keeping a healthy diet. Diets that are high in veggies have lower risks of chronic diseases, like diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. When grocery shopping, look for frozen veggies without added flavourings and sauces, which can be high in saturated fat and sodium.
- Electrolyte Beverages
Stocking bottled water isn’t necessary if you have a guaranteed drinkable water source. However, storing a few bottles of electrolyte beverages would be smart if someone gets diarrhea, fever or vomiting, which can lead to dehydration. Some electrolyte beverages you can stock up are sports drinks and powdered electrolyte drinks. You can also make your own electrolyte drink at home using coconut water, salt and honey.
- Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is sweet, nutritious and filling. Make peanut butter and jelly with 100% whole wheat bread or peanut butter on whole-grain crackers for a filling treat for the kids. When shopping, look for 100% peanut in the ingredients. Skip those with added vegetable oils and added sugar as much as possible. A lockdown during a pandemic can be frustrating for everybody. Make the experience less daunting by ticking one concern off your list—stocking up healthy food. To help with easier and faster grocery shopping, download grocery shop catalogues so you can list down in advance food items you can look for in shops.
