Grocery Shopping during Coronavirus Outbreak
Shopping tips from a Registered Dietitian
A COVID-19 outbreak could last for weeks in our community. The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful. Getting our household ready will help us to feel a sense of control during this stressful time.
In this blog, I will take you on a grocery shopping journey to get you ready for the coronavirus lockdown.
First, Let’s do some preparation at home.
Picking the right time to do grocery shopping is very important. Try to avoid the weekend shopping if you can. To me, the best time of the day to do shopping during the coronavirus outbreak is early in the morning around 8 am. By this time, a lot of store shelves have been stocked. And I can avoid the crowd of people. This will minimize the potential exposure to coronavirus.
Making a shopping list ahead of time is a very good idea especially during the coronavirus outbreak. Having a shopping list will help you stay focused and limit the time spent in the store. Personally, I make sure that my shopping list includes everything I need for two weeks. So I can reduce the number of trips I need to the grocery store during the coronavirus lockdown.
I put my shopping list on my cell phone for two reasons. First, I won’t forget to bring the shopping list with me when I go to the grocery store. Second, I can use this list, make some changes if necessary, for the next shopping trip.
Organizing the items on the shopping list will help to make your shopping trip quick and easy. On my shopping list, there are six different categories: produce, dried foods, paper and cleaning items, canned foods, meats and fish, and bread and bakery. I put the items on my shopping list in order that matches the grocery store layout. By doing this, I can avoid the need to go back to the same aisle twice. This will help to speed up the shopping trip and will minimize the potential exposure to the coronavirus.
Now, l am ready to do my grocery shopping.
When I go shopping, I usually start with the “produce’’ section. In many grocery stores, fruits and vegetables are displayed in the left side of the front section. And that is where I start my grocery shopping list.
In the “produce” category on my shopping list, I make sure that I purchase some produce that can last two weeks in my refrigerator. Here is my personal list of foods under the “Produce” category: 1 bag of 3 lb. onions, 2 garlic, 3 oz. gingers, 2 lb. carrots, celery, 2 cucumbers, 2 green cabbages, 12 mushroom, green onions, 1 lb. green beans, 2 lb. sweet potato, 1 bag of Roman lettuce, 1 bag of small avocado, 1 Napa cabbage, 1 cabbage, 2 lb. broccoli, 2 turnips, Kale, 6 tomatoes, 3 lb. orange, 3 lbs. Apples, 6 bananas, 1 lb. strawberry, 1 cantaloupe, 1 lb grapes, and 1 papaya.
After putting all the vegetables and fruits that I need for two weeks in my shopping cart, I proceed to the “Dairy and Egg” section. On my shopping list under this section, I have 2 cartons of milk, 1 carton of soy milk, 1 lb. cheese, 1 lb. butter, 1 carton of whole fat plain yogurt, and 2 dozens of eggs.
The next category on my shopping list will be the “dried foods”. I put the following dried food items on my shopping list: 1 lb. almonds, 5 lb. oats, 8 oz. dried banana chips, 1 lb. dried beans, 8 oz. flax seeds, 5 lb. rice, pasta, and 1 box of Cheerios.
The grocery store in my neighborhood put their “paper and cleaning items” aisle next to the “dried food” aisle. So on my shopping list, the “paper and cleaning items” will be my next category. On my list, there are: 6 boxes of tissues, toilet papers, napkins, shampoo, conditioners, soaps, and disinfection items.
I always stock up some “canned foods” at home. It is especially important to have plenty of canned foods at home during the Coronavirus outbreak. I can make quick and healthy meals by using canned beans, tomato, pasta sauces, or canned soup.
“Meats and fish” are usually displayed at the back of the grocery stores. I always use a plastic bag to cover the meats that I purchase to prevent some cross contamination. In addition, I will put meats and fish in one corner of the shopping cart and make sure that they don’t get in contact with other food items in my shopping cart.
The last category on my shopping list is “bread and bakery”. I have one bag of pitta bread and two loaves of bread on my shopping list.
After arriving home from the grocery shopping trip, I will put one loaf of bread on the kitchen counter for the first week consumption. And I will put the other loaf of bread in the freezer. When I am ready to eat the frozen loaf of bread. I can simply defrost frozen sliced bread in a microwave for 15 seconds. Or I will just put frozen sliced bread in my toaster. The bread will come out as good as the fresh ones.
I hope that you have found these grocery shopping tips helpful. You can share your personal tips in the comment section below. Let’s all stay safe and healthy during the coronavirus outbreak!
