NCH is part of Endeavor Health
Learn moreMarch 27, 2020
The recent unprecedented school, work and restaurant dining closures, as well as (temporary) grocery item shortages have left many people on edge. With all that is going on, planning and eating nutritious meals and snacks right now may seem daunting. We want to encourage you to take a deep breath and know that you can eat healthy, even with the frozen, canned and shelf-stable items you now have on hand.
First, for meal planning, consider balance: Make half your plate vegetables and/or fruit, ¼ of your plate a protein food and the other ¼ of your plate a whole-grain starchy food. For more help with balanced meal planning, download the Start Simple with MyPlate app. Learn more here.
General tips: Buy a variety of fresh, frozen and canned goods. Whether you are shopping online and having it delivered, or making a trip to the grocery store, try to choose items with little or no added salt and sugar. See guidelines for foods below.
Healthier pantry items to consider
Shop for these items:
Healthier fridge and freezer items to consider
* You can also buy shelf-stable (aseptic) milk on shelves. UHT (ultra-high temperature) milk is made shelf-stable (refrigeration not required for storage) by pasteurizing it at a higher temperature. Once shelf-stable milk is opened, it should be refrigerated.
Don’t regularly cook?
Consider some of these meal plan ideas:
For breakfast, pair low sugar yogurt with fresh fruit; add a whole grain English muffin. Or, have oatmeal, topped with frozen (thawed) blueberries and a sprinkle of walnuts. Serve with low-fat dairy or plant-based milk to provide some calcium.
For lunch, start with a sandwich made with whole-grain bread or wrap and lean meat, egg or tuna salad or nut butter; pair with low-salt vegetable soup. Serve with carrot/celery sticks and a piece of fresh fruit or serving of no added sugar applesauce or canned fruit.
For dinner, start with a serving of rotisserie chicken from your grocer or a reduced salt, lower fat frozen (microwaved or oven-heated) meal; add a side salad (made with pre-made bagged salad) or an additional frozen microwaved vegetable. Enjoy another fruit serving for dessert.
Plain popcorn, string cheese, edamame, raw veggies with hummus, a handful of unsalted nuts with dried fruit or fruit with nut butter are some healthy snack ideas.
If you cook for your family
Make soup. Soup is a wonderful opportunity to combine vegetables (fresh, frozen or canned) with protein (beans, poultry, meat or fish) to make a nearly complete meal that is freezable.
Use your slow cooker or instant pot to make some simple recipes or check out some one-pot ideas here.
Rosemary Weaver, MPH, RDN, LDN, Clinical Dietitian at the NCH Wellness Center