What foods to stock up at home for a 14-day quarantine?

As novel coronavirus spreads in India, voluntary or involuntary home quarantines become more common.

Thousands of people across the globe are already living in semi-voluntary home quarantine for over 14-days.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak as a pandemic and reiterated the call for countries to take immediate actions and scale up response to treat, detect and reduce transmission to save people’s lives.

To curb this menace, PM of India Narendra Modi has ordered a ‘Janta Curfew’ today and requested all companies to allow ‘work from home’ for their employees.

In this condition, you don’t have to fill your pantry with salads. There are several ways to eat well even if you are unable to leave your homes for several days.

Here’s a guide on what you need to store during a lockdown situation:

Rather than making complicated recipes, focus on easy-to-prepare dry and canned foods, such as Rice, Pasta, Noodles, Beans, Dals, Pulses and Oats. Remember, during a quarantine phase, staying healthy and nutritious should be the foundation, since your activity is low and you need to improve your immunity.

Don’t forget to stock ready to make food items such as Instant Noodles, Cereals, Muesli, Soups etc for a quick snacking. Also, keep a good stock of ready-to-eat foods for days you don’t feel like cooking such as Vegetable Gravies, Oats, Snacks, Frozen Parathas.

You should also stock up on canned foods that contain liquid, such as Frozen Spinach, Tomatoes, Peas, Corn, Paneer, Beans etc. The excess liquid can be used to cook dried food, such as rice and pasta.

Work from home during self-quarantine phase is quite difficult. So, why not stock up on comfort foods, such as Milk Tetra Packs, Ice-Cream, Chocolate, Coffee and Tea, when the gloominess set in?

If you are a non-vegetarian, stock a good amount of eggs as they are quick fixes to any meal.

Feeding your body essential vitamins and nutrients should be provided by fruits. And in times of quarantines, long-lasting fruits, such as Bananas, Apples, Grapefruit, Oranges, Muskmelons might come to the rescue. If you do not like to consume raw fruits, then try the juicing way.

To stay healthy and fit, buy frozen fruits to make smoothies or topping yogurt and oatmeal.

Keep a stock of long-lasting vegetables, such as Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Peppers, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Yam, Gourds, which, when unwashed and uncut, stay fresh for several days. Carrots (in the refrigerator), Onion and Potatoes last even longer.

Some hard cheeses, like Cheddar and Paneer (cottage cheese), can last more than two weeks as long as you store them properly in a refrigerator.

Stock foods that will strengthen your immune system such as Garlic. Garlic not only gives your meal some extra flavour, it is also one of the best foods for a strong immune system. Besides garlic, you can also have Ginger, Chia Seeds, Kale, Matcha, Parsley, Lemons etc.

Also, don’t forget Popcorn, Chips and Dips as binge watching has become your new best friend.

Lastly, make sure you have hygienic products such as Sanitizers, Antibacterial Soaps in your home quarantine kit.

Regular hand washing is one of the best ways to protect yourself from the pandemic. It is also very important to wash foods/fruits and veggies well before eating or cooking. Also, don’t forget to wash vessels before using. Always remember, prevention is better than cure!

Stay Healthy, Stay Safe!