Stay at Home!

Hello Friends! I hope you are well and staying safe from the Coronavirus! It is interesting how life has changed in a matter of weeks. Changes from the way we work to the way we shop and the order to “Stay Home” are things we would never imagine could happen. But since it is happening, we can all do our part to take care of each other and stay home. Socially isolating is the new normal right now.

While some people are going stir crazy during the “Stay at Home” order, others are getting creative with their time at home. My family meets virtually each night to do yoga and meditation and recently started playing board games and cards on line. We had a birthday party on line this week. I will say the cake wasn’t as tasty (because we didn’t get any)! A nutrition class that I teach has gone virtual. It impresses me how many people are using virtual chats and videos to stay connected. I’m finding that my patients are happy to chat when I reach out to do nutrition coaching through Telehealth. They are feeling isolated.

Some things we can do during this time to help others and to manage anxiety:

Reach out to family or friends that are living alone.

A simple phone call to see if they need groceries or meds delivered to their door. Some hospitals and pharmacies are providing home delivery of medications. Check with your primary care provider to see if this is an option. Grocery stores have delivery options and curb-side pick-up. If you are able to get to the store, make sure to ask a neighbor or family member if you can deliver something to them as well.

Clean out closets, drawers and pantries to donate.

Most donation centers might be closed throughout the Stay Home order so set them aside to be ready when they reopen!

Put the kids to work in the kitchen to help create family meals.

Have family craft or game night or build a puzzle together. This is a good time to read those books on your bucket list!

Create a Waste-Free Kitchen.

• Use up greens like kale, spinach or beet greens by sautéing or steaming them before they wilt. Already wilted greens will revive in a 5-10 minute ice water bath.
• Soft apples or pears — chop them and heat in a pot of water to make apple or pear sauce.
• Use leftover herbs in salads or sandwiches, to garnish soups or make pesto.
• Leftover grains (with similar cooking times), can be mixed together for a fun side dish.
• End of week, clean out fridge and make a veggie stir-fry.
• Keep a container in the freezer for scraps of carrots, onions, celery, herbs, garlic to create a stock. (need a recipe: nutritionaction.com/stock)

Storage Tips:

• Disinfect your fridge regularly to reduce food spoilage from invisible mold spores.
• Create an “eat first” area in your fridge for leftovers and store in clear containers to see them.
• Store fresh herbs in a glass of water.
• Store mushrooms in a paper bag in the fridge.
• Separate apples and bananas from other fruits as they can speed up ripening.
• Keep oils that you use infrequently (sesame or walnut) in the fridge. All other oils should be stored in a cool, dark
  place in pantry.
• Remember that most “best by” dates refer to a food’s quality, not safety.
• Never purchase items that have an expired “sell by” date.

For more tips to create a healthy fridge, go to savethefood.com/storage.

My hope for you is that you will use some of these ideas to keep busy during the “Stay at Home”
time and that you and your family will be well!

Sherry Jenko, NDTR, Group Lifestyle Balance Coach