There is a plan to get the economy back up and running after the shutdown and get people out after being quarantined. I imagine that most people will be excited and ready to get back to a sense of normalcy. But why is a Dietitian talking about economy and social interactions? Well, I’d like to express a few things that have been learned from this pandemic that can be used without social restrictions.
One, social distancing is a great way to thwart the spread of a communicable illness, be that virus, bacteria or other disease. Grocery stores have recently, as of the past 2 years or so, provided one of the best ways to prevent spread by their online click list features. You select what you need, they shop for it, and you go pick it up at a convenient time for you. As a father of 4, there really is not many better options to reducing pain and anguish that will most assuredly be had by telling my kids they don’t get candy at the checkout counter. What I have found, is that one of the best ways to maximize savings from this feature, is to make a grocery store list as if you were actually going to the store. Making a list will reduce the chance for random clicks of items we don’t actually need and reduce stress of brand or type selections that need to be made. I imagine if you try this feature, you will find its convenience can be justified even when social distancing is less of a factor.
Second, and right on the heels of number one, is that the value of a good game plan cannot be understated. A game plan gives us the best chance for future success in unexpected times. How does this apply to nutrition? Making a game plan can look like a list of staples to have in the pantry, a calendar with meals for the week or month on it, or even the shopping list as above. As we have seen the grocery stores can run out of items and a well-stocked pantry can alleviate a lot of problems. My pantry is never without items to create a chicken and rice casserole or at the very least, beans and cornbread. Each of these dishes can be scaled up or down accordingly and can be used for multiple days of meals. So, in the event that the grocery stores run out of meat for hamburgers or milk and eggs, I always have pantry items to make a meal on the fly.
I think finally, and most surely not the least of all, we have found the importance of good, quality interactions. We have been quarantined, and if we have been following the rules, we have not been around our friends and family aside from those in immediate household. I know I missed my grandfather’s 96th birthday. God willing, 96 more after this year. Take the time to realize who you miss and why you miss them. Take the time to identify those who are enhancing your life and your path forward, like a Dietitian who laughs and smiles with you as you make progress towards your wellness goals. And when it’s all said and done and we can get back to them, don’t leave their presence again without making it absolutely clear how important they are to you. It’s been tough and it will be tough going forward, but adversity reveals strength and character.
Be good to yourself and be good to others!