Americansand people across the worldare dealing with a new normal.
What does healthy eating mean to us now and how are we feeding ourselves and our families?
Food is always essentialit always has been and it always will be.
Meredith Digital Design
We can survive for a few weeks, at most, without it.
But it somehow feels extra essential right now, in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
Even in places with the strictest lockdown measures, grocery stores remained open.
But food does more than keep us alive.
Up until a few weeks ago, it was something that brought us together.
We shared birthday cakes and hosted dinner parties.
We had brunch and lunch out on the town with friends and family.
We tried new restaurants for date nights.
Now, those food memories may feel like a distant dream.
COVID-19 has changed the way most of us live.
We’re spending more time at home, and in our kitchens.
What are we all making?
The cooking and baking trends we’ve seen range from simple meal ideas to time-consuming baking projects.
People are looking to turn affordable pantry staples into delicious, healthy meals.
How have we been feeding ourselves?
And yet, food is in the spotlight like never before.
As most of us stay home, we’ve turned to baking banana bread, sourdough and pancakes.
With most restaurants closed (or only open for takeout), we’ve all been cooking more.
But even for the most experienced home cooks, there have been plenty of challenges.
The grocery store has become a place of anxiety for many of us, employees included.
Where can you track down meat?
Or the ever-elusive roll of toilet paper?
How do you shop for your household for two weeks and ensure there’s enough to eat?
How do you get through the food you bought without letting it go bad?
(Hint: the freezer, hearty produce and canned goods are your friends.)
Will the food you bring home make you sick?
(Answer: highly unlikely.)
How do you make an online grocery order?
Arecent pollfound that 50% of Americans have been personally economically impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Food in the news
The news can feel overwhelming.
Millions of people have lost their jobs in the United States.
There’s been a surge in demand at food banks as food insecurity rises.
Many people planned to spend their government stimulus checks on food.
There are kids out of school who rely on school meals to get fed.
Restaurants have closed their doors and many are unsure if they’ll be able to ever reopen.
It all feels so heavy.
But it’s not all bad news.
Should we be worried about food shortages?
But, the food supply chain is not completely immune to COVID-19.
What can you do now, if you’re in a place where you could help?
Our food system is far from perfect, pandemic or not.
What can you do now, if you’re in a place where you’re free to help?
Support local farms by shopping locally or signing up for a CSA.
Donate to organizations making a difference now, likeFeeding AmericaandWorld Central Kitchen.
Learn more about where your food comes from.
Moving forward
We’re all dealing with a new normal.
Nutrition may take a bit of a back seat in a global pandemic.
Nutrition is important but, along with everything else, it probably looks different right now.
Fewer people are following specific diets.
We’re eating comfort foods and drinking quarantine cocktails.
We’re adjusting to fewer salads and more frozen and canned vegetables.
That’s not to say people don’t care about the foods they eat and staying healthy.
It’s less about restriction and more about self-care.
As the country makes plans to open back up, I’m hopeful.
We’re all in this together, figuring it out.
It won’t be tuna fish sandwiches at home and anxiety-ridden trips to the grocery store forever, though.
One day, we’ll be sharing meals together againin personand appreciating that gift like never before.
