5 Food & Nutrition Tips During Self-Quarantine
It can be hard to maintain a good balance of nutrition during a pandemic, especially one that requires you to stay at home most of the time. Still, a nutritious and healthy diet should be a priority in the effort to keep your immune on-guard. Additionally, you must also stay hydrated, be physically active, rest well and keep stress at bay. While you strive for that, take a look at our 5 food and nutrition tips during self- quarantine :
1. Keep it Balance
Pandemic or not, the rule still applies. Eating a well-balanced diet, with plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, protein from plants and animals, as well as healthy fats, remains as the most recommended way to get all the essential nutrients we need for good health and strong immune function.
You may also supplement it with vitamins as necessary, especially folic acid supplement for pregnant mothers. Do keep in mind that you are advised to consult with your doctor before supplementing with additional vitamin intake. In general, it’s better to focus on eating varied food groups and other nutrient-rich food.
2. Prioritize Fresh Products
Use fresh ingredients and those that have a shorter shelf life first. If fresh products, 
especially fruits, vegetables and reduced-fat dairy products continue to be available, prioritize these over non-perishables. Frozen fruits and vegetables can also conveniently be used over longer periods of time and often have a similar nutrient profile to fresh foods. To avoid food waste, you may consider freezing any leftovers for another meal.
3. Home-Cooked Meals VS Food Delivery
Now that you have more time at home, it’s time to work on
your cooking skills by preparing homemade meals. Try not to stress yourself with complicated recipes, because your goal is to create a simple and healthy meal instead of a buffet for all. Take advantage of available recipes online and check out the important basics to healthy cooking.
If you plan to order through food delivery, opt for contactless options. Take precautions during opening your food package, reheat as necessary and wash your hands before eating. Again, aim to provide yourself with nutritious meals even with takeaways.
4. Mind Your Portion
It can be hard to estimate the right portion and serving, for example : children should have smaller meal sizes compared to adults. The aim during each meal is to feel satiated and full, but not overstuffed. The best way to avoid this is to start your meal with a glass of water, eat slowly, and serve a standard size per plate for everyone. If you feel full, don’t try to finish the whole plate, instead safely keep it as leftovers. This also applies to snacking. Avoid eating out of the container and limit your portion size.
5. Practice Food Hygiene
According to the European Food Safety Authority, there is currently no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted through eating food. However, good food safety practices are important to minimize the risk of foodborne illnesses.
When handing or preparing food, make sure to:
– Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap before and after preparing or eating food
– Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when you cough or sneeze and remember to wash your hands after
– Wash fruits and vegetables before eating them
– Disinfect surfaces and objects before and after use
– Keep raw and cooked foods separate to avoid harmful microbes from raw foods spreading to ready-to-eat foods
– Use different utensil/chopping boards for raw and cooked foods to prevent cross-contamination
– Make sure to cook and reheat foods to adequate temperatures (≥72°C for 2 mins)
Sources
https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/food-and-diet/do-i-need-vitamin-supplements/
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/serving-and-portion-sizes-how-much-should-i-eat
