Photo | Courtesy | Saint Vincent Hospital
Lisa Gibbs
March 25, 2020
Stuck at home? Eating well is still critical, dietitian says
Photo | Flickr | George Tan
A produce stand
By Grant Welker
Countless workers are stuck doing their jobs at home or have been laid off, and children are without their normal schedules. Add the stress of the coronavirus pandemic, and it can be easy to overeat or not eat well.
Even with trips to the grocery store not as convenient or advisable as in normal times, eating healthy is still critical and easy enough, said Lisa Gibbs, a dietitian at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester.
"It is so important for us to be mindful right now to keep our immune systems up," Gibbs said, advising a healthy diet can do that.
Healthy foods can last longer in a kitchen pantry, including whole grain foods such as rice, pasta and cereal, which offer more vitamins, minerals, and fiber, she said. Pasta is now increasingly made of chickpeas or lentils, she said, which can be more appealing to the health-conscious.
Canned fish such as tuna and salmon can help immune systems because they include omega-3 fatty acids. Canned soups and vegetables can work, too, although they're often high in sodium, she said. Gibbs advises keeping such meals under 500 milligrams of sodium, or to rinse canned rice or beans to remove much of the salt.
Frozen fruit and vegetables are also a great option, Gibbs said, as long as the fruit doesn't come in a heavy syrup or the vegetables in a cream or butter sauce. Raisins and other produce-aisle items such as whole carrots, onions, potatoes, cabbage, beets, oranges and apples also have long shelf lives, she said.
"It's important to remember to get in fruits and vegetables," Gibbs said, because they protect against inflammation, which is bad for the immune system. Oranges, for example, are a healthy source of vitamin C, which helps the immune system, and is a better option than vitamin supplements that aren't regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
As for kids staying home from school without as structured of a meal, Gibbs advises setting out a plate of snacks for the day to avoid unhealthy treats. Those can include fruits or vegetables, as well as nuts, popcorn, trail mix, granola or peanut butter and crackers.
Stress eating of unhealthy foods could be more common during the outbreak, Gibbs said, but it's still important to avoid.
"That's something that we're really mindful of right now," she said.
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