Expert: Prepping for quarantine should focus on basic nutrition

People are shifting to disaster mode as the coronavirus further impacts daily lives, with shelves of Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer and other products stripped clean at stores across the region.

After President Trump’s speech on Wednesday night about his administration’s attempts to mount an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus and Gov. Tom Wolf’s directive Friday that public schools would be closed for the next two weeks, supermarkets and big box stores selling groceries were swamped.

“It’s been busy all day Thursday and Friday,” said Rob Jones, manager at the Shop ’n Save supermarket on East Pittsburgh Street in Greensburg. Jones described it as panic buying. with people “buying a whole lot of everything.”

Three pallets stacked high with toilet paper were placed on the store’s shelves by early Friday morning, and they were all scooped up by buyers by the afternoon, Jones said.

One clerk said she was walking to place two large containers of toilet paper on the shelf and a woman grabbed them from her hand, before she ever reached the aisle.

Forget getting hand sanitizers, Jones said. “It’s going out of here as fast as we can get it in,” he said.

Elizabeth Evans of Ligonier, a food buyer and deliverer for Instacart, said she has been extremely busy the past few days.

“A lot of people don’t want to go out. They’re afraid to leave the house, especially mothers with young children,” Evans said as she stowed several gallons of water in the backseat of her car. “They don’t want to take the chance.”

Face masks are among the items stores can’t keep in stock, said Elisa McDonald, a clerk at the Ace Hardware store in Greensburg.

“We’re sold out of the dust masks and we can’t get any more” from the distributor, McDonald said. People are buying face masks that are not designed to prevent the spread of germs but instead designed to keep construction workers from breathing in dust and paint, she said.

“I feel bad for the construction workers who really need them. It is hurting their lungs,” McDonald said.

The governor’s decision to close schools for at least two weeks had Verona Essway of Southwest Greensburg buying more than the usual amount of groceries on Friday.

“I just need a little bit more food because they will be home,” Essway said as she was assisted by her son, Cayne, 8, a student at the Amos K. Hutchinson Elementary School.

Nutrition counts

Unlike the rush to stock up on bread and milk before a storm, a possible two-week quarantine calls for nutritious meals, said Kelsey Hutter, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at Allegheny Health Network Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Health.

Being properly prepared nutritionally boils down to the main food groups, Hutter said.

Like Americans have been told for years, healthy eating requires fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and healthy fats. When preparing a stockpile, Hutter recommends buying frozen fruits and vegetables to increase shelf life while not losing nutritional value.

“If you’re really trying to not have additional food waste, the frozen vegetables are a good way to go, especially in the winter,” she said.

She noted that onions, sweet potatoes and russet potatoes can last up to three to five weeks while frozen vegetables can last up to a year. Most fresh fruits do not last past three to five days, except apples, which can last up to a month.

If buying canned fruit, Hutter suggests products that are in water instead of syrup.

Proteins — chicken, beef, fish — typically last three to five days in the refrigerator but can be frozen for longer periods. Alternatives include canned tuna and beans, which can last two to five years, along with nut, almond and cashew butters. Eggs can last three to five weeks in the refrigerator.

Healthy fats like nuts and seeds can also be frozen to extend shelf life.

Hutter recommended a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foodkeeper application that helps determine food life.

There should be enough water in the house to account for a gallon per person in case the water supply were cut off. For people battling an illness, drinks with electrolytes — like Gatorade and Pedialyte — should be on hand. Shelf-stable milk also is an option.

And, while it might be tempting to grab cans of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup, Hutter suggested meal prepping prior to a quarantine to keep from eating soups that contain few vegetables and which are high in sodium.

“Soups are good,” she said. “If you’re preparing for this ahead of time, soups and getting a lot of hydration is going to be important with any type of virus. If you purchase soups with some vegetables in it, that’s definitely going to be helpful for recovery.”

If buying canned soup, Hutter suggested looking for low-sodium options.

For people who are sick, breakfast meals could include oatmeal, hot cereal with frozen berries and nuts or eggs with whole wheat toast. Lunch and dinner can consist of vegetable or black bean soup or a mix of frozen vegetables, starches, like brown rice, and chicken, beans or tuna.

“It’s good for them to make sure they’re getting enough hydration, drinking water with every meal, limiting caffeinated beverages,” Hutter said.

On a budget

For a lot of families, adding additional items to the grocery list can be a hit to the budget.

According to Hutter, the best way to stick to a budget is to pick stores that fit what you can afford, make a list and follow a recipe.

“The biggest thing is, you definitely want to have a budget in mind so, when you’re going to the store, depending on your family’s budget, whether it’s $100 a week or $50 a week, you choose the store that meets your budget,” she said. “Whatever meets your budget is the first thing you want.”

Heading to the grocery store with an idea of how much of one product is needed also helps. Hutter suggested preparing for three weeks rather than two. Portion sizes can be easily determined by following a recipe that clearly states how many people it serves, she said.

From there, numbers can be adjusted depending on the number of people being served.

“It’s doing a quick inventory and getting an idea and then looking at the recipes,” she said. “Making sure you have enough to last you with your family consumption for that two weeks.”

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the length of Gov. Tom Wolf’s closure of Pennsylvania schools.