Introduction
The spread of covid-19 has turned families’ lives upside down around the world. With schools and day-care centers closed for children, many parents found themselves stuck at home most hours of the day trying to reconcile childcare, full-time work, and other responsibilities that require their attention. Deciding what parents will offer at the main meal may become another daily challenge.
To make it even more complex, the eagerness to buy goods and disruptions to food supply systems have made it difficult to find some types of food. Many people have also lost their jobs and lost income, making food purchases an additional financial challenge.
While it is understandable that some parents resort to fast food and processed food as a quick and low-cost means of feeding the family, there are affordable, healthy, and inexpensive alternatives. Here are five ways to help you provide a varied and nutritious diet for your children, protecting their development and development while building healthy eating habits.
Five Tips On Healthy Food During Covid-19
1- Keep Saving Fruits And Vegetables
buying, storing, and cooking fresh vegetables can be difficult during stay-at-home periods, especially when parents remain advised to limit their exit from the home. However, it is essential to ensure that children continue to access many fruits and vegetables in their diet whenever possible.
Whenever you have a chance to get fresh fruits and vegetables, you have to take the opportunity and get it. In addition to the possibility of eating fresh fruits and vegetables, they can also be frozen when possible, retaining most nutrients and flavor. Fresh vegetables can cook a large amount of broth, soup, or other foods for longer and provide meals for a few days. These cooked foods can also be frozen when possible and then quickly reheated when needed.
2. If Fresh Fruits And Vegetables Are Not Available, Replace Them With Dried Or Canned Sanitary Foods
During covid-19 fresh fruits and vegetables remain the best options in most cases, but many healthy alternatives are easy to store and prepare for food when they are not available.
Bottled beans and canned chickpeas, which provide many nutrients, can be stored for months or even years and integrated into meals in many ways. Canned oily fish such as sardines, ascetics (mackerel), salmon is rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and a range of vitamins and minerals and can be used in cold sandwiches, salads, or pasta meals or can be cooked as part of a hot meal.
Preserved vegetables, such as tomatoes, tend to contain fewer vitamins than fresh vegetables but are an excellent alternative when fresh or frozen vegetables are difficult to obtain.
Dried goods such as beans, pulses, and dried cereals such as lentils, peas, rice, couscous, and quinoa are also nutritious options and remain valid for a long time, and are delicious, affordable, and complete. Oats cooked with milk or water remain an excellent breakfast option and can be added to milk, chopped fruits, or raisins.
3- Stockpiling Some Healthy Snacks
children usually need a snack or two during the day to stay active. Instead of giving them sugary or salty snacks, choosing more healthy options such as nuts, cheese, yogurt (preferably not sweetened), chopped or dried fruits, boiled eggs, or other locally available health options is advisable. These foods are nutritious, complete, and help build healthy eating habits that last with children for their lives.
4-Reducing The Consumption Of Highly Processed Foods
while fresh fruits and vegetables may not always be available, you should seek to restrict the placement of highly processed food in the shopping cart. Fast food, canned snacks, and sweets often contain a large amount of saturated fat, sugar, and salt. If you decide to buy processed foods, look at their list of contents and seek to buy healthier options that contain less of these items. Also, try avoiding sugary drinks, and instead, drink a large amount of water. A water-grained flavor can be added by adding pieces of fruit or vegetables, such as lemon, cucumber chips, or berries.
5- Do Cooking And Eating A Fun And Meaningful Part Of Your Family Routine
During covid-19 cooking and eating together is a great way to create a healthy routine. Strengthen family ties, and have a good time together. Try to engage your children in preparing food when possible — young children can help wash vegetables and arrange cooking materials. In contrast, older children can perform more complex tasks such as helping prepare the table.
Try as much as possible to maintain specific family meal schedules. As this time structure and routine can help reduce children’s anxiety in stressful situations.
Tips On Breastfeeding For Children
breast milk remains an excellent food for children aged 6-24 months and above. Mothers with covid-19 can continue to breastfeed if they so wish. However, they must adhere to respiratory hygiene during breastfeeding, wear a muzzle if available. Wash their hands before and after touching the child, and regularly clean and disinfect the surfaces they touch. Suppose the mother is too sick to breastfeed because of an HIV infection or complications arising from the condition. In that case, she must remain supported to provide breast milk to the newborn baby in any way possible.
Tips On Food Hygiene During The Spread Of Covid-19
while there remains currently no evidence that food or its envelopes remain associated with the transmission of covid-19 infection. Individuals are likely to become infected by touching surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus and then touching their faces. However, the most significant risk comes from communicating closely with other people. While shopping or receiving food from the delivery service. As always, food hygiene remains essential when dealing with food to prevent foodborne diseases.
Any unnecessary casings should remain removed and put in a waste bin with a lid. Packaging such as canned goods can last wiped and cleaned with disinfectants before opening or storing. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol disinfectant immediately after handling food.
Wash uncoated products, such as fruits and vegetables, thoroughly under running water.
General Tips On Food Hygiene During Covid-19
wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before preparing any food.
Use a separate grinder to prepare uncooked meat and fish.
Cook at the recommended temperature.
Keep perishables refrigerated or frozen, where possible, and pay attention to the expiration dates of food products.
Recycle or dispose of food waste appropriately and healthily, and avoid accumulating residues that may attract pests.
Please wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before eating. And make sure your kids wash their hands too.
Always use clean dishes and dining tools.
