COVID-19 Grocery Lists & Considerations

Written by Ally Gallop, MS, RD, CSSD and Jessica Pastuf

WHey Utes! Amidst this time of uncertainty, the Utah Sports Nutrition staff members are here for you. We want to update, and provide you with the most relevant, and helpful nutrition information we can from afar.

To start, let’s address the unavoidable messages in the news and media: the need to stockpile food.

There is no food shortage. Shelves are being restocked daily. We can avoid panic buying.

Even so, many of us aren’t used to grocery shopping for a 14-day period. That alone could make some people anxious.

Below we’ll outline:

• Grocery store expectations and items to consider purchasing.

• Meal planning tips.

• Connecting with your registered dietitian.

Planning for and Navigating the Grocery Store: Expectations and Items to Consider Purchasing

Now is not the time to buy one item at a time. More exposures at the grocery store increase your risk of COVID-19 exposure. Recalibrate your approach to shopping: What do you need to stock your kitchen with for the next 14 days? Go once as to limit your exposure to society.

Normally, many of us head to the store with a list. When what we want isn’t there we linger, looking for an alternative. Plan for your items not to be there and what you’ll purchase as a replacement. Get in and out of the store as quickly as possible. You can also consider grocery pick up or delivery (think Kroger, Whole Foods, Amazon, or meal prep programs). 

Using the below example template, if your goal is cow’s milk, what else will you be open to?

We’re about to head to the grocery store. The following is what our list looks like, based on what I plan on making, which includes a fun food to keep us sane (see meal plan below). When creating your own list, consider using a piece of paper you can discard of rather than taking your phone into public spaces (unless you plan on cleaning it once home).

Additionally, since you know your grocery store’s layout, devise a plan as how to limit your time there (see the #1, #2, #3?). Hit each area once and avoid backtracking. Once in the checkout lineup, ask people to stand back (you aren’t crazy, you’re doing your part to avoid community transmission).

Meal Planning: Set Yourself up for Creativity and Success

Overwhelmed by the thought of cooking all of your meals yourself? You’re not alone. Cooking can seem overwhelming for many. But, with a few staple items and a solid plan you can decrease the stress of cooking, and maybe even have a little bit of fun with it. See charts below for the basic spices and pantry items to keep on hand. Many recipes have long ingredient lists, yet many also have repetitive ingredients. Keeping these few items in stock can help you to decrease the length of your shopping list!

On that note of decreasing the number of ingredients you have to buy – consider an alternative approach to meal prepping. Traditionally, meal prepping consists of making a large batch of food to eat throughout the week. Let’s be realistic though, no one really enjoys eating the same meal multiple times. Using a template can be helpful to plan meals. The example template below demonstrates how to adapt the ingredients you have for one recipe to make multiple meals. Try listing the ingredients of your favorite meal and look to find recipes with overlapping items.

Connecting with your Registered Dietitian

 In this time of isolation, remember you do have access to your dietitian via telecommuting and social media—use your dietitian! Particularly if recovering from an injury or if you have been regularly meeting with your dietitian. A friendly face could do you some good in this time of social distancing. Remember, even while working from home, they remain an ally to you.