Health & Fitness
Preparing for a storm
Don't allow this storm to derail your healthy eating habits - handle stress better by eating right!
While stocking up and preparing for a potential multiple day power outage, it does not mean your healthy eating habits should be completely derailed.
The advice has been to get non-perishable foods – this does not mean they have to be unhealthy or highly processed foods.
This is what I am stocking my pantry with for the next week:
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Low sodium soups – I found a brand I really like – Fig foods – it comes in a carton, not a can and they use organic ingredients. If there is a possibility of disruption to your water supply you should avoid high sodium foods since you may not be able to drink as much water as you normally would.
Peanut butter made from just peanuts, whole wheat bread, all fruit spread for PB& J sandwiches.
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Mixed nuts (unsalted), roasted edamame and some whole fresh fruits are a great option for snacks to have on hand.
Apples and Bananas are typically on my kitchen island and would not need refrigeration if the power goes out. Plus whole fruits are very easy to bring with you if you have to leave suddenly and will not need preparation to eat them.
Vegetables often will last longer without refrigeration and are less likely to go bad than meats. Stock up on your veggies and plan to eat some salads in the next few days. Canned beans can easily be added to a salad to turn it into a complete and satisfying meal. Chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans – there are many to choose from.
Before the storm hits, you can also do some pre-cooking and have a few dishes ready to eat. Last night I prepared some lentils. I will use in salads or to add to some rice or quinoa with some chopped veggies or to stuff inside of some acorn squash that we can cook on our grill. They are very versatile and can be mixed with many different herbs spices and vegetables.
The huge benefit to keeping your healthy eating habits on track are to help you deal with stress. When we give our bodies the nutrition we need, we are better able to deal with high stress situations and disruptions to our normal lives like power outages can bring.
Stay safe and healthy over the next week everyone!
Maria B. Mayer, Health Coach
