A Stay at Home Wellness Guide: Eating Better

Choose healthier foods while you are spending more time at home.

Social media is flooded with horror stories of people who have let themselves go during the pandemic. It seems like staying at home has prevented people from feeling the same motivation that they use to have.

Eating Healthy While Stuck at Home

It's time to start getting motivated again! Many of us are developing poor eating habits adapting to this new home environment we are spending more time in. We can fuel our body with some better options that will help us feel better and be more content.

Let's start by covering how you can eat healthy while stuck at home. You may have noticed that the trend in ordering out has dramatically increased.

With new services like Doordash and Postmates, the opportunities to order out are becoming more readily available. This is not to mention that going to the grocery store is happening less because of potential virus exposure.

Resisting the many temptations that come with eating out and not going to the grocery store is difficult, to say the least. We're here to help you overcome these obstacles and get healthy again.

Disclaimer: This is not about weight loss. We want you to feel healthy and vibrant again! It's time to get out of the quarantine rut.

Let's get into our tips for eating healthy while you're stuck at home.

1. Eat a Variety of Foods

We tend to eat too much of the same foods, even prior to the pandemic. Ideally, we should rotate the foods that we eat so that we do not eat the same thing again for at least four days. That's not easy for most as we are creatures of habit preferring our favorite foods more often and consuming leftovers days-in-a-row out of convenience when we make a larger family meal or dish. However, we were not intended to constantly eat the same foods. When we do this over an extended period of time, our immune system can build up a resistance to certain foods resulting in a food intolerance and gut inflammation.

Our ancestors ate more seasonally following the climate patterns wherever they lived. For example, they were not able to get certain fruits or vegetables year-round like we can today because they could not be grown and harvested due to the changing temperatures and other weather conditions. Same for meats and other foods. This forced a rotational diet based upon what was available at the time.

While it takes a little more thought and effort to add additional foods to your diet, it is well worth it terms of improving your health and you may discover new foods that you will really enjoy!

2. Eat Less Take-Out and More Home Cooked Meals

Remember when you could go to the grocery store and easily get the foods you wanted? Unfortunately, shopping in the store is currently difficult for many. This had led to people ordering more take-out and either picking it up curbside or having it delivered.

While take-out is convenient, and can taste very good, it is usually not a healthy option for most. Take-out generally contains more processed foods and less fresh, whole foods.

However, you can order a variety of quality foods online. Due to recent events, most grocery stores are offering some kind of delivery system. If your preferred grocery store doesn't deliver or offer a third-party delivery system, check if they offer a pickup option.

Whether you choose to pick up your food or have it delivered, you'll be able to spend more time choosing the best foods for you and your family. If you want or need some help with healthy grocery shopping, please consider these tips and grocery list.

If your preferred grocery store doesn't deliver or offer a third-party delivery system, check if they offer a pickup option.

Whether you choose to pick up your food or have it delivered, you'll be able to spend more time choosing the best foods for you and your family. For those looking to incorporate more plant-based alternatives into their diet, there are now plenty of plant-based meal options available, making it easier than ever to eat healthy at home without compromising on variety.

3. Plan Out Your Meals

That brings us to meal planning. Prior to quarantine, many families had some sort of meal planning system. However, their motivation dropped over time.

If you want to feel organized and productive again, we recommend that you plan out your meals. It's a simple as putting a piece of paper on your refrigerator.

Take the time to sit with your family each week and figure out what people want to eat. If you have kids, you can get them in on the process and let them choose a family meal.

Not only will planning out your meals help you feel more productive during this time. You'll also find that it will decrease your want to eat out or order in. If you know what you're going to eat and have a plan to do so, you're less likely to go back on your plan.

4. Learn a New Recipe

Maybe you need to shake things up in your home. Take the extra time that you have to learn more about cooking.

If you're looking for something fun and healthy to do, choose a new food or recipe and order the groceries necessary to do so. Pick a special day of the week and start this new healthy activity in your home.

Looking for ideas? Here's an online cookbook that has over a hundred great-tasting, whole-foods recipes that are easy to shop for and make.

5. Provide Healthy Snacks

Who among us is not tempted when we are at home to stroll by the kitchen and grab a snack? Healthy snacks are a good thing helping to fuel your body and brain sustaining your energy and focus for the tasks of the day. Unhealthy snacks not so much. Snack-time is also a great opportunity to drink a glass of water which is also good for your health. Here's some great-tasting healthy snack options you might want to try!