How To Eat Healthy During Lockdown With 5 Simple Tips

With the current Covid-19 pandemic, healthy eating may not be a priority to many of us who are juggling working with home-schooling, while having to organize mal and snaks for the family. 

This sudden disruption to our daily routines during lockdown may even lead to unhealthy eating habits.

Although it is expected to experience changes in your diet over this time, it is important to maintain a healthy way of eating.

Here Are 5 Tips To Make Healthy Eating A Little Easier During Lockdown

1. Always Have Fruits And Vegetables In Your Kitchen

Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of nutrients that help boost our immune system and general health. 

Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables are a great and convenient option that is just as nutritious as fresh products if fresh options are not available.

Aim to eat at least 2 servings of fruits and 3 servings of vegetables a day to keep our body healthy and strong.

And did you know that different-colored fruits and veggies have different nutrients with varying health benefits?

So eat a rainbow every day to get all these essential phytonutrients!

2. Snack Well: Stock Up On Healthy Snacks

Feeling peckish in the afternoon during your endless Zoom meetings? Keep a nutritious snack within reach to help you eat healthily. 

Snacking not only boosts your productivity, but it also keeps you energized and focused during your virtual classes or meetings.

Our healthy snack suggestions include:

• Peanut butter on apple

• Unsalted nuts

• Low-fat yogurt

• Tuna spread on rice crackers

• Hard-boiled egg 

• Fruit or vegetable sticks, pre-chopped in the fridge

These snacks are not only filling, they are also more nutritious and help build sustainable healthy eating habits.

Here are some more ideas for healthy snacks during that Zoom call because we know how much you love snacks.

3. Meal Planning And Prepare Ahead

Planning and preparing your meals in advance not only makes your life easier during the week when you are trying to juggle work, meetings, and kids, it also makes healthy eating more enjoyable and stress-free.

Eating a balanced diet is one of the keys to eating healthy and it provides the nutrients we need. So when planning your meals, always include each of the five food groups: fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy, and protein in each meal. 

Here’s some idea for quick meal prep:

• Double your dinner recipes and freeze half for easy lunch or dinner the next day

• Slice fruits or veggies for snacks and quick meal add-ins

• Roast whole chicken of which the leftovers can be used for sandwiches, wraps, burritos or added to salads

Check out these meal prep hacks to up your meal-prep game.

4. Stay Hydrated

Adequate hydration is important for optimal health. 

Drinking water instead of sugar-sweetened and caffeinated beverages is an easy way to limit sugar and calorie intake. Adding cucumber, lemon, lime slices, or berries to water is a great way to add flavor and enhance its taste.

Keep a bottle of water next to you so you can always remember to take a sip or install drink-water-reminder apps on your phone to ensure you are well-hydrated throughout the day.

Do try to limit consuming too much coffee, tea, or caffeinated beverages as these may lead to dehydration and can affect your sleeping pattern. 

5. Limit Ultra Processed Foods

Ready-to-eat meals, baked goods, cookies, desserts, and packaged snacks are a quick and easy fix for times when you are stressed or bored. Because they taste good and make you feel happy, it’s easy to overeat them.

Unfortunately, these foods are also often high in saturated fat, sugars, and salt.

If you do purchase processed foods, read the nutrition facts label and try to choose healthier options containing less of these ingredients. 

Additionally, you may also keep these foods at the back of your fridge or cupboard to keep them out of your sight - out of sight out of mind!

Of course, it is okay to have these foods once in a while. The key is balance and moderation and you are still on the right path to healthy eating.

Conclusion 

Eating healthy during a lockdown can be challenging with limited access to fresh foods, especially fruit, vegetables, and fish, in favor of highly processed ones, such as ready-to-eat meals, junk foods, and snacks that tend to be high in fats, sugars, and salt. 

But that doesn’t mean that eating healthy is impossible during a lockdown. These practical tips will hopefully steer you in the right direction.

Let’s get out of this lockdown healthier and happier!