With the COVID-19 concerns that are ever-developing by the hour, understandably, consumers have focused on stockpiling foods and supplies in efforts to avoid as much public exposure and risk of viral spread as possible. With that said, the purchase of shelf-stable foods – products that often receive a bad reputation – has been on the rise.
While there may be many opinions these days regarding “good” and “bad” foods, I would encourage consumers to be open to seeing foods through a different lens and acknowledging how fortunate we are to have had an abundance of sustainable, shelf-stable, life-saving foods. After all, canned foods helped our ancestors not only have more well-rounded diets year-round, but they also helped them survive in times of food scarcity.
Dietitian Rachael Hartley posted an article that defines exactly what it means for a food to be “processed,” while also easing tensions and anxieties surrounding processed foods, and provides several tips for incorporating these foods into a well-rounded, nutritious diet. See her post here: https://www.rachaelhartleynutrition.com/blog/2020/3/13/why-processed-foods-can-be-part-of-a-healthy-diet.
But wait? What if I have a medical condition that warrants a specialized diet? Here are a few considerations:
– Rinsing canned vegetables removes an estimated 40% of sodium.
– Frozen vegetables without added sauces are very low in sodium.
– Some fruits are canned in light syrup, in their own juices, or in water to reduce added sugar.
– Dried fruits are higher in sugar, yet, great options if we balance a recommended serving size with a source of fiber or protein to help slow glucose absorption.
– Dried beans and lentils have no added sodium and lentils take much less time to prepare.
– Low fiber foods include softened fiber foods, so canned fruits and vegetables are actually perfect as well as frozen options that can be cooked and softened.
For more information regarding kidney-friendly meals during an emergency situation, see tips from The Kidney Foundation: https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/emergencymeal.
One more consideration is to think of ways to extend the foods so that they last longer. This does not mean continuing to eat them well past their prime or expiration date. It means taking care to remember what you have in stock so that it does not get forgotten and thrown out – both food and money wasted at an inopportune time for doing so. Use the FIFO method, “first in, first out,” to eat the foods that will expire sooner than others. This article, “Saved from the Drain,” provides additional ideas to utilize foods to reduce waste: https://foodandnutrition.org/may-june-2016/aquafaba-saved-drain-ideas/.
Lastly, during unexpected and anxiety-provoking times as this, I would encourage expressing gratitude and recognition for the foods that you do have. If you are spiritual, this may come in the form of prayer or grace. For those who are not spiritual, this may be acknowledging the work of many hands that brought that food from the ground (or the animal) to your table. Let this be an important time for seeing your food through a different, and much more appreciative, lens.