BATON ROUGE — In Louisiana, people are accustomed to preparing for hurricanes. During hurricane season, we stock up on non-perishable foods that do not have to be cooked or stored in the refrigerator or freezer in case the power goes out for a few days. LSU AgCenter dietitian Sandra May said with the coronavirus outbreak, we don’t have to be as concerned about storing food that may spoil if we lose power — but we do need to think about how long our family’s food supply will last if there is a 10- to 14-day (or longer) quarantine.
“Try to choose healthful foods to make sure your immune system is at its strongest, and limit those comfort foods that may be unhealthful,” she said.
Here is a list of food items that you may want to put on your grocery list:
Canned foods (fresh fruits and vegetables will spoil after 14 days)
Meat products such as chicken, beef, etc.
Tuna, salmon, sardines
Soups and stews
Broths
Fruits and fruit juices
Vegetable juices
Vegetables
Canned or powdered milk
Refrigerated foods
Cheese
Yogurt
Milk (choose the container with latest expiration date)
Soy or almond milk
Frozen foods
Meat, chicken, turkey, fish
Vegetables
Fruit
Waffles or pancakes
Frozen meals
Frozen yogurt
Shelf-stable foods
Snack foods
Pretzels
Trail mix
Dried fruit
Baked chips
Rice cakes
Staples
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
Coffee
Cooking oil
Margarine
Bouillon cubes
If you buy perishable foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, eat those first; they may spoil before the quarantine is over.
Don’t forget that your pets need food, too. Stock up on canned and/or dry food.
