It is always a good to have a well-stocked pantry. But, in recent weeks and days, rising concerns over coronavirus (COVID-19) have prompted us to make sure we have enough healthy and non-perishable food.
First, stocking up reduces the need to go out and helps practice social distancing to avoid contagion.
Second, we wanted to stock up on items we can eat while they are available so we can maintain our diet and avoid a flare.
Third, it is especially important to avoid a flare during the pandemic. Hospitals and health services may become overwhelmed and may in themselves become places of contagion.
We are sharing our pantry list with you. You can use it as your shopping list.
Rather than stocking up on a 30 lb bag of rice, our list includes a variety of foods. Pick and choose what you like. Getting a little of different foods will keep things interesting and you can always use it later.
Grains and Pasta:
- Rice (white rice, brown rice, red long grain, wild – your choice)
- Lentils (Green, Red, and Black)
- Split peas for a soup
- Cornmeal for polenta
- Gluten-free pasta
- Corn kernels for popcorn (movie night, anyone?)
Cans and Jars:
- Beans (Pinto, Kidney, Black Beans, Cannellini, Navy)
- Chickpeas
- Diced Tomatoes (We love fire-roasted)
- Corn
- Coconut Milk for smoothies – great anti-inflammatory
- Canned fish
Things for the Fridge & Cellar That Last a While:
- Eggs
- Yogurt-making supplies. In the fridge, yogurt can last up to 3 weeks
- Carrots
- Cabbage
- Apples
- Lemons
- Onions and Garlic – both have great anti-viral properties
- Potatoes
- Beets, radishes, parsnips
For the Freezer (Meat, Fish, Veggies, Berries):
- Gluten-Free Bread
- Chicken drumsticks or wings (for the soup)
- Ground turkey
- Fish and seafood
- Peas
- Broccoli
- Green beans
- Berries
For the Vegetarians:
- Tofu and Tempeh
Snacks:
- Nuts
- Gluten-Free Crackers
- Peanut Butter (without added sugar or corn syrup)
- Dried fruits (without added sugars): Dates, Apricots, Figs
Important Details
- Herbal Tea
- Olive Oil
- Vinegar (Red Wine, Balsamic, Apple)
- Salt, Pepper, Spices
- Soy Sauce
- Miso paste (for an easy Miso soup)
Toilet paper. Uf, yes. We know that it’s a popular panic-shopping item, but we super-need it.
Things we skipped:
- Frozen meals and pizzas – processed food can make UC worse
- Granola and snack bars – they usually have a lot of sugars that can worsen inflammation
- Chips – as a processed food, it can exacerbate inflammation
- Tubs of ice cream – not on the diet, remember? – Cream and sugar.
- Boxed stocks and broths – at first, seems like a good idea. But, these often do not have a transparent ingredients list and list “spices” that are unexplained. We mentioned on our The Colitis Diet page that mixed spices and rubs can worsen inflammation. In Phil’s case it almost caused a flare.
- Canned soups and canned meals. These can be highly processed and often contains a long list of ingredients not on the diet (such as sugar or cream) – all this may worsen inflammation
- Cured meats and fish – smoking and curing can worsen inflammation.