Essential workers, working from home, out of work or a stay at home parent, we are all parents adjusting to this new normal. With such unpredictability, we may find ourselves looking for certainty anywhere, including our pantries. Many of us have stocked our pantries with shelf-stable carbohydrate-based staples such as chips, crackers, canned goods and grains to limit food shopping outings. You may have also experienced bare shelves of nutrient-dense foods or a change to finances, impacting your food budget. While these foods are just fine in moderation, as is any food, let’s take the pandemic as an opportunity to consider why we find ourselves in the pantry more often now and ask ourselves – “Am I bored or am I hungry?”
Finding yourself or your kid in the pantry more often since stay at home orders were put into effect? It’s no surprise considering all the emotions we are experiencing through the pandemic, especially boredom for our kids. But parents’ emotions are valid and important too. Anxiety, stress, uncertainty, loneliness, maybe boredom for you as well may be why that pantry door is getting a workout! Know that these shelf-stable snacks may keep your hands busy to distract your mind, but they can contribute to high peaks and low valleys of blood sugar, possibly make our mood pendulum swing a little further out of rhythm.
So, despite the circumstances, let’s help our body and mind find a steady rhythm by using this list:
- Plan for comfort food: schedule a portion of a comfort/fun food in your day or week (based on your goals). Maybe every Sunday, you’ll make ice cream sundaes like our family! Or Whatever Wednesday, where each family member eats what they want for dinner.
- If you don’t buy it, you can’t eat it: if you know moderation of a certain food is not possible for you, then skip buying it to prevent falling out of rhythm.
- Drink a glass of water and wait 20 minutes, then ask yourself if you still feel hungry
- Put down the distraction of electronics, check in with your body’s signals for hunger or satisfied
- Plan a virtual meal to share with friends
Raquel Durban is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. In addition to managing the diet and quality of life for patients and caregivers, Raquel serves the community through her work with the nonprofits and academic organizations. She is currently a member of the steering committee of the International Network of Diet and Nutrition in Allergy (INDANA) and a medical advisor to the International FPIES Association and Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team. Raquel is also an active member in the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, serving on the Adverse Reactions to Foods Committee and the Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases Committee and the Allied Health Committee for the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Beyond the clinic, Raquel is a preceptor for dietetic interns for several universities, runs a disease-based support group for patients and caregivers, and leads a mentorship program for budding RDs in the food allergy space. From pediatric weight gains and losses to restricted diets for disease management, Raquel does not believe there is a one size fits all answer for success. She will work to find the best balance of meeting nutritional needs with lifestyle demands to ensure the success of individualized goals.
