The Self-Quarantine Grocery List

March 28, 2020

There’s no way around it: times are strange! We’re in an unprecedented situation where many of us are rethinking how we’re spending our days and, specifically, how we’re feeding ourselves and our families. And while necessities like grocery stores and pharmacies continue to run, we’re all trying to limit our time in public spaces.

To help you stock up efficiently, we’re sharing the items we recommend buying up: items that last and also support gut and immune health. Of course, if you know you're sensitive to any of these foods, still avoid them, but also remember that it’s OK if your diet isn’t 100% perfect right now — just do your best!

Fresh Vegetables that last

• Root vegetables for roasting: carrots, beets, turnips, rutabaga, sweet potato, yam, fennel
• Winter squash: acorn squash, spaghetti squash, kabocha squash, butternut squash
• Onions, garlic, scallions
• White potatoes and bell peppers (unless you’re sensitive to nightshades)
• Hearty greens — these tend to last longest in the fridge: romaine lettuce, kale, Swiss chard (green or rainbow)
• Avocados — buy them at varying levels of ripeness so you can enjoy them throughout the week
• Pre-chopped veggie packs for stir fry

Fresh Fruit

• Apples
• Bananas — yes, they’re high in sugar, but they’re something you don’t have to keep in the fridge, and you can cut them up into chunks and freeze them to blend in smoothies. 
• Lower-sugar citrus: lemons, limes, and grapefruits
• Mangoes

Protein

• Eggs — great for easy meals, and they last! 
• Canned sardines and wild salmon — cans aren’t perfect, but we’re fine with it temporarily, especially if the fish are kept in water — avoid ones preserved in oil, which can go rancid over time, and tomato or lemon sauce/flavoring, as the acid in these can react with the metal and contaminate its contents. We like the brands Vital Choice, Wild Planet and Safe Catch, which regularly test for contaminants like mercury
• Hummus

Frozen Items

• Frozen grass fed beef, organic pasture-raised / free range chicken, fish, shrimp, scallops, and other seafood
• Frozen organic or grass fed beef patties 
• Frozen veggie burgers
• Frozen berries and cherries, or any other fruit you like!
• Frozen organic veggies to stir-fry
• Frozen cauliflower rice 
• Frozen cauliflower pizza crust 
• Frozen bone broth 
• Frozen sprouted gluten-free bread — for example, Food For Life brand 
• Frozen paleo breads like Base Culture

Pantry Items

• Nuts and seeds
• Nut and seed butters (we love unsweetened sunflower seed butter and almond butter)
• Coconut oil, coconut butter
• Avocado oil
• Ghee
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Mustard
• Brown rice cakes
• Brown rice tortillas
• Flax crackers
• Mary’s Gone Crackers
• Simple Mills almond flour crackers
• Siete coconut flour tortillas and chips
• Salsa
• Gluten-free pasta options: brown rice pasta, lentil pasta, chickpea pasta, frozen Cappello’s pasta
• Herbs and spices, especially: garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, sea salt or himalayan salt, black pepper
• Apple cider vinegar
• Seaweed snacks
• Coconut flakes 
• Paleo Puffs by Lesser Evil 
• Tomato sauce (unless you’re sensitive to nightshades; check to make sure there’s no added sugar)
• Dried grains and beans (soaking and sprouting these foods make them easier to digest and more nutritious — here’s a nice guide)
• Shelf-stable bone broth like Kettle & Fire 
• Pacific Foods Butternut Squash Soup, Mushroom Soup
• Amy’s Golden Lentil Indian Dal and other gluten-free, dairy-free soups

Quick and easy meal ideas:

Veggie omelet with chopped onions and greens

Gluten free pasta with pesto, or garlic powder and olive oil, or tomato sauce (if tolerated)

Sardine salad (mash a can of sardines with avocado, mustard, sea salt, onion powder, lemon juice, chopped celery, and optional paleo mayo) with steamed or fresh greens

Stir-fried frozen or fresh veggies and shrimp or chicken with garlic, sea salt, ginger, coconut aminos, cooked in avocado oil

Grocery Delivery:

While these services — especially the bigger ones like Prime and Fresh Direct — may get overwhelmed with more people relying on them, they may still prove helpful; here are some other options as well:

• Mercato - this app and website services smaller local markets and tends to have availability 
• Thrivemarket.com - not necessarily for same-day delivery, but you can order organic items ahead of time at a discounted rate by paying a monthly or annual membership fee 
• https://www.grasslandbeef.com
• https://www.vitalchoice.com

Restaurant Delivery:

This is also a great time to support your local restaurants, many of which are still offering home delivery. Check out our blog on our favorite spots for quick eats in NYC and a list of delivery apps you can use to take advantage of them while staying home.

---