Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve released blogs on
how best to homework,
how best to support kids through home-schooling and what
workouts you need to do at home to keep you mobile. This is all well and good, but you also need to ensure your diet doesn’t take a hit during these unprecedented times. So, why is it important to eat the right foods?
Why it’s important to get the right nutrients
It’s
always important to ensure your body is getting the appropriate nutrients in order to stay healthy. However, with many of us now staying at home, it’s more integral than ever to know what your body needs to properly function and, crucially, what foods provide these nutrients.
So, what nutrients do we need? The 6 key groups of nutrients are proteins, fats, carbohydrates vitamins, minerals and water. These are really important as amongst the 6 of them, they provide your body with energy, help ensure body functions are in order and reduce the risk of any diet-related diseases. Although we now know what types of nutrients we need, it’s not an easy task as you may be reluctant to purchase fresh, perishable food on a regular-enough basis to provide yourself, and any cohabitants, the right types of food.
Well, to save you the time, we’ve done the research for you! Here are some of the best long-life foods that you need to provide you with right nutrition:
Nutritious long-life foods
Tinned goods
Arguably the most obvious of the lot, tinned goods typically last a very long time and can actually provide you with a similar level of nutrients as fresh food would. Tinned meat, fish and veg can easily last up to 5 years and provide the body with protein, vitamins and omega 3 (in the fish’s case). They’re also a great staple of any household – even outside of a national lockdown!
Chickpeas, lentils and other pulses
For those of you that are meat-eaters, you’re probably finding it difficult to maintain fresh meat in a lot of meals as you can’t do a normal shop or just pop over the road to pick up some chicken. Enter pulses! Pulses, such as chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans and even baked beans are versatile foods which can be used in place of meats or as a supporting part of your meal.
Pulses are a really great cheap protein alternative and count towards your 5-a-day! They also provide other nutrients such as vitamins and fibre. If you want to learn more about pulses, how they work in your diet and some recipes to use, visit the
NHS Beans and Pulses section here.
Nuts
Nuts are an extremely versatile food that can be used as a snack, in a sauce, a dessert or even part of a main dish. Did you also know that each different type of nut has different nutritional values, each providing various benefits to health?
Some nuts are packed with antioxidants, can lower cholesterol and even support in weight loss. And the best part of it all? Nuts can last anything from 6 months to 2 years, with them lasting even longer in a freezer!
Dried fruit
Many of us struggle to complete our 5-a-day every day in regular, everyday life and with the nationwide lockdown causing standard shopping habits to change, it’s even harder right now to keep fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.
Well, what if we told you can easily get fruit into your daily diet without having to keep ordering shopping to keep your supply of fruit continuous… dried fruit! Dried fruits can last a really long time and, in some cases, they can even keep for up to a year after the “best by” date.
And not to worry, you’re not losing out on any important nutrition by not eating fresh fruit – in fact, some people believe that due to dried fruit being concentrated, you receive more nutrition per bite than you would fresh fruit!
Honey
Probably a staple in most households’ food cupboard, honey is an extremely versatile, sweet food source. It can be used to sweeten many dishes and is a healthier alternative to using sugar. Among its many health benefits, such as reducing risk of heart disease, improving cholesterol and lowering blood pressure, honey also provides your body with important antioxidants.
And of course, we don’t need to mention the shelf life! (In case you didn’t know, it’s a very, very long time)
This has been our top long-life foods to provide nutrition and we hope it has given you some helpful insight!
Don’t forget, although important to know what long-life foods are nutritious, providing we all stick to government guidelines and don’t steer from our regular shopping habits, we shouldn’t have to worry too much about utilising long-life foods!