While self-quarantine can sound daunting, now is the best time to get your eating into check and finally start cooking. Many of us depend heavily on take-outs, and with the uncertainty of whether food places will remain open, and the loss of income, now is the time to choose to cook at home or use meal services for a healthier diet. Whether you are choosing to spend more time at home, or you are in self-quarantine, you can still eat very well - here is how.

Firstly, there may be many reasons you need to rely on meal services right now. Some people may not be able to cook due to health conditions or age, making meal services the perfect choice. You can also choose to send meal services to older family members who need help with cooking in times of self-quarantine. You don’t need to feel helpless during this time, as there are still ways to keep yourself and loved ones fed. Meal services are another great choice for healthier eating if you are working continually from home and don’t have time to make meals. 

Meal services are another option for those with dietary needs, who are finding it difficult to purchase groceries online or instore. There are many meal service options out there, including protein-filled diets for those gym-goers, as well as vegetarian and vegan options. Why not do a comparison of two top providers such as blue apron vs hello fresh? You might find one of them is your new go-to service for delicious, hassle-free meals! 

Meal services are a great choice as there won’t be any human contact – this is especially useful for those worried about passing on or catching the virus. 

During times of uncertainty such as this, there has never been a better time to improve our diets and make better choices. Being in self-quarantine and spending more time at home can have an effect on your mental health, meaning eating well is vital to a healthy mind and body. While times like these can make some want to binge eat and find take-outs, self-quarantine actually provides an opportunity for us all to make healthier choices and patterns within our lives which we can carry on post-COVID-19. Using your time positively will help reduce anxiety symptoms during your time indoors. 

There is an abundance of meal recipes online, meaning now is the best time to try cooking that recipe that has been saved to your bookmarks for months. There are plenty of great food apps out there that can provide you with recipes if you don’t know where to start. Self-quarantine is the perfect time to learn how to cook from scratch, especially if you haven’t had much practice with this. Some of the best free cell-phone applications include:

Check out this Digital Trends article for the best free and paid recipe apps, offering thousands of recipes with instructions. YouTube is another fantastic source when learning how to cook new recipes or cook your own foods. If you want to binge-watch some food inspiration, follow accounts such as:

The above can all help you with eating well during self-quarantine and learning how to cook anything from scratch. Watching videos and using apps can help cooks of all skill levels with learning how to make new meals and eat well. 

As we don’t know how long this is going to last, now is the perfect time to throw away any junk food from the freezer and replace it with bulk, healthy foods. This will mean you have enough in your house for the foreseeable future and you can make the most of the space you have. If you do go into self-quarantine, you may be in the house for two weeks, meaning fresh just won’t cut it. Frozen food is the perfect way to keep replenishing your refrigerator with fresh stock without leaving home. Fresh fruits tend to go off quickly, but frozen fruits can last for months and offer the same amount of nutrients. You can even put sandwich bread in the freezer and defrost slices as needed. Almost any food can be frozen, just check online guidance if you aren’t sure. 

When choosing frozen products, check that the fruit wasn’t frozen in sugar and any vegetables aren’t in a sauce, as these make the foods unhealthy. Frozen foods also cost less and often offer more in a pack, meaning you can stock up and save money in times of financial uncertainty. You can also choose to visit your local meat counter and stock up on fresh, then freeze any amounts you won’t consume in the next few days. Fresh meat that has been frozen for up to two months will still taste fresh once defrosted. Just be sure to squeeze out any excess water that may have accumulated during freezing and always thaw foods safely. 

Canned foods can be healthy, and now is the best time to make use of all those pantry items that are slowly getting to their use-by date. This can save you money, and you can find recipes out there that use any of your pantry items in new and interesting ways. Canned foods including tuna, sardines, salmon, and chicken are all great sources of protein. For a full list of the best and worst canned foods for a healthier diet, check out this handy article. 

This is a frightening time for many, but instead of focusing on the bad and worsening your own fears and worries, try to focus on the positives of self-quarantine. You can work on your cookery skills and you and your household can follow a healthier diet which will change your habits for a lifetime. Whether you choose to make your own meals or use a meal service, there are plenty of options for eating well during self-quarantine.