Many New Yorkers swear by the city’s takeout and delivery culture, which brings just about anything to their apartment doorstep, including fresh-pressed juice, pan-seared branzino and fine wines.
Yet as public health officials urge residents to hunker down in their homes to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus, many have found themselves with more time and less cash on their hands.
That’s why some are taking this opportunity to save a buck and explore their home kitchen — possibly for the first time ever. Don’t succumb to pandemic panic. If you’re hoping to expand your domestic skill set, here’s your crash course in stocking your home with healthy, affordable and versatile eats.
Before you go to the store
First things first: Stocking your kitchen doesn’t mean stockpiling food.
“I don’t think people should freak out,” Samantha Heller, a dietitian with NYU Langone Health, tells The Post. She encourages shoppers to be “thoughtful” while at the grocery store — many stores have long lines and shortages of key household goods, including medicine, diapers and bread. But “there should be no shortage of food,” she adds.
And don’t forget to prep your cabinets, freezer and refrigerator.
“Maybe you haven’t cleaned [them] out in a while,” says Heller. With the time you may be saving on commuting to work, “now might be a good time to do that.” Toss any expired, stale or “freezer-burned” foods. And if your small but mighty freezer seems to have frozen over, defrost it by using hot water to melt the ice or by using Heller’s preferred tool, a hair dryer.
For the freezer
At the grocery store, Heller says that plain frozen vegetables and fruits — such as peas, green beans, spinach, edamame, broccoli, “riced” cauliflower, berries and mangoes — can be just as nutritious as their fresh counterparts because they are “flash-frozen at peak freshness,” meaning they are frozen nearly instantly, locking in the nutrients and preserving ripeness. (The same can’t be said for canned veggies, she notes.)
A lot of prepared foods are perfect for freezing, such as sliced bread, soups, lasagna, grilled chicken breast, sandwich meat and cooked rice — so consider cooking big dishes that can be portioned into single servings to freeze, then eat on the go.
Not just cooked meat, but any raw meat, including chicken pieces, ground beef, steak, bacon and pork can all be thrown into the freezer and thawed to cook at a later date. (And be sure to refer to FoodSafety.gov for guidelines on safely cooking meat.)
On the other hand, Heller cautions against frozen meals, even those that purport to be healthy. “For the most part the frozen meals tend to be high in sodium,” she says.
Instead of the frozen, store-bought versions, Heller reaches for a variety of frozen veggies, such as corn, peas and carrots, and frozen cooked rice for a quick veggie fried rice, and suggests beans, tofu or chicken breast for protein. (Don’t forget soy sauce in the pantry!)
For the pantry
Nutritionally speaking, frozen produce is optimal — but it’s not always the most expedient option. Plus, cans and jars keep longer and offer a wider variety of food. Some foods that are especially convenient from a can include beans, diced or whole tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste, mushrooms, pineapple and peaches (but avoid fruits soaked in a sugary syrup).
Heller also likes to keep her pantry stocked with “something you can throw in for a flavor boost” to any dish, she suggests, such as olives, banana peppers, artichoke hearts, capers, salsa, applesauce and sun-dried tomatoes.
Don’t skip the whole grains, dried legumes and other dehydrated foods, including dried milk. They may require a few more steps to prepare, but their yearslong (in some cases 10 or more) shelf life and low cost make them a staple of domesticity. Heller suggests loading up on dried beans, white and brown rice, quinoa, couscous, polenta and, of course, pasta. (For added nutritional value, try some of these foods in their whole-wheat or grain versions.)
Fat is essential to cooking, so try starting with olive oil for marinade and dressing, and canola oil for sauteing and frying. And various vinegars can be added to simply cooked or raw vegetable dishes — just “a splash at the end to make things sparkle,” says Heller. Other handy condiments include soy sauce (preferably low-sodium, which is just as flavorful), nut butters and hot sauce. Some folks like to keep these in the refrigerator — up to you.
Dried seasoning can add flavor to the blandest foods, so start building your herb and spice library. Garlic and powders, whole pepper flakes, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne, cumin, dried bay leaves, basil, parsley and oregano are all essential to American cuisine.
Almost everyone craves something sweet from time to time. When that happens, Heller recommends a fruity snack, such as an apple with a couple tablespoons of protein-rich peanut butter, which will keep you feeling full for longer. But when you just have to have the sweet stuff, she suggests keeping a high-quality bar of chocolate with 70% cocoa or higher, which is known to have some health benefits. Take a piece and “eat it slowly,” she says, “and really explore those flavors” so that you feel satisfied by the end of the bite.
Heller likes an easy pasta puttanesca, made with sauteed garlic and onion, canned or jarred tomato sauce, plus olives for the sauce and whatever pasta she has on hand. Throw in some canned tuna, sardines or mackerel for a healthy seafood spin.
And for the sake of your sanity, don’t forget the lifeblood of all New Yorkers: coffee grounds (or tea if you’re into that).
For the refrigerator
If we are talking about foods that last a long time, count on cultured dairy, fermented veggies and pickles. Greek yogurt can last up to a month if properly sealed in the refrigerator, pickles can go for months and some kimchi may outlast us all.
Milk has a notoriously short shelf life, but milk alternatives such as soy, cashew and oat milk may last twice as long as conventional cow milk. But if that’s your preference, consider lactose-free, which tastes the same but is “ultra-pasteurized” and thus more shelf-stable.
The harder the cheese, the longer it will last when wrapped properly to avoid oxidation. Though some may suffer a little mold, such as aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, the blemish won’t penetrate deep and can usually be cut out to reveal perfectly edible cheese beneath.
Heller also reminds eaters to “use your fresh stuff first” to ensure freshness and minimize food waste. But don’t fret if those three-week-old carrots are so flimsy (a sign of overexposure to oxygen) that they can “almost be tied into a knot,” says Heller. Instead, chop them up and add them to a stew. The same goes for many other fresh veggies that tend to go a bit soft or dry in the refrigerator after a few weeks, including celery, potatoes, turnips, rutabaga, parsnips and fennel.
Just be smart: Look out for mold, weird smells, bruises and — ick! — oozing.
For the elderly or chronically ill
Folks in this position have to pay particularly close attention to their diet, and Lisa Zullig, director of nutrition services at the “medically tailored” meal service God’s Love We Deliver, has a few quick and dirty tips if this is you or someone for whom you’re shopping.
Those who are considered most at risk of infection should focus on getting as many fruits and vegetables into their diet as possible, as these foods pack the most nutrients and antioxidants, which help to fortify your cells against invasion from the stuff that makes you sick. This is where frozen produce is particularly handy for those who want to stock up but can’t get to the store easily or often, Zullig says.
Zullig also likes commonly available canned seafood, including salmon, mackerel, herring and anchovies, which are rich in the omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce inflammation throughout the body. The tiny bones of these fish, she added, are also a good source of calcium, but “be careful if you have difficulty swallowing,” and crush up the bones first.
Nuts and nut butters, such as almond and hazelnut, are also high in omega-3s and dense in nutrients. Plus, Zullig says, “nut butters are great choices especially if someone has difficulty chewing.”
In terms of grains and other pantry goods, aim for high-fiber and whole-grain varieties when feasible, such as whole-grain pasta and whole-wheat couscous. “When choosing bread, look for one that lists whole-grain flour as the first ingredient,” she says, adding that bread can also be frozen and toasted for those who don’t eat it daily.
Canned fruits, vegetables and beans are soft to chew and provide lots of fiber (as well as protein in the case of legumes), but they’re often high in sodium or sugar. Make those foods more heart-healthy by giving them a water “rinse before using to remove added sodium,” she suggests.
It may take the old-fashioned some time to come around, but when they do, they’ll find that some milk alternatives — such as almond milk — are more healthy and economical. Just as rich in calcium and vitamin D as conventional milk, when “unopened in the pantry, this type of beverage can last for six to nine months,” says Zullig.