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de santis: ideas for a self-isolation grocery list

making a list of the top foods you would most want most want in your kitchen will help streamline your grocery list.

by andy de santis, rd

published mar 24, 2020

2 minute read

join the conversation

2 minute read

join the conversation

andy desantis shares the 12 foods he would have on hand during a lockdown. getty images

as a dietitian, i have a relatively limited capacity to help with the current covid-19 crisis. i put my trust in local and global public health professionals and hope you are doing the same.for all of us, that means social distancing. for some of you, that means self-isolation. although i’m currently not yet in self-isolation, i have a fun exercise that could be helpful for those who may be: if you were stranded on an island and could only bring 12 foods with you, what would they be and why? here’s what my grocery list would like. as you plan yours, i’d encourage you to think about the nutritional benefits as well as the taste of the foods on your list.

kale

i have a bit of an ongoing love affair with kale. i eat it daily, sometimes raw and undressed, because i genuinely love it. it’s a vegetable and as a bonus, will help me maintain bowel movements.

bell peppers, in any colour

to balance the dryness of raw kale, i generally have it with a red, yellow, or orange bell pepper. bringing bell peppers along for the ride also lets me fulfil the ideal of having at least two different coloured vegetables a day.

potato chips

i’m a dietitian, but i’m also human. i absolutely love potato chips and they’re coming with me at all costs — preferably plain miss vickie’s or terra chips.

salmon or trout

i’m more or less a pescatarian, which means i’ll need some fish. not only does it taste good, but it provides protein, vitamin d and omega 3’s. eggs come in a close second because they also contain vitamin d and omega 3s.

cereal, soy milk, and almonds

there is no better or more enjoyable breakfast or snack than this crunchy combination. i include it for pure joy, as much as for nutrition — that is, having at least one member of the nut and seed family on my stranded-on-an-island diet.

butternut squash

there are so many tasty sources of carbohydrates, it’s hard to choose one. anyone who’s had butternut squash will know exactly why it made my list. if you haven’t, what are you waiting for?

tofu

plant-based protein is important for building healthy muscles and tissue. i happen to absolutely love tofu, but if you’re not convinced of the benefits of soy, read my previous column on the truth about soy.

lentils

lentils are part of the legume family which represent a fundamental food group for good health and need to be part of anyone’s list. it might explain why they are flying off grocery store shelves right now.

avocado and mango

i love every single type of fruit, so it wasn’t easy choosing just one. mangos and avocados, specifically, work well together and i wouldn’t want to be without them for any extended period of time.so those are my favourite 12 foods, both because of taste, but also nutrition. we aren’t stranded on an island, but we are facing challenging times. i hope my list helps you as you decide how to make your grocery list efficient, nutritious, and satisfying.andy is a registered dietitian and multi-book author who has operated a private practice in toronto since 2015. he spends his free time eating, writing and talking about kale @andytherd. he can be reached at andytherd.com