Dietary Restrictions, Food Shortages – 10 Ideas to Thrive During Insecure Times

Food allergies and dietary restrictions affectbrapproximately 1 in 10 Chicagoland residents, or nearly 32 million Americansbrnationwide. In Illinois, we have one of the largest populations with foodbrallergies and dietary restrictions in the United States.

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This is important information with our currentbrtime of social distancing and self quarantine, as many in our community do notbrrealize that these residents can not always safely substitute one product forbranother at their local grocery store. These common allergens families may needbrto avoid include gluten, dairy, nuts, corn, and soy in addition to otherbrhistamine sensitive foods. Living with food allergies and dietary restrictionsbrduring this time brings fear and anxiety for these families. The fear of runningbrout of safe food options can contribute to the hoarding mindset.

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Problems intensify for the allergen sensitivebrcommunity as many of the allergy safe foods are made by small to mid-sizedbrbusinesses that may be seriously affected by COVID-19 quarantines and orbrshelter in place restrictions on their business activities. Popular brands arebrreporting an inability to produce enough product to meet the demands of thebrallergen community during this time.

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This is not the first time America has had tobrfind alternatives to meal routines. The Great Depression and World War II, alsobrbrought food scarcity to America. We may remember stories from our grandparentsbrabout food rationing, homesteading and Victory Gardens. Your family may evenbrhave a recipe or two indicative of the food needs of that time. If we lean onbrhistory as an example, it can provide helpful ideas about how to thrive duringbrfood insecure times.

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Here are 10 ideas to put in place:

1. Limit the usage of boxed and specialty foods.brPerhaps move items from your pantry to the freezer to preserve the freshness ofbrgluten free breads and pastas.
2. Increase the use of seasonal fresh veggies andbrfruits. Most grocery stores still have an abundance of fresh produce and arebrcontinuing to stock produce at this time.
3. Save the veggie tops and ends, along withbrbones from chicken and beef recipes to make broth and soups. (See our previousbrarticle in NA Chicago for a recipe to make bone broth)
4. Chop fruit and veggies to freeze for futurebruse. Frozen veggies can be used in soups, stir frys or meal preparation in thebrfuture. Frozen fruit can be used in smoothies, desserts and even to make freshbrjam.
5. Try intermittent fasting to conserve foodbrsupply and increase health. There are several studies on the health benefits ofbrintermittent fasting to boost the immune system.
6. Freeze leftovers for future use. When making abrlarge pot of soup or broth, freeze in small batches for single use.
7. Plant seeds and sprouts indoors to consume forbrincreased energy and an immune enhancing boost. (See our April article forbrsprouting benefits and recipe)
8. Plant hardy plants like kale or spinach inbryour garden for an early harvest. Plant your version of a Victory Garden thisbryear. During World War II, the Victory Gardens provided 40% of America’s foodbrsupply and helped bring neighbors together.
9. Turn to alternative grains in bulk like glutenbrfree oats and rice. These can be purchased in 25 lb bags and will store easilybrat your home.
10. Join a local CSA or contact local farmers forbrdirect purchase. Finding veggies, fruits, eggs and meat from local farmersbrhelps support their family in return.