We’re heading into our first weekend lockdown.
Yes, the curfew is 8:00 PM on Friday (March 26) but come Saturday (March 27) at noon until Monday (March 28) at 5:00 a.m. we will be required to remain inside.
Given, that we’ll be stuck inside and “Endz” (the government’s upcoming app for ordering food) is not yet functional here are 10 must have food items you’ll need to help you get through the lockdown.
Plantains
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Fried or oven-baked, plantains are a great quick snack. They’re perfect to get you through a movie or as you use the time to catch up on work.
Popcorn
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So, during the lockdown you know the television will be going non-stop. Whether you are watching a Netflix series or binge watching movies, popcorn is a no brainer must have snack. For those of us trying to go healthy, note you can get kernels that you can pop on the stove.
Lettuce
What lettuce? Ewww. Sure, it is not the kind of food item you expect to see on a list but let’s face it salads are a quick snack and if you want to cut down on the calories, make sure you have some lettuce in the fridge ready to go. Wash it, toss it, throw some tomatoes on it and sprinkle on your vinaigrette and you’ve got a healthy snack.
Bananas
Why not oranges? Bananas are versatile, you can pop them in your cereal, have them on their own or blend them up in a shake. Bananas are a must have snack.
Chocolate
It is a fact, sugar does something to your brain. Eating sugary foods releases a flurry of the feel-good chemical called dopamine and we all need a little dopamine to help us get through the lockdown, which has most of us feeling miserable just thinking about it.
Flour
Dumpling, cake, fritters, rouxs, pancakes, you name it flour is the main ingredient in many of the things we love to eat. It is a hard time for everyone, so instead of buying baked products you can use the time over the lockdown to make some homemade treats of your own, after all one pound of flour will run you around 60JMD; you can make a lot of pancakes with one pound of flour!
Chips
Chips are an essential, especially when you are stuck at home. From corn chips to cheese puffs, chips are not only quick they are tasty and a good shareable item, especially if you have company over.
Nuts
From walnuts to peanuts and all the others in between like cashews and pecans, nuts are a healthy snack option. Though they’re usually high in fat, they contain good fat. High in protein and fibre content, nuts are a particularly satisfying snack -i.e. them full up yuh belly- and contain nutrients such as vitamin E, potassium and magnesium. You can also toss them into your salad to give it a buzz.
Cherry Tomatoes
They’re available downtown – yes, dung a town at the Coronation market and they are relatively inexpensive. Packed with a burst of flavour they make a great healthy snack for movie watching on the couch. Here’s something you may not know, they are officially classified as a fruit because they come from flowers.
Dried fruit
Surprise your taste buds with something that is sweet, delicious in taste and somewhat healthy. Dried cranberries, apricots, prunes and raisins are a perfect handy snack, particularly because you never know what will happen with the power situation (JPS has assured us they’ll conduct their maintenance at another time) and they require no refrigeration. You can combine them with nuts, or pop them into a salad.
