The Pandemic Diet

Unique foods that are getting me through the Chinese virus crisis

Staying in Shanghai through the coronavirus pandemic has radically opened my eyes to the possibilities of what can really happen in life.

One minute I’m planning activities for my Chinese New Year vacation, then seemingly overnight I’m panicking over having to go out in public to treat my surgery wound during a virus epidemic.

I’ve been through a lot of unpredictable events in my life, but I’ve never been dealt a curveball quite like this one.

It was strange at first to be regularly accused of exaggerating about what’s happening here in Shanghai, especially by those who follow the infection statistics released by the state government. But as the virus spreads and the public’s trust of the government diminishes, everyone out there is starting to see what’s really happening here in China.

This virus isn’t like any that we’ve had in a really long time, and we have no idea how big it will get or how bad things will become before it’s all over.

Preparation

I’ve already written an article about all the ways I wished I had prepared for this epidemic. One of these ways was that I wished I had stocked up on more of the food I like to eat. A lot of the good stuff has been cleaned out of the supermarkets by the crowds who became panicked about a possible scarcity and bought-out the store.

Luckily, it seems many of the stores have stocked back up in recent days. So today I went out and bought a lot of the foods that make great supplies during times you want to be prepared for long stays indoors.

Wuhan residents must stay home right now, and can’t leave without government permission. This could happen to any of us at any time, so it pays to be well stocked with the right previsions, just in case.

Honey

Honey is a great prevision, because it lasts almost indefinitely and has so many uses. You can put it on crackers, use it to sweeten coffee, and add it to recipes when baking.

Another great use for honey is as an antibacterial agent. If you’re buying honey for pandemic storage, you may as well buy medihoney, or one of the other medically approved honeys on the market.

Honey makes a great first-aid antibacterial agent, because bacteria have such a hard time staying alive inside of it. Honey doesn't contain the moisture content that bacteria need to survive, and its sugar content isn’t conducive to bacterial growth.

The difference between regular honey and medically approved honey is that when it’s been medically approved it has been cleared of the unique bacteria that can cause botany infections.

All honey is antibacterial, but medically approved honey is safer. Just avoid fake honey that’s usually sold in large discount containers. Those are just huge jars of sweetener, thickener and water; these will provide zero utility to a cut or scrape. They also don’t store like real honey does.

Real honey doesn’t need to be thrown out on its use-by date. That date merely lets you know when the honey will crystallize, a process that makes the honey a bit less pleasant to eat. The honey itself is still fine. If you don’t like the new texture of the crystalized honey, you can always heat it up before pouring it on your toast.

Jerky

I’ve always been a huge fan of beef jerky, although never more than right now.

Meat has been the subject of a lot of local scrutiny here in China lately, especially since the origin of the virus was identified as an open meat market in Wuhan.

The poor treatment of meat products by suppliers and grocers has been prevalent on Chinese social media, and for good reason. It was an open secret that meat is often not stored at the right temperature, or handled hygienically by sellers.

The answer for many of us has been to pursue a vegetarian lifestyle, however this diet isn’t something the body can handle overnight.

Switching off meat has immediate consequences to the body as it acclimates to suddenly being cut off certain vitamins and minerals. I personally have had a lot less energy lately, and I know my emergency diet has a lot to do with it: too many long-life foods such as noodles and rice, and not enough of the proteins I was use to.

Enter beef jerky

Beef jerky had been depleted from the store shelves, but today they were back! So I hoarded them like a crazy person. They keep for a really long time, and balance me out while I can’t store steaks or chicken breasts.

And More…

The other foods I’ve been storing and eating:

Mid life food

• Frozen fruits and berries
• Frozen peas and assorted vegetables
• Frozen Swedish meatballs
• Cereal and oats
• Assorted nuts
• Beef jerky
• Honey

Long life food

• Long life milk
• Powdered milk
• Instant coffee
• Dried beans
• Rice
• Canned tuna
• Canned beans
• Canned vegetables
• long life crackers

I hope this list helps if you’re ever in the mood to stock up your emergency food locker. If I find that any of these choices perform unexpectedly, I’ll be sure to post an update.

Stay safe wherever you are, and stay ready in case things develop further. Don’t panic, but do be prepared.