According to the CDC, nutritious food is necessary for a strong immune system. During COVID-19, a well balanced diet might be more difficult to maintain. During times of high stress, nutritious food options are the last priority. Many individuals skip meals or forget to eat during the day. This pattern of behavior can lead to an overall nutrient deprived immune system that is unable to fight off illness easily. Staying healthy as a caregiver is extremely important, as there are people counting on your care and to not spread illness to potentially at risk individuals. While pursuing nutritious food options, the CDC recommends social distancing and sanitizing hands and carts while at the store. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program may be able to help with getting groceries and connecting families to food pantries. If you are caring for an individual that is in a high risk population for COVID-19, Online Grocery Delivery may be the best option for you. The online grocery delivery system offers many different grocery stores that will bring desired food to your house or be ready for curbside pick up. Some options include Walmart and Amazon Pantry, which you can access through their websites or mobile apps. It is even encouraged that busy individuals have a friend or loved one pick up groceries for them. If you do not qualify already, visit SNAP to apply in the Idaho area. There is a questionnaire and application to see if you are eligible. There are some restrictions as to foods available for purchase, but overall there are numerous options to be used within the year. It is also important to stay up to date on your eligibility so that you can continue receiving these benefits. Prioritizing yourself and your body might be difficult during these times, but there are resources available to help.
