Friday 20 March 20 20 Dietitians call for sensibl e shopping at the superma rket The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) calls for the Australi an public to act sensibly and to exercise restrain t when it comes to the bulk purchasing of food s at superma rkets. Australians are encourage d to cons ider th e role of their diet in health, and sensibly plan ahead to be prepared during these uncertain times.
While many Australians are practi sing social distancing, on -going fear and uncertainty about food access whilst in self -isolation or lock down has seen an increase in stockpiling, leaving super mar ket shelves emp ty.
“Panic buy ing places grea ter strain on the poorest and most vul nerable members of our society. It also pu ts further stress on thos e required to fol low special diets, such as those with coeliac disease, who can only eat gluten free foods,” said Tara Diver si, DAA President and Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD).
Diversi encourages A ustralia ns to create a plan for feeding their family if they need to s elf -isolate for 14 days. While good nutrition wil l not prevent you from contracting COVID -19, ensuring you are well nourished is key to looking a fter your health.
“Having a plan mean s you ‘re more likely to feel better prepared as this si tuation unfolds. It also consider s the needs of others in the community. Food s tockpiling only places those who are already vulnerabl e at greater ris k of food insecurity and poor health,” said Diversi.
“Start by assessing what you currently have in your pantry and freezer. Make a list of longer lasting foods that your household will eat and enjoy, and then add just a few additional items to your regu lar shop.
Consider recipes you can batch cook and freeze to have some readymade meals available,” she said.
Currentl y, t he government has not announced plans to limit access to supermarkets and ph armacies. In other countries where day -to -day movement has been restricted, food shops and pharmacies have rem ained open.
“In times like these, it is more i mportant than ever to be supportin g ea ch other. Keep an eye out on your rel atives and neighbours, particularly those who may need support if they were to self -isolate or fall ill,” said Di versi.
