What we’re buying for our family to be prepared for the Coronavirus

ByElisabeth McKnight

How are you hanging in there? 

Are you feeling anxious and worried about the Coronavirus? Are you stockpiling just in case? Are you more worried about the panic caused by people stockpiling everything? When I talked about preparing for the public reaction to the Coronavirus on instagram and asked for your ideas so many of you were eager for me to share. Together we came up with a great list of things we can have on hand in face of recent developments.

Here in Boston the government has declared a state of emergency, schools have been closed, and store shelves are empty of Clorox wipes an hour after Target opens each day. 

Why to stockpile in the face of Covid-19

There is a real possibility you will have a reason to observe a two week quarantine (whether you contract the virus or not) so having the things you need on hand is important.

There are also a few other scenarios to be prepared for, now that people have been buying up everything from store shelves. If a non-virus incident occurs next week, you might not be able to run to the store like you usually would. If you fall down and get a big scrape on your knee, it is quite possible you won’t be able to get any antispectic, gauze, or bandaids at your local pharmacy. If your baby runs a fever this weekend, you might not be able to pick up infant tylenol from Target. This doesn’t mean you need a six month supply of first aid but it DOES mean you’ll feel more calm and prepared if you have the essentials in case of an emergency. 

We have three little ones at home and this is what I’ve been making sure we have on hand, just in case. 

What to have on hand for the family during the Coronavirus outbreak: 

  • 2 weeks supply of food
    • IDEAS (the best advice my mom gives on food storage is to buy things you actually eat):
      • shelf stable grains like pasta, rice, oats, cereal
      • meats that can stay frozen (chicken, ground beef, frozen meatballs, and in our case, frozen Trader Joes Orange Chicken)
      • canned meats like tuna and chicken
      • canned and frozen vegetables
      • eggs keep well in the fridge 
      • freeze cheese to add flavor to the rest of your food
      • shelf stable whipping cream can add a lot to sauces 
      • Fairlife milk has a two month shelf life (in the fridge) and as a bonus it has twice the protein and half the sugar 
      • oatmeal works well for a breakfast without milk 
      • don’t forget snacks like protein bars, nuts, and dried fruit
      • frozen meals – these are so easy and usually require very little prep which is a bonus if you’re trying to keep kids occupied inside all day (Trader Joes is our favorite for these) 
  • first aid supplies
  • vitamins
  • paper goods
    • toilet paper (2 weeks worth, not two years worth like you see people buying)
    • paper towels
    • tissues
  • feminine care
  • dish soap
  • hand soap
  • toiletries
  • cold and pain medication for all family members
  • inside entertainment: if you’re stuck inside under quarantine for two weeks, what will you do? 
  • treats (chocolate does wonders for your mental wellbeing) 

Things to have on hand for your baby during the Corona virus outbreak: 

  • Infant formula (1 or more months supply – this is the one thing I am paranoid about so we have 2-3 months on hand)
  • Diapers! Consider getting a few cloth diapers just in case you won’t be able to get disposable diapers. 
  • Wipes
  • Infant pain medication (tylenol, advil) 
  • cough syrup (this Zarabees is safe for infants) 
  • Electrolytes (like pedialyte)
  • Baby food. Luckily food before 1 is just for fun but have a few things on hand. We grabbed some big boxes of plain cheerios and then baby can mostly eat what we eat in addition to his infant formula. 
  • Thermometer 
  • Nose Frida (infinitely better than suction bulbs)
  • Humidifier 

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