Food during a crisis

Shopping

• Take advantage of services offering home delivery of shopping and meals. Vulnerable people in the context of COVID-19 take priority for such deliveries. Don't hesitate to ask your family or acquaintances to help by doing your shopping and leaving it outside your front door. A number of shopping initiatives have been set up. Contact your local authority to find out more.

• Check what you have in your store cupboards and organise your menus around the food available.

• If you have a freezer, freeze small portions of dishes or leftovers, such as soup and slices of bread.

• Don't forget to put fresh food, such as fruit and vegetables, on your shopping list.

A balanced diet for seniors

Even during a crisis, it's important to eat a balanced diet. When you don't eat enough, you lose weight, and it is scientifically proven that significant weight loss in old age can lead to complications if you fall ill.

A few tips to help you eat a balanced diet every day :

• Eat 3 portions of milk, yoghurt and cheese, such as for example 1 yoghurt, 1 glass of milk and a slice of cheese on your bread and butter. Milk, yoghurt and cheese contain a lot of protein and don't take much effort to prepare.
• Have 2 portions of fruit. A portion is equivalent to the size of your hand.
• Meat, fish and eggs also form part of a balanced diet. If you are alone, frozen or tinned fish can be convenient. Eggs are quick to prepare and keep for a relatively long time in the fridge.

Lack of appetite

If you don't have much appetite and find you are losing weight, you can add calories and nutrients to your dishes by putting cream in your soup, adding an egg to mashed potato or having milk in your coffee, for example.

If you can't manage to eat 3 large meals per day, try 5-6 small meals throughout the day.

Drink lots of fluids

It's also important to drink approximately 1.5-2L of water per day, which is equivalent to around 8 glasses.

Drink water before you're thirsty, as thirst is the first sign of dehydration. You can drink still water, tap water, sparkling water or infusions.

To make water taste more interesting, add mint or citrus fruit. Let it stand in the fridge and the water will take on some of the flavour.