The holidays will be very different this year around, with the “new normal” still in full swing. For our holiday-loving community, a question on everyone’s mind is: How will this affect our holiday food spread preparations?
You’re probably worried about the ordeal of going outside to purchase holiday food. After all, there have been studies that show the virus living on surfaces for up to 72 hours. But don’t worry: These facts just mean that we need to stay consistent with our everyday prevention practices. Consider them new rules for living a healthy lifestyle.
Safety will become the number one priority during family gatherings. To help you stay worry-free during your food prep, we gathered some tips on how to go about your holiday food shopping.
Prep your shopping list
Having a game plan even before entering public spaces is the best way to shop efficiently. This will help you lessen your contact with grocery items, move faster and get home sooner. Along with the list prep, you should also gear up with the essentials—a face mask, face shield and sanitizer. Skip on the gloves, since the virus adheres to latex surfaces and might contribute to virus transmission.
Shop early and stock up
With the holidays come the inevitable holiday rush, and the new normal is probably no exception. Avoid the last-minute crowds by shopping as early as possible. Save time by stocking up on at most two weeks of groceries and accomplish everything in one trip. Now all that’s left is to enjoy your food and the company of loved ones.
Consider cashless payments
The less physical contact, the less chance for virus transmission. Going cashless removes the need to withdraw from public ATMs and handle change. It’s also faster—no more scrambling at the cashier to place your bills neatly back into your wallet. Plus, ditching your wallet means that’s also one less item to sanitize once you get back home.
The pandemic may have changed family gatherings as we know it, but we don’t have to completely give up on it. As long as vigilance and cleanliness protocols are strictly observed, the Christmas fiesta can still push on.
