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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Our food supply to doing remarkedly well under these most difficult times. Mitch Arends, Senior Vice President for Kraft Heinz oversees the company’s manufacturing facilities and the 19,000 employees that work in them. They are currently running these plants 24-hours a day with no issues in their ingredient and supply chains. As a matter of fact, attendance at work has been stronger in the last few weeks with an employee social media initiative #WegotyouAmerica.
Kraft is just one example of how food companies have stepped up. Many are by-passing traditional supply chains and delivering directly to grocer’s warehouses. Plants are initiating more cleaning procedures and social distancing between work stations and in breakrooms and employee cafeterias. Keeping workers healthy is essential to keeping our food supply moving.
Grocery chains are becoming inventive offering senior-only shopping hours, one-way aisles to encourage physical and social distancing, limiting the number of customers in stores at one time, and discouraging reusable bags. Some supermarkets have cut hours to provide time to restock shelves when the stores are empty, to have more time for cleaning, and most importantly to give their staff a much needed break. Plexiglass guards are becoming standard at check out as are hash marks on the floor to promote distancing. An average shopping cart is three feet long. Use this as a measure to space you from other shoppers – two shopping carts apart. Kroger, the nation’s largest operator of traditional supermarkets has increased pay for hourly workers that are helping to keep stores open and has begun to take employees’ temperatures at some stores, especially in areas where cases are spiking, like Dallas. Kroger has also initiated pick-up-only stores and other chains may adopt this idea as well.
The California Grocers Association has released a list of shopping tips. They are basic commonsense but nonetheless bear repeating to be sure we use these simple practical steps.
Only shop when you need to. We are not facing a food shortage so there is no need to overbuy. Pick up a week, or at the most a 2 week supply of food. There is no need to overfill your cart and some stores are limiting the number of items, not because of shortages but so a few don’t clear the shelves. Look over what you have at home and be creative putting together meals.
Don’t use reusable bags. Many stores are banning them or at the least making you self-bag. It is wiser to take one-use paper or plastic bags for now and discard them when you get home.
Shop alone. Designate a shopper for the family. This is not the time to take the kids shopping. This relieves overcrowding and over-exposure.
Practice social distancing. Keep in mind the 2 shopping cart rule – 6 feet apart. If someone is in front of items you need, wait and select after they have moved on.
Inspect what you need with your eyes not your hands. Try not to pick up cans and boxes unless you intend to buy that item. Avoid handling fresh fruits and vegetables. Use a produce bag like a glove to select what you wish to buy.
Don’t crowd the checkout aisle. Where available use the hashtags on the floor. If someone crowds you, politely ask them to step back.
Treat grocery employees with kindness. A smile and thank you goes a long way.
Give yourself extra time to shop. Check for new store hours or special times for special populations. Recognize that many stores are limiting the number of people in stores at one time. You may need to wait outside until it is your turn. This is for everyone’s safety. Don’t complain.
The Food Marketing Institute is trying to cut through all the misinformation about food to help us shop and eat safely. Covid-19 is a respiratory disease not a foodborne illness. The GI tract is not the route of infection. Even though our Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, says he wipes down his groceries after shopping, there is no need to disinfect groceries. Food packaging has not been shown to be a significant vector of transmission. If you avoid multiple touching of items before selection, throw out shopping bags, and wash your hands thoroughly after putting the groceries away you are protecting against transmission. Just before use, rinse fresh product under running water. There is no need to rewash fruits and vegetables labeled ready-to-eat, washed, or tripled washed.
There are a lot of things we cannot control as the coronavirus sweeps across the US. It is natural to be worried and cautious but the US food supply is safe and the supply chains are open.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 30 books.
Available as eBooks from iTunes and Kindle/Amazon:
Diabetes Counter – the most up-to-date information on managing diabetes
Calorie Counter – a weight loss guide that won’t let you down
Protein Counter – put the latest protein recommendations to work for you
Healthy Wholefoods Counter – planet-friendly eating made easy
Complete Food Counter – food counts and nutrition information at your fingertips
Fat and Cholesterol Counter – newest approach to heart-healthy eating
Available in print from Gallery Books:
Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd Ed.
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com or on Twitter #JoAnnHeslinRD.