Many of us who are living a frugal and simple life are a little more prepared for the quarantine life. But, without the ability to be out and shop for great deals, it’s still tough. As we all work together to protect ourselves and our neighbors, we have to be intentional in this quarantine life. With our pantry either filled with staples or missing some of the items that we wanted to purchase, we are all trying to be frugal and creative in meal preparations. I’m turning to recipes that provide one-pot meals and are balanced. I’ve chosen to alternate meat meals with no-meat dishes. On the no-meat days, we get protein with beans, nuts, or eggs. This keeps the freezer from getting empty faster, saves money, and limits shopping trips. We’re also getting groceries delivered, but many items are out-of-stock. Soups are one of the best ways to make easy, frugal, and comforting meals for the family. Adding whatever veggies that you have with a wonderful broth is delicious. Some days I may add chicken or beef, and somedays plenty of beans can be the protein. We also love to have breakfast for supper. Last night we ate eggs, home-made muffins and a chicken-sausage link. It was delicious and very filling. I usually love to have a salad with my meals, but we’ve been skipping the loose leaf lettuce. I prefer to get food that is a little less open to germs. We haven’t gotten bored at our house, but many of you probably have a problem with boredom. My family is full of introverts, so we love being home with a good book or tv show. In our city, there are no open libraries. But, if you have an e-reader or e-reading app you can continue to find plenty of reading material. We also love to find good tv shows or movies. Amazon Prime, Netflix, or Hulu offer endless material! Skip the sad shows and get a few laughs with some comedies. If you’re like me, you enjoy a great documentary, too. Texting, skyping, zooming, or whatever you like to use is a great way to stay in touch with all of our loved ones. Two of my children are very far away and I worry about them and miss them terribly. I’m sure that you are also staying in touch with lots of calls! Without the gyms being opened we all need to be a little more creative with getting exercise. Do you have any home gym equipment? If not, try some old-fashioned calisthenics. But, you can also find exercise programs galore on: Youtube, Amazon Prime and more. What’s your favorite? I love Amazon Prime, because of the huge variety! If you’re alone and want to keep your fingers busy, pull out some hand-sewing, crochet yarn, or knitting. This would be a great time to try and learn a new craft. Pinterest has tons of ideas for creative projects. I love old-fashioned puzzles, too. Many great game apps are available for free on your phones or tablets. Board games can be dusted off and played for hours of laughs with kids and adults alike. Teaching yourself a new recipe, cooking technique, or getting kids involved in the kitchen can also be fun and fulfilling. If you can’t find a particular item for your recipe, try something new or make up your own recipes. You may find a brand-new favorite! Self-care is a very important way to make sure that you feel well mentally and physically. Be careful to get enough sleep and stay hydrated. Eat as healthy as possible. Take a spa day. Enjoy a soothing bath with essential oils or bubbles. Deep-condition your hair and give yourself a manicure and pedicure. Praying and meditating are ways that you can restore yourself spiritually. We have family prayer-time and it’s a wonderful and peaceful time to remind ourselves of God’s love. Doing things for others is also beneficial to everyone, including yourself. What is your favorite tip to share? During this time, we should stay united in the goal to decrease every case of the virus. Helping our health-care professionals by staying home is worth it to those of us who can. I hope and pray that you all stay safe and healthy. @2020, copyright Lisa Ehrman
