As COVID-19 makes its way through California, stay-at-home orders have taken place until April 30th by President Trump, forcing restaurants to shut down, grocery stores to become empty and people to cook while stuck inside.

Due to the empty shelves in grocery stores, many people have to survive through a time like this with the food that is left in their refrigerators and pantries Not being able to go to restaurants and sit down, this is the time for students and others to remake recipes that can help them endure the order of staying inside, that has become extended.

For some, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet is still an important factor while not being able to go outside. Meal prepping is one of the ways people can still have a healthy diet alongside their home workouts. During quarantine, the same meal preps can become boring, which can lead to new recipes to change that.

Gym enthusiast and SF State student Keondre Williams follows a meal prepping recipe that can last him for a week at a time. Williams, cooks ground turkey with seasoning of his choice, but also recommends to use any seasonings that go with your taste preference. If using salt, he also stated to use sea salt or Himalayan salt. “I have all kinds of seasoning so I just grab and throw,” Williams said, “get different sauces to add. Soy Sauce, teriyaki, Red Hot sweet hot sauce, you name it.”

1.   Get five packs of turkey, and season turkey.

The recommended brand is the Foster Farm’s meat brand.

2. Grab five packs of sweet corn or mixed vegetables.

Can be either or, depending on what your taste is.

3. Cook on the stove top in a pan, and then spread out 10-14 containers.
4. Place the ground turkey and vegetables in the containers.

This should last five to six days and each meal will be eaten twice a day

If you want to include carbs in between your meals, Williams suggests granola bars.

Meal prepped food can get repetitive. Williams also suggests using different rices, proteins and pastas of your choice to keep the recipes new.

For students that have children, lockdown can become a bonding moment between them. Those who have children can have them help while they prepare food—an activity that will help the kids stay entertained and help you along the way of cooking.

Graduate student and mother of three, Criselda Bernas, she has her son and daughter help with making pizzas.

Bernas uses Mama Mary’s whole grain pizza dough that already comes pre-made to skip the dough making part. When they unpackage the crust, they spread pizza sauce on top and then sprinkle mozzarella cheese all over the dough and sauce. For toppings, pepperoni, pineapple, bell peppers and olives are usually added to the mix.

“Have the kids put the sauce on the crust and the shredded cheese, then all the toppings that they want,” said Bernas.

To cook the pizza, the recommended time and heat for pre-made dough is 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or if using raw dough cook it at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

If you want to cook breakfast with kids, Bernas also states that she has her kids help her cook eggs with her in the morning. She said, “my daughter cracks the eggs and whisks it, and Joseph slices some sausage with a butter knife and chops spinach.”

During this tough time of the pandemic, many recipes are able to be tried with leftover foods that are in our pantries.