Mind games in COVID…chapter 47…

So it’s time to make dinner. The delightful wall calendar beside me informs me it’s “Make Up Your Own Holiday Day.” Hmmm…I know. Tuesday gets all the tacos…so today shall be Burrito Thursday. I have all the ingredients to make bean burritos and a side of Mexican corn cake. I also have a package of quick cooking Spanish rice…and here’s my dilemma.

We are currently well-stocked with most of the food I’d like to have on hand (although — where is the FLOUR!?!?). I am a menu planner and meal prepper from way back, and I don’t have any other pressing needs for the Spanish rice. It would make a nice addition to the meal…but do we NEED it? Is the corn cake enough on the side with fresh fruit? Yes…but we like rice with our beans (vegetarian household) and again, the rice has sort of orphan status in the pantry.

Is this a touch of food insecurity? Not knowing when I’ll be able to get more shelf-stable foods (because of risk factors to COVID-19 infection and the state’s orders, we are staying IN, and my grocery deliveries have been like a bad child’s list to Santa — hoping for SOMETHING on the list…) am I starting to project future scarcity? Our state predicts that we are about to start a surge of cases…will we be able to get food safely then? Or am I just a bit of a controlling whack job? Maybe… I’m the one who keeps us provisioned, and I enjoy cooking. I’ve seen ransacked grocery shelves and seen the scarcity that continues beyond week 2 of Ohio’s very wise Stay at Home order. I have faith that the food is on its way. (After all, I saw a full size Twinkie truck recently…whew!)

I’m not really comfortable using the term food insecurity for our situation– because I don’t have it. I’m lucky to still be working (teaching babies over the phone and video). I can afford the food I want (if I can get it). I live in a city that has delivery options for groceries… Some of my little students’ families really do have ongoing food insecurity, even when the world is not battling this virus. But as the provider of food for my home, I do keep a weather eye on supplies. (A pause while I google whether you can freeze sour cream…because we will have some left, and dairy is precious…answer…yes, if you’re willing to work to get the texture back after a thaw.)

Oh, and the rice? Shoot — it’s an official holiday (remember Burrito Thursday?) Let’s pull out the rice and celebrate! (But don’t throw it…not that kind of celebration.)

Breathing deep, washing my hands, and taking control of what I can,

M