Family and Health
Stock Up & Share: H1N1 Survival Food Kit
Are you ready? If you become sick with flu-like symptoms, it is recommended that you stay home and avoid contact with others for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone. This means you and/or your family may need to stay at home for up to 14 days and the need to maintain a healthy diet is crucial to building a strong immune system and fighting the flu. Stock up now to be prepared with a "Stock Up and Share H1N1 Survival Food Kit."
Stock up and share. Many people do not have the money to purchase food to save in an H1N1 survival food kit. Stock up and share food products from the "Stock Up and Share H1N1 Survival Food Kit" shopping list to help out a neighbor, the Vermont Food Bank, or your local food shelf.
Prepare Now ... help yourself and others
Prepare now with a two-week supply of food. Purchase the recommended foods on the "H1N1 Survival Food Kit" Shopping List and set aside the foods in a special container or closet. Also check the inventory in your freezer to make sure you have enough frozen vegetables, fruits, breads, and meats available for two weeks. Remember to include formula for infants, canned or jarred baby food, and any child's or older person's special nutritional needs. If someone needs to follow a low-sodium diet, purchase no salt or low-sodium products. Always drain and rinse canned vegetables and meat. If there is a seasoning packet, (i.e., Ramen noodles) use only 1/2 the packet when preparing the item. Purchase low-sodium or no-salt crackers. When preparing meals for a person with who has diabetes, use canned fruits packed in 100% fruit juice or water that are drained and rinsed and sugar-free gelatin products. Remember to plan for your pets, too.
Along with the "H1N1 Survival Food Kit" Shopping List you will find a two-week menu planner and recipes to use with the foods that you have collected.
H1N1 Influenza Pandemic Flu Information
Monitor yourself and members of your household for common flu symptoms including fever of 100 degrees or higher, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. If you have a fever along with other symptoms, please call your medical provider to determine whether you should be tested for flu. If you do have the flu, please stay home to avoid infecting others.
Stock Up and Share Meal Plans
Recipes
- Baked Egg Roll
- Bean Enchiladas
- Bisquick Pancakes ®
- Brunswick Stew
- Carrot Muffins
- Create your own Casserole
- Parmesan Wedges
- Peach Pancakes
- Ramen Noodles with Chicken and Corn
- Rice with Cinnamon Sugar
- Salmon Patties
- Salmon Sheperd
- Sensational Six-Layer Dinner
- Tortilla Soup
- Tuna Wiggle
Stock Up and Share
Frequently Asked Questions
- How long after exposure to a flu virus do symptoms appear?
- It is likely that this virus takes 1-3 days between the time it is contracted and first symptoms appear.
- How long can an infected person spread this virus to others?
- People infected with seasonal and novel H1N1 flu shed virus and may be able to infect others from 1 day before to 5 to 7 days after they begin to feel sick. This can be longer in some people, especially children, people with weakened immune systems, and people infected with the new H1N1 virus.
- How long can influenza virus remain viable on objects (such as books and doorknobs)?
- Studies have shown that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person for 2 to 8 hours after being deposited on the surface.
For further information, contact Diane Mincher, UVM Extension Nutrition and Food Specialist at 802-388-4969 or 1-800-956-1125 or Diane.Mincher@uvm.edu
Any reference to commercial products, trade names, or brand names is for information only, and no endorsement or approval is intended.
Last modified December 02 2009 03:25 PM