Hello dear listeners,

This is a crazy time for everyone. And it's an especially difficult time for many whose lives and livelihoods have turned upside down in a matter of days. Our hearts go out to all those facing unexpected and unprecedented challenges as we face the new realities of today. 

We've received a lot of messages asking for our advice on what to stock up on at the grocery store—and for a vegan pantry staples list. So we decided to record this impromptu episode cover our thoughts on how to prepare for the worldwide shutdowns and social distancing during the worst of the pandemic. We also took this opportunity to brainstorm and share a bunch of ideas for infusing some positivity, productivity, and social good into this uncertain and scary period of time.

We hope this episode brings a bright light to your day, and keeps you company while you're washing dishes, or folding the laundry, or cooking, or caring for your little ones at home. 

Sending much love to all of you, from our homes to yours,

♡ Toni & Michelle 

Suggested Grocery Items:

• Breakfast
• Bananas (to freeze at home)
• Frozen Fruit (big packages for smoothies, oatmeal, and baking)
• Oats (for oatmeal, overnight oats, and even smoothies)
• Dried Fruit (such as raisins and goji berries for topping oatmeal and cereal)
• Tofu (for savory tofu scrambles and lunchtime stir fries, and crumbling into pasta sauce for a protein boost)
• Shelf stable soymilk (or cashews / almonds for homemade nutmilk) 
• Cereal
• Mains (Lunch and Dinner)
• Beans (canned or dried)
• Grains (rice and quinoa)
• Frozen veggies
• Shelf-stable marinades
• Pasta and pasta sauce
• Soup staples (dried lentils, barley, farro, split peas)
• Long-lasting vegetables (carrots, celery, onions)
• Vegetable bouillon (instead of vegetable broth for soups)
• Nutritional Yeast (for seasoning and cheesy sauces) 
• Snacks
• Peanut butter
• Nuts + seeds (make trail mix with dried fruit and chocolate chips!)
• Chips and salsa 
• Fresh Medjool Dates (stuff with peanut butter and chocolate chips and freeze)
• Sweets
• Baking Staples (flour, sugar, etc.)
• Earth Balance Butter Sticks (for easy baking)
• Chocolate Chips
• Egg Replacers (ground flaxseeds and water—no need to worry about fresh eggs!)

• DIY Homemade Staples
• Peanut butter
• Nut milk (such as almond milk or cashew milk—you can even blend nut butter with water to get a quick and easy nut milk!)
• Bread
• Pizza dough
• Freeze your own produce

Ways to be positive and to feel useful:

• Connect more via phone or text or video chat (esp to anyone in the hospital who can’t be visited or has to work). Strengthen your family connections. 
• Foster an animal
• Watch documentaries
• Try a new vegan recipe every week
• Shop from small businesses (buy gift cards from restaurants to support them)
• Review your favorite businesses on Yelp 
• Engage with your favorite businesses and creators on social media.
• Disengage with downer posts and avoid overconsumption of news. 
• Thank doctors, airport workers, grocery workers, shelter workers, anyone who has to be on the front lines and go out in the world right now. 
• Learn something new (language, instrument, photography, cooking, etc...get 2 months free on Skillshare!)
• Listen to podcasts (or catch up on your favorites)
• Spend time in nature (and pick up trash when you see it!)
• Deep clean your home, do projects you’ve put off so you'll be more ready than ever to jump back into life on top of the game when this is over. 
• Move your body (home exercises, walk, run, online yoga classes, etc.)
• Meditate
• Deep clean your social media 

Be kind, be safe, look our for each other, and give more than you take.

We leave you all with a simple challenge: leave one thoughtful Yelp review for a small business or restaurant you love. Big hugs!

Additional Show Notes & Mentions:

• Online grocery shopping—beware of sites that allow you to grocery shop and don't let you know until you go to check out that delivery isn't available (like Walmart and Amazon Whole Foods).
• Walmart Website - free pickup over $30 and $10 delivery fee (see above warning)
• Amazon Whole Foods Delivery - free delivery (see above warning)
• Raley's is a grocery store that's mass hiring and prioritizing delivery options to serve the community.  
• When planning a grocery trip: call ahead!
• Banana buying tip: buy both ripe yellow bananas and green bananas that will last longer. And peel before freezing! 
• Make your own nut milk with a nut milk bag. 
• Here's the Instant Pot we recommend (6 qt)
• Instant Pot cooking time table. 
• Michelle's Instant Pot soup recipe
• Soup Recipes from Plant-Based on a Budget
• Soup Recipes from World of Vegan
• Egg replacers article
• Baking recipes on World of Vegan
• Baking recipes on Plant-Based on a Budget
• Free Formed Bread recipe
• Elmhurst Milks (you can buy online)
• 15 Must-See Documentaries to Watch
• 7 Days Documentary (our mini documentary!)
• Learning a language: Toni uses the Pimsleur app—or Duolingo is free!
• Skillshare (online courses—get two months FREE at this link! Learn photography, guitar, etc.)