Imagine an empty supermarket, no trolleys and no food. It has happened quite recently in Russia. Assume the UK Government has decided to put us on a credit crunch diet and implemented food rationing – essential items only. How would you prioritise the stocking up of the empty shelves? From a nutritionist’s point of view this is not so difficult, because you need only a modest shopping list to achieve a palatable balanced diet, but it would be a nightmare for food retailers, with most of their lines redundant overnight.
What Do We Need to Survive?
First shelf
If we had no safe water supplies to drink, we would be in trouble within hours. Our bodies cannot survive without regular fluid intake and this is even more critical for babies, the elderly and hospitalised. So let’s assume we have tap water and encourage the sale of orange juice - ready to dilute. No need for fancy fresh products or smoothies. Tea leaves and coffee beans if you must.
Second shelf
Bread and potatoes are good staple foods on account of their starch content, and if the loaf is fortified with extra vitamins and minerals - so much the better. Providing some butter & margarine would be a good move, because the latter can also be fortified - and occasionally you can fry things in it. Breakfast cereals are mostly luxury goods - save acres of supermarket shelving by switching to a basic muesli or oatmeal for porridge. Allow the sale of flour, sugar and similar ingredients for baking purposes.
Third shelf
Fruit and vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals, but you do not need to look very far to get the basics, depending on the season. Plenty of greens and salad items, together with apples, oranges and bananas will cover our dietary needs. Forget the frozen puddings and pizzas for once.
Fourth shelf
Dairy products next – eggs, milk and cheese, providing calcium and calories in abundance and don’t grumble about the lack of choice here. How many types of cheese do you really need? Eggs are almost a perfect food, along with milk. If chicks can survive on the nutrients inside an egg, then so can you.
Fifth & Final Shelf
How many "vegetarians" will eat meat when real hunger sets in? A surprising number - when you include fish and chicken. If you can get by without, remember to include extra dairy products, cereals and nuts for valuable protein and calories. No room for lifestyle statements here – we are talking about survival. Omnivores can opt for a fresh chicken - and other meat if you can catch it, but you will have to learn how to cook and then preserve it because meat does not stay fresh for long.
What’s Missing?
- This austere post-war style of diet assumes we have refrigerators, but no freezers or microwaves.
- Alcohol is for sale in the public houses and nowhere else. Home brewing makes a come-back.
- Confectionary, cakes and biscuits can be made at home from basic ingredients.
- The posh deli counter has disappeared and so mercifully, has pet food.
- Frozen food has gone, but now we have an allotment and a spade.
- Instant ready meals don’t get a mention, and packaging has been substantially reduced.
This may not be some peoples’ vision of a nutritional utopia, but the advantages of this approach to supermarket shopping are threefold: you save time, money - and lose weight! Dig for your Diet!
References
- Food Standards Agency (2008). Manual of Nutrition. London TSO.
- Webster-Gandy J,Madden A, Holdsworth M.(2006). Oxford Handbook of Nutrition & Dietetics.
