The flu is coming: Stock your pantry!

Have you gotten your flu shot yet? Or do you believe the shot is worse than the flu?  See this map? 

Uh, oh. It's already gone from no reports to sporadic. The flu is coming for you.

It’s now November. The CDC is telling you it's time. Every drugstore, Target, Walmart and doctor’s office is telling you it’s time. The flu is just around the corner. Yep, those germs are lurking behind every cough, on every door handle, in the air. For goodness sake, don’t touch anything! Wash your hands. Cough into your elbow. Stop breathing!

I am one of those people who gets her flu shot every year.  I got the flu late in the 2002 season and ended up pretty much bedridden for six months.  We always hear about the number of deaths the flu causes but never about the 100,000 or so folks it affects in less permanent ways.

As a former microbiologist I LOVE reading about the most famous influenza pandemics of all time, the one that spread across the world in 1918 and 1919.  With so many books being set in that era these days, more and more authors are touching on the disease in their novels. Nothing like almost death bed confessions of love!

One of my favorite romances dealing with the outbreak in the US is Homefront Hero by Allie Pleiter.

I adore this book and not just for the pandemic. Lovely. Get the ebook here.

Speaking of love, when November rolls around I know it is time to stock up on foods that help if the flu or other respiratory illness hits.  Man O can’t run to the store for me because of the preservatives, corn sugar or wheat. The poor guy is totally flummoxed. It’s better if I just tell him where to go in the pantry or freezer.

So here is my list of go to items:

Chicken stock

Chicken stock-ed. And a big container in case a pandemic hits.

No stock with preservatives for me. I throw a picked over roaster chicken (ie, the skeleton) in a pot with 16 cups of water, an onion, a clove of fresh garlic, three tablespoons salt. (I don't add other spices until I use the stock for soup.) Heat to boiling then cover and turn down to medium. Cook over the stove for four hours, covered. Watch to make sure you don't let the pot go dry. That's where the cover comes in handy.  Place pot in an ice bath to cool and immediately put in glass containers and freeze. Make sure to follow good food sanitation. You don't want to get sick from what is supposed to make you feel better.   

English Afternoon Tea and Honey

I won't tell you how many boxes of tea are in my pantry. I am prepared for daily afternoon tea AND the flu.

Lozenges made with honey or non-corn sugars

I found the Lovely brand fruit lozenges at our local Fresh Market and the honey candy from a local honey producer.

Crackerish things

I have lovely almond crackers I make but they don't last long. Have I mentioned ManO isn't so sure about making my special recipes? So I cut him some slack and pretend all-natural potato chips or rice crackers are my saltines.  I miss saltines and Campbells chicken noodle soup. Reminds me of my childhood. Sniff.

Sparkly soda and fruit juice

I'm fortunate to be near stores with all natural sodas and organic fruit juices. But I try not to overdo these things when I get sick. All that sugar is not helpful to the body when it's trying to recover. Still, they are part of my emergency preparedness.

Are you prepared for the illnesses winter brings? What do you make sure to have on hand with folks come down with fevers, aches and chills? Do you have some home remedies that have been passed down? Or ones you've had to give up because of the ingredients?