KUALA LUMPUR – With the year-end monsoon season hitting Malaysian shores, the public should prepare for the worst. Rising waters and being trapped either in their own home or on high grounds are possibilities as their housing areas get caught in the flood.
So, flood-prone households should prepare for the inevitable. At the bare minimum, stock up on long-lasting, easy-to-cook food items and portable equipment to prepare simple dishes that a family can enjoy.
Otherwise, an unprepared household may face malnourishment. This is more so if there are young children or the elderly who are prone to be infected by diseases if they lack enough daily nutrients.
Below are some suggestions for a budget-friendly, balanced and long-lasting grocery list a household can stock up if they are trapped by the floods and rescue could be days away:
1. Energy foods:
Complex carbohydrates/Grains – Rice, dried noodles (mee hoon/wantan/yee mee/mee suah/tang hoon or glass noodles or su hun), dried pasta (spaghetti/macaroni), oats, Nestum (instant, 3-in-1 packets), variety of breakfast cereal/cereal bars, wholegrain/plain crackers, biscuits, tortilla wraps, frozen roti canai/capati, all-purpose white or wholemeal flour (to make homemade pancakes/lempeng/homemade roti canai /prata), other grains such as barley, potatoes (fresh/frozen/mashed potato powders/yam/sweet potato), rice flour (for idli/thosai).
2. Protein foods:
Eggs, canned tuna/sardine/meat/seafood, ikan bilis, dried prawns and dry/canned beans/dhall/legumes/tempeh, nuts, peanut butters and seeds and seed butters/powders, dried fuchok/beancurd/tofu, cooked meat/seafood dishes in packets.
3. Vegetable group:
Leafy green vegetables/salads/ulam do not last very long and need to be cooked/eaten when purchased. Choose vegetables that keep for longer in the fridge/outdoor such as cucumber, pumpkin, zucchini, brinjal/aubergines, carrots, ladies’ fingers, bitter/snake gourd/ petola, capsicum/peppers, baby corn/sweet corn, kacang botol and tomatoes. Also, look for canned/tinned vegetables such as peas/corn/mushrooms/tomatoes or dried vegetables (mushrooms).
4. Fruits:
Buy local or seasonal or longer-lasting fruits as these are cheaper. Such as bananas, guava, jackfruit/cempedak, to name a few, or dried or pickled (jeruk) fruits (dates/raisins/cranberries/apricots/guava/mango/prunes) or canned fruits (if available on sale).
5. Dairy products (also a great source of protein, calcium and vitamin D):
Liquid (UHT) or powdered milk.
6. Miscellaneous cooking items/products:
Cooking oil, non-refrigerated margarine, jam, gula Melaka, salt, pepper, fresh/dried herbs and spices/leaves, sugar, salt, packet or bottles sauces, stock cubes, fresh or dried flavouring ingredients (onion, garlic, ginger, serai, turmeric, pandan, coriander, parsley, bunga kantan, curry leaves, etc), dried chilli/chilli powder/chili flakes, tamarind/asam jawa, lemon/lime/limau kasturi (leftover can be used to infuse your water or added into dishwashing liquid to remove grease), powder/packet coconut cream/desiccated coconut/kerisik, vinegar, mayonnaise, honey, packet blended chili.
6. Other tips:
Blend/cut and freeze and/or fry onions/garlic/ginger or store in oil/vinegar to keep items last longer. Keep extra bawang goreng/garlic goreng/ginger goreng.
Raw/leftover vegetables/chili/fried chili and puree into paste/pesto/flavouring sauce/dip or oil/jeruk/acar/kerabu.
Instant noodles are easy to prepare and cheap but if one has limited choices available, do add vegetables such as cabbage/carrots/tomatoes or finely sliced cucumber on the side with eggs/meat and flavour with chillies or onions or garlic (fresh or dried)/herbs (fresh or dried)/lemon or lime.
Keep onion/garlic/ginger/chili/lemongrass/fresh herbs/ulam in oil/vinegar/lime/lemon for flavouring/to keep longer.
Powdered milk has longer shelf life compared to fresh milk, whilst UHT milk can be stored at room temperature (only refrigerate once consumed/used). Fresh milk has the shortest expiry date.
Keep a stock of serunding (floss)/ sambal kering (dried chili)/ packet cakes/ buns/ packet juices/ikan bilis goreng (fried anchovies).
7. Portable cooking equipment that does not need electricity:
Hot water flasks, gas stove kettle, portable food chopper, half-boiled egg maker (plastic), water filter jugs, portable/ camping gas stove/ mini gas burner, water purification tablets, butane gas cartridges.
Pro tip: Check what you already have in your kitchen, pantry, freezer, or fridge. Prepare an inventory list including the expiry date of the food that you already have in your pantry.
You may need to free space for the longer-lasting consumables, so check for expired items and throw those away. Cook the food that is nearing the expiry date first. – The Vibes, November 1, 2022
Rozanna M Rosly is a clinical dietitian working at the Global Doctors Hospital.
