You clean. You disinfect. You wash your hands obsessively. Yet somehow cold and flu season hits your house. Make this cold season easier on yourself by stocking up on supplies for the inevitable case of sniffles. Here is a handy supply list of items to have on hand during cold and flu season.
Cold and Flu Survival Kit:
- Tissues with lotion
- Bleach (To make a bleach solution for disinfecting use ¼ cup bleach and 2-¼ cup water. Pour the bleach first into a clean spray bottle or bucket using a funnel to avoid splashing. Then pour water. Mix well. Don’t add any additional cleaners and make the solution in a well-ventilated room. Bleach loses it effectiveness quickly so make a new batch each day.)
- Disinfecting spray and/or wipes (Make sure it kills 99% of germs then use according to the directions so it’s most effective.)
- Chicken Noddle Soup (You’ll never eat the canned stuff again after you make it yourself. Very easy and you can freeze the leftovers. See recipe below.)
- Popsicles
- Pedialyte or fruit juice
- Bananas, crackers, applesauce, rice (the microwave variety is very convenient), and bread (All good food options for upset tummies.)
- Laundry Detergent
- Infant or Children’s Tylenol (Don’t forget an adult bottle just in case!)
- Diaper Rash Cream
- Thermometer (The first thing the doctor will ask is if your child has a fever.)
When a cold strikes nothing can beat a pot of homemade Chicken Noodle Soup it makes the house smell amazing. It tastes a million times better than canned soup and it is easy to make. Plus your kids will always remember your homemade soup.
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
1 TBSP olive oil
1 medium onion (1/2 Cup)
2 medium celery stalks (1/2 cup)
2 medium carrots (1 Cup)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups cooked egg noodles
1 TBSP fresh parsley (If your kids don’t like green feel free to skip this)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 dried bay leaf
1 box of chicken stock (32 oz )
In large saucepan or Dutch oven heat oil over medium heat add onions and carrots and cook for 4 minutes stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients heat to a boil and then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally until carrots, celery and pasta are tender. Remove bay leaf and serve.
Want more flavors in your soup? Add in any of these:
- ½ TSP dried basil
- ½ TSP dried oregano
- ½ TSP fresh minced garlic
To freeze soup let it cool completely. Pour into a labeled Ziploc bag. Squeeze out excess air, seal and lay on a jellyroll pan (baking sheet with edges) place in the freezer for 2 -3 hours until hard. Once soup is frozen flat, remove your pan and store your soup.
Linnet Husi lives in Milwaukee with her family. She makes a lot of Chicken Noodle Soup in the winter.