Let’s face it: the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed many aspects of life as we knew it. One of those changes is our ability to safely and comfortably dine in at our favorite restaurants. This isn’t close to the most pressing problem created by this pandemic, but all these limitations together erode our sense of normalcy. It looks like social distancing will be necessary for many months to come, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still appreciate our meals. Here are some ways to enjoy a good meal and recreate the restaurant experience without endangering yourself and food service workers.
 

Winter Picnic Ideas:

The safest way to spend time with family and friends in-person is by doing it outdoors, at a distance. As we move into the winter months, this doesn’t have to become impossible! To plan a backyard or park hangout, check the forecast in advance and plan to meet on a dry day. However, even if isn’t raining, the Oregon cold weather environment can be pretty damp. Bundle up warm and don’t let mud ruin your cold weather picnic by remembering to bring a tarp or cut up garbage bags to lay underneath your picnic blanket! 

Beat the cold by bringing a delicious hot drink in an insulated mug or thermos. Hot chocolate is always sure to lift spirits and internal temperatures! For the 21+ crowd, try a hot toddy or my personal favorite, a warm mulled wine.

All you need is:

• red wine (Trader Joe’s has the cheapest!)

• bourbon

• oranges

• sugar

• a few whole cloves

• cinnamon sticks

In a large pot on the stove, simmer the bottle of wine, spices, and orange slices. Spike with as much bourbon as you like and add sugar to taste.
 

Dress-up your take-out:

Since it is no longer recommended to eat inside restaurants, we’ve all been ordering a lot of take-out, and our static, often stressful environments can make even eating our favorite foods boring. Next time you order in, there are a few things you can do to make the experience more satisfying.

Set the Mood

Invite your housemates to eat with you for some socialization, clean your living space up a little, play chill music, and light candles to give your home a restaurant ambiance. Instead of eating directly out of take-out boxes, use your own dishes and silverware. When you order your food, you can give the restaurant special instructions to leave out the disposable cutlery—it’s better for the environment to make use of what you already have!

Enhance with Appetizers

A huge perk to taking your favorite restaurant meal home is that you can save money by making your own appetizers and coordinating fun drinks. When I’m ordering Asian food, I love to heat up frozen Trader Joe’s potstickers to snack on while I wait for food to arrive. Or you could make homemade guacamole and margaritas next time you order burritos to change a quick meal into a fun activity. 
 

Get Creative:

Something my roommates and I like to do is try to recreate our favorite restaurant meals from scratch. Simply find the menus online, read the ingredients listed in the description of your favorite meals, and try to put it together at home by finding similar recipes. For the produce you’ll need, you could skip the extra plastic packaging that comes from a grocery store, venture outdoors, and check out the Lane County farmers’ market, open downtown on 8th & Oak  on Saturdays from 9-3 and Tuesdays from 10-3, to look for fresh locally grown produce to use in your creation!