Don’t get stuck without the things you will definitely need when flu season hits (especially if you live in a very cold area). Just a little bit of prep done beforehand may just save the day by creating a winter prep flu kit of things to always have on hand.
I cannot even tell you how many times I have thought about doing a flu kit, didn’t do it, and then ended up kicking myself later because we were in a pinch…Running errands when I have been cleaning up puke all day is the last thing that I or anyone else wants to/or even has the time to do when more than one child is sick at the same time (keeping up with the laundry and disinfecting is hard enough when that happens).
So, I am being proactive this time for the onslaught of flu season this winter and gathering all of the items we use so that we are ready and hopefully won’t have to go out in a storm or put someone out to get those items for us.
*This post is intended to get you thinking about your own family and give you an example of what I did and why. Obviously you can change things to suit your own needs or dietary restrictions…and always remember that I’m just an experienced mom…not a medical professional. My advice is just that so take it or leave it while using your best judgment.*
How to prepare for Flu Season:
I tend to keep my flu bug prep quite simple and haven’t really deviated too much from what my parents did for me when I was a kid…
Which usually consisted of them giving me Soda Crackers and 7 Up (any lemon-lime soda will do). Follow that up with some Gatorade or Pedialyte (whichever is age-appropriate for the person that is sick) to help rehydrate.
Such “easy as pie” items to have on hand could be the difference between life and death in some situations , especially if there is a natural disaster and no way to make it to a hospital (yes, the prepper in me always thinks worst case scenario…lol).
So, my advice to you is to make sure that you have enough of each of these items on hand to have your entire family or household (yes, because almost everyone gets infected) covered in case of sickness.
The amount needed will be different for everyone, so try to think back on past experiences with stomach bugs and buy a realistic amount to have on hand.
When I buy my Soda Crackers I try to “healthy” it up just a bit and get whole grain…but whichever your family will actually eat is what you should buy.
7 Up is my lemon-lime soda of choice because it has no artificial colors or sweeteners (I’m pretty sure Sierra Mist is just as good).
Y’all are going to think that my reasoning for choice of “rehydration drink” color is funny… but I’m practical if nothing else.
I buy the lightest color of Gatorade I can find (for the adults and big kids)…not just because it should have less artificial coloring, but because it is very likely to get thrown up and I don’t want anything getting stained by the dye in the drink.
Then I recommend buying an unflavored and uncolored generic version of Pedialyte for any babies and toddlers…
There should be enough sugar in it to make them want to drink it all up which will get them rehydrated real quick.
You can also make sure to stock up on disinfectant wipes, Lysol, and/or white cleaning vinegar. I personally have a pretty intense cleaning regimen that I do whenever there is sickness in the house, so if you would like to know what what OCD cleaning I do make sure to check out my post called:
The Ultimate Guide On What To Clean During Times Of Sickness
Anyway, these were just some of my ideas to get you thinking and prepared for flu season this year.
I’m anticipating that I bought enough to get us through two winters…unless the flu-pocalypse hits. In which case I will be even more thankful that I thought ahead to get this done.
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog! Please make sure to share this post via social media if you found it helpful! ~Sarah
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*This idea was originally shared on this blog on September 28, 2015 and has since been updated to make a much better user experience as well as making it more shareable.