Homebound Hacks: A Guide to Cooped-Up Cooking
Natalia Klenova / EyeEm//Getty Images

Stuck on what's for dinner tonight? Tomorrow night? The next however long? The landscape of food preparation at home has completely changed as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, and many families are working hard to stay creative — we're here to help.

In the past 30 days, searches for freezer meal prep have increased 130%, searches for the best non-perishable foods have increased 50%, and interest in easy baked chicken recipes is up 50% in Google Trends — not to mention people are also searching for information about how to make their food last even longer. Search interest around freezing bread is up 550%, and queries about how long the average carton of eggs will last are up 50%, just to name a few trending terms.

Whether you're cooking from whatever's in your pantry and freezer, or what's left on market shelves, our goal is to bring everyone to the table. Thanks to Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen experts and our editors diligently researching the answers to your most pressing questions, our curated guide can help you navigate your kitchen during these unprecedented times.

Read on for ingenious ingredient substitutions, make-ahead meals to feed big families, easy recipes to make when your kids just won't eat anything, and essential how-tos, like how to properly freeze and defrost meat or soak that big bag of beans you have sitting on the shelf.


pantry essentials
pantry organization ideas, wire racks on the opened white pantry door with food inside
What to Buy for Coronavirus Preparation

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Alison Gootee
non perishable foods that store easily
Non-Perishable Foods That Store Easily
Healthy Non-Perishable Snacks
Healthy Non-Perishable Snacks
cook what's in your pantry
Cook What's in Your Pantry
Danielle Occhiogrosso Daly
healthy canned food
Healthy Canned Foods
healthy frozen foods
Healthy Frozen Foods


easy recipes
Chicken Breast Recipes That Are Anything But Boring
Chicken Recipes
Danielle Daly
easy egg recipes for your best brunch ever
Egg Recipes
Mike Garten
Quick and Easy Healthy Breakfasts for Your Busiest Mornings
Easy Breakfasts
Mike Garten
Easy Ground Beef Recipes for True Meat Lovers
Ground Beef Recipes
Mike Garten
Delicious Tuna Recipes That Put Your Average Tuna Sandwich to Shame
Tuna Recipes
Mike Garten
Delicious Black Bean Recipes for Fast and Flavorful Comfort Food
Black Bean Recipes
Danielle Occhiogrosso

smart substitutes
a plate of pasta with greens and breadcrumbs
Substitutes for Bread Crumbs
Danielle Daly
Substitutes for Pasta
Substitutes for Pasta
Mike Garten
Substitute for Eggs
Substitutes for Eggs
istetiana//Getty Images



quick how-tos
How to Cook Dried Beans
How to Cook Dried Beans
a raw steak on butcher paper
How to Defrost Meat Fast
How to Freeze Bread the Right Way
How to Freeze Bread the Right Way

shelf life


a pile of dried chickpeas against a blue background
How Long Do Dried Beans Last?
a raw steak on a calendar with a red circle around it
How Long Does Frozen Meat Last?
How Long Do Eggs Last?
How Long Do Eggs Last?



more tips
how to shop safely during the coronavirus outbreak
How to Shop Safely During the Coronavirus Outbreak
make ahead meals to fill up your fridge and freezer
Make-Ahead Meals to Fill up Your Fridge and Freezer
Mike Garten
How to Order Takeout Safely During the Coronavirus Outbreak
How to Order Takeout Safely During the Coronavirus Outbreak
BRETT STEVENS