What should be first on the list?

Start with your favorite starch — it could be pasta, or rice. Next: protein. Beans are great — if you’re going to be home for a long time, you might as well simmer up some dried beans, which have the best flavor, though canned beans are among my favorite convenience foods. That’s the sort of skeleton of the meal, then you need flavor: so stock up on aromatics like garlic and onions, and spices. If you like to bake, buy butter, yeast, sugar, salt.

Should we think about food as more than just calories and nutrition at a time like this? Your boss, Sam Sifton, noted that a well-stocked pantry is about maintaining a good and sensible life, regardless of viral pathogens. Next time it might be a storm. Or maybe you just wanna stay home!

People stress eat, that’s a real thing. So you might as well eat really well. But feeding yourself, your family and your neighbors is going to give you a great sense of calmness and joy. That’s how we get through hard times.

That’s it for this briefing. See you next time. — Mike

Thank you

To Mark Josephson and Eleanor Stanford for the break from the news. Adam Pasick, on the Briefings team, wrote today’s Back Story. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com.

P.S.

• We’re listening to “The Daily.” Our latest episode is about what happened to Senator Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign.

• Here’s today’s Mini Crossword puzzle, and a clue: Available to hang out (four letters). You can find all our puzzles here.

• Stephanie Preiss, who has been helping lead our efforts to imagine a bigger audio business, has been named Vice President, Audio and TV.