All the kids are back in school….so that means they’re bringing home more than just homework. Weather starts getting chillier, rainy, damp, kids are all together again in school – soon the sniffles, runny noses, and scratchy throats begin. And so do missed days of work and school. The best way to deal with something we know is going to happen whether we like it or not is to be as prepared as you can. Here are my tips for getting through the cold and flu season and even how to avoid getting sick altogether.
Stock Up on Essential Cold and Flu Season Supplies Early
As soon as the kids head back to school I start stocking up on essential cold and flu supplies. You can find great deals on things like hand sanitizers, tissues, and Clorox wipes because they’re often on sale with the school supplies.
My Recommended Cold and Flu Season Supplies
The basic cold and flu supplies you should stock up on include:
- Hand sanitizer (my kiddos have clip on hand sanitizers for their backpacks and I carry some in my purse, I also have 2 in my car just in case)
- Age Appropriate Daytime and nighttime cold medicines (my favorite is DayQuil and NyQuil for adults but the generic store versions work just as well).
- Nasal spray
- Allergy medicine
- Kids Tylenol & Ibuprofen Liquid
- Adult Tylenol
- Vapor Inhaler Nasal Decongestant
- Pocket tissues (for backpacks and purses)
- Vick’s Vaporub
- Tissues (I love the ones with the lotion to avoid us all looking like Rudolph)
- Toilet paper
- Chloraseptic Sore throat Spray
- Cough drops
- Thermometer
- Toothbrushes
- Sore Throat Lollipops (great for little ones!)
- Vitamin C and Elderberry Vitamins (check with your PCP to see if this is recommended)
- Peptobismol
- Immodium AD
- Blistex Chapstick (with cold, dry air comes severely chapped lips – so this is a must in my house).
Stock Up on Pantry Essentials for Cold & Flu Season
During the summer months we typically don’t have a lot of soup or hot tea in our pantry. During the fall and winter, I make sure to stock up on tea and lots of soups and other pantry essentials so that I have it if someone gets sick. Sometimes they wake up sick in the middle of the night – and I don’t want to have to drive far to find an open store. I also try to keep the ingredients on hand for homemade chicken noodle soup, but depending on the situation and schedules, it’s just not always possible to make – so Progresso it is!
- Chicken Noodle Soup (or your favorite soup)
- Saltine Crackers
- Gatorade and/or Pedialyte
- Ginger Ale
- Tea (Green or Regular)
- Honey
- Freeze Pops (Great for sore throats)
Stock Up On Cleaning Supplies
I already have a growing stockpile of cleaning products because I love couponing and get these items super cheap. This comes in handy this time of year when extra cleaning supplies are necessary to reduce the spread of germs.
Recommended Cleaning Supplies
- Clorox Wipes
- Disposable gloves
- Lysol spray
- Paper towels
- Disinfecting Cleaning Spray
- Laundry Sanitizer
Change Toothbrushes Frequently
Our mouth contains so many germs – and in the cold and flu season it’s important to change the toothbrushes frequently to keep those germs at bay. We change our toothbrushes regularly, but more often if anyone is sick.
Wash Your Hands Frequently
My kiddos wash their hands as soon as they get home from school and again before dinner. They also change their clothes right after school as well. The same goes for us when we get home from work. I love Bath & Body Works foaming soaps and I let my kids pick out fun scents to have in their bathroom and our half bath. This routine was established from when they were in daycare – and now they don’t even think of it, but they love buying new soaps.
Clean All The Things
There are just some things that we don’t necessarily think about cleaning regularly – but when cold & flu season is prevalent – it’s important to wipe down frequently touched surfaces. Things like cell phones, tv remotes, laptops, toys, door knobs, ear buds, etc. all need a good wipe down but ESPECIALLY during cold & flu season.
How to Save on Pricey Supplies
Toothbrushes, cough drops, tissues, toilet paper, and cleaning products are some of the things I never buy at full price. I always look to see who has deals where and stock up using paper coupons, digital coupons and rewards to get what I need. Dollar General, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid and Walmart have great deals every week if you use their app.
Big Box stores like Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s offer savings by allowing you to buy supplies in bulk and Amazon has great deals with next day shipping right to your door without ever having to leave your house. I also upload my receipts to the Fetch Rewards App to earn additional rewards for my regular spending. If you haven’t downloaded Fetch, use my code to sign up for free and start earning rewards for shopping.
Have you started getting ready for cold & flu season? What’s your must have on your supplies list? For more tips and tricks during cold & flu season – check out my post on how to keep your house clean when sick. Wishing you all a healthy season!
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