Eating At A Time Of Uncertainty
What is happening right now in our world is unprecedented. Showing up to the grocery store nowadays may look like shelves of depleted food supplies on certain aisles.
On a recent trip to my local store, I noticed the following foods being continually restocked:
Canned soup
Potatoes
Ramen Noodles
Bread
Pasta
Canned Meats
All Purpose Flour
Granulated Sugar
Vegetable Oil
Notice any similarities between the foods listed above?
White/yellow/brown in color
Preservative-packed
Refined
Packaged
Processed
Good for us!
Purchasing non-perishable foods is the exact right thing to do.
But what about HEALTH?! Diet culture blasts us with these messages: “To ensure good health, shop the perimeter of the store.” And, “Fresh, colorful, and whole foods are the key to wellness and happiness”.
Many of my clients are logging into our virtual sessions with “now what?!”
Now is the time to notice any cringe of shame or conflicting thoughts about these “shelf-stable” foods we are being encouraged to purchase. Now is the time to confidently go forth in buying and eating the “center of the grocery store” food.
Remember: Your body does not criticize and judge the food you put into her. Our bodies are made to handle all types of food.
All food is good food.
Did you immediately think: But what about food allergies?!
I hear you. But, even with food allergies, your body knows how to respond and it is not from a place of criticism and judgement.
This is the time to do the best we can to take care of ourselves and our loved ones. That means eating on a regular basis and getting enough food. It means giving ourselves more flexibility and permission around food choices. This includes processed foods, shelf-stable foods, and packaged foods.
It might look like: Cheerios and milk for breakfast; Mac ‘n cheese and applesauce for lunch; Frozen pizza for dinner, PB+J on white bread for a bedtime snack.
You may be having feelings of anxiety, scarcity, and loneliness. Whatever emotional response your may be having, could you bring some self-compassion with it? As my colleague Jenna Hollenstein, RD of the Eat to Love book said recently:
“Could you be kind to yourself rather than judging? Could you see how whatever you’re doing is driven by a desire to feel safe and ok? Could you recall that we are all in this situation and you are not alone?”
If you are having judgmental thoughts about your food choices, feeling an impulse to restrict or eat more than usual (or have a full-out binge) please reach out. I want everyones relationship with food and their body to be supported during these times of uncertainty.