Making Healthy Food Happen When Life is Hard [3 in 30 podcast]
Recently I had the opportunity to share some tips for how our family makes healthy food happen even when life gets challenging on the 3 in 30 podcast. Make sure you check out the episode here!
I’ve always been troubled by the fact that the times we most need nutrient-packed food, such as during an illness or when life gets especially stressful can also be the hardest times to make it happen. We may feel we have no choice but to turn to processed convenience food, but I have a few ideas for easy ways to support your body and mind with nutritious food even when bandwidth is running low.
Watch Your Mindset
Our brains have a tricky way of pushing us to all or none thinking. Ever notice how you can be prone to thinking you need to do something really well for it to be worth it? Especially during a stressful time, our brains may want to tell us that trying to eat a little healthier is going to be too hard and not worth the effort. But studies have shown that each additional serving of fruits and vegetables can also have a positive incremental improvement on our mood and productivity.
Start with changes that feel super small and easy, and you will build momentum and be amazed where small and simple steps can take you.
Create a Minimal Meal Plan
I have a week’s collection of easy and healthy meals made of ingredients that are easy to keep on hand. Whenever life gets stressful, I can turn to these and have dinner on the table without a lot of thought or effort. Read more about my plan here (which includes my favorite, easiest ever no-chop salad) and make sure to grab your own copy.
Trusted Health Resources
As I mentioned in the episode, finding resources for health information you can trust can feel impossible sometimes but also be highly motivating when you do. After years of searching, I finally landed on trustworthy sources that have helped our family improve our health significantly over the past five years. These resources are a fantastic index that you can search for specific foods or conditions to learn more about what research has to say about them, and others are resources from people who have healed cancer, autoimmune disease, diabetes and more.
Resources for Picky Eaters
When we don’t have a lot of bandwidth, we may feel like providing healthy food for a spouse or kids may be a waste of time. Ever find yourself wanting to stick to doughnuts or fast food because you know your family will eat it? I get it, but again, small and simple changes can add up to big changes over time. I found it helpful to provide fruits and veggies as the first snack, and then follow it up with the more processed snack (ie granola bars, goldfish, etc.) my kids were accustomed to. I’ve experimented with all kind of things over the years and my kids have gotten used to eating a wide variety of foods. I share what’s worked for us here: Why Our Kids to Eat Foods Other Kids Say Look Like Puke
Family Favorite Recipes
Finally, check out my collection of some of our family’s favorites. Doing my best to make meals that are primarily whole foods and plant-based for my family of seven is not always a walk in the park, but I love to share what’s working. I am always trying to find ways to make our meals easier, less-expensive and healthier and love to share our wins along the way. Check out my Recipe Index here.
I know healthy eating can feel completely overwhelming at times. But I also know that supporting our bodies through stressful times can be a powerful way to increase our ability to deal with whatever life happens to throw our way. Join the conversation over on Instagram, what are your hurdles and what has helped you to overcome them?
Cheering you on!