It’s Okay If You’re Not Eating “Perfectly” Right Now

As a Registered Dietitian, people come to me with questions about food. What food is the “healthiest?” What food is best for weight loss? What foods will “boost” my immune system? However, they’re often looking for quick “cures,” rather than understanding the importance of making a lifestyle shift or behavior pattern.

Now more than ever, we are forced to focus on food because it’s either scarce or we want to buy sufficient amounts. Either way, we’re forced to think about it.

· What do we need to keep on hand?

· How long will it last?

· Do I have enough for 2 weeks worth of meals?

· What if I want “more?”

· How do I use this food?

While I understand that many people care about what they eat, I think we’re giving the “perfect foods” too much merit right now. Many of us are in survival mode, trying to work full time hours and homeschool children at the same time. We don’t have the brain space or capacity to focus on “eating clean,” making every meal from scratch and sticking to our “diets.” Nor should we be focusing on that.

In the scheme of things, there’s so much else going on and that we’re adjusting to that obsessing over our food choices is only doing us more harm.

Processed foods exist for a reason. Many of them have long shelf lives (which are necessary for times like this). They make our lives easier and more convenient. They speed up meals, while still providing nutrients. Many people falsely believe that all processed foods are “bad” and should be avoided, however, they’re overlooking the practicality of them.

Canned vegetables, baby carrots, quick cooking brown rice, deli turkey, string cheese are all, by definition, processed foods. They have been processed in some way, shape, or form from their original state. There are many “healthy” processed foods that people have overlooked just due to the stigma of “processing.”

The point I’m trying to make, here, is that all food can have a purpose. The chips you’re eating on the couch with your spouse while enjoying your favorite show. The cupcakes you’re making with your kids. The sourdough bread you’re making just because. All of these foods have a purpose, and the purpose is not to make you “feel guilty” or ashamed of what you ate.

All foods provide nourishment. Yes, some have more nutritional qualities than others, but other times, nourishment comes in the form of reminiscing over nostalgic memories, creating new memories and bonding with loved ones, or heating up a frozen pizza because it’s “easy” and it’s been “one of those days.”

What if we took the pressure off of eating perfectly, and just saw food for food? For survival. For handling our emotions sometimes. For providing nourishment. For making memories. Rather than elevating a “perfect diet” to the end all be all?