Nutrition Confusion: How to Balance Healthy Eating & Sustainability
Almost every new client that comes to see me checks off the box “nutrition confusion” on their patient intake form.
There are different categories of nutrition confusion, but today let’s talk about: trying to take too many things into account when it comes to food and health + sustainability and environmental impact.
Figuring out how to create healthy meals, shop, and cook can be overwhelming enough. Then you add on the desire to shop sustainably, minimize your environmental impact, AND reduce food waste? The whole process can seem downright impossible.
First and foremost, don’t make everything harder than it has to be. Nutrition shouldn’t be the most difficult part of your day. Start with what you strongly dislike dealing with first:
Hate cooking raw chicken? Buy a rotisserie chicken.
Want to eat more fish, but don’t want to have fishy leftovers? Grab frozen, pre-portioned fish; pop whatever you don’t use in the freezer and plan to make it another time.
Hate cutting up squash? (I do. Squash is the worst.) Buy pre-cut squash.
Trying to eat more salads, but don’t want to buy too many ingredients? Look for a salad kit!
The list could go on and on, but the point is that you aren’t less than for minimizing a task and making healthy eating easier. No one is keeping tabs, seriously (or if they are, that’s certainly their issue — not yours!).
If you’re just getting into the habit of cooking more at home, pre-cooked dinners or rotisserie chickens are a great place to start. (Did I mention that I love rotisserie chicken?) Here are some other easy, healthy options to stock your pantry and fridge while also considering ways to minimize food waste:
Canned beans
Shredded cheese
Salad kits
Stir-fry kits
Pre-cut vegetables: mushrooms, broccoli, sweet potatoes, etc.
Frozen rice
Riced cauliflower
Deli meat and cheese
As a dietitian who cares deeply about both nutrition and the future of our planet, a gentle reminder that there are lots of ways to contribute positively to sustainability efforts, but neglecting your health and sanity in the process is not the answer. Yes, it’s okay to buy pre-packaged items or food wrapped in plastic/styrofoam (it doesn’t have to be forever!). And at the same time, you can:
Compost
Buy non-plastic items for other areas in your home (toiletries, cosmetics, soap, etc.) and use companies like Package Free Shop or Grove
Bring your lunch/snacks with utensils to work
Use a reusable coffee cup and water bottle
At the end of the day, as long as you feel good about how you’re fueling your body and mind, that’s what counts. Eat with more joy, less judgment!
If you’re having trouble navigating nutrition confusion and need more support, let’s chat.
Until next time,
Danielle