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Throughout the day, much of what I eat is not based on my taste buds or what my body wants.
I drink my morning latte halfway because I can’t remember if the milk was still good. It seems difficult to cut fruit for smoothies because you have to go to the office. But that’s okay. The bright packaging of the energy bar you don’t really want will catch your eye and you’ll grab it before you even walk out the door.
Even if you want to eat intuitively, choosing food based on what your body needs rather than external influences or dietary culture, if your life isn’t set up intuitively, That’s difficult to do.
“We eat with our eyes in many different ways, whether it’s through marketers, putting eye-catching labels on things, or keeping (certain foods) in mind in our own kitchens. , etc.,” CNN said. Casey Barber, cooking contributor and meal planning coach.
How you set up your kitchen can make a big difference in how you use it, said Katrina Green, an ADHD organization expert based in Sacramento, California.
If you want to easily eat what you want and need instead of only eating what’s most readily available, there’s no need to buy expensive containers or label makers. It takes a little investment of time and organization, says Natalie Mocari. , a nutritionist based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
You don’t have to buy all the beautiful jars for your pantry or fridge, but it can be helpful to think about what you’ll see when you go food shopping.
For example, items like baby carrots, green beans, and rice can get jumbled up in food bags and become difficult to find, Barber said.
“I have a vendetta against resealable top plastic bags,” she said. “Even if you store[food in bags]you can put it in something like a shoe box, an open container, and if you really love bags, you can at least stack them like files. Because you don’t.” Every time I open a drawer or cabinet, I want them to fall out. ”
What about pasta, crackers, and other boxed foods? Is it better to keep it in a transparent container? It depends on your needs, Green says. He may want to see clearly what food he has.
“I especially like working with neurodivergent people, and the comments I hear[from them]often just go over my head,” she said.
For some people, she added, it may be more helpful to look at a shelf lined with clear bottles to see exactly what’s available without the noise of packaging.
“Some people need the peace and quiet of a streamlined neutral system,” Barber said. But some people may just look at the label and make mental connections about what kind of meal the food can make, she added.
“The jar is useful, if you will.” You’re more likely to reach for it, but if opening something or putting it in something else makes you less likely to use it, don’t do it,” Green said. .
What you see first often influences what you’re likely to reach first, Green says.
“If I know I’m going to look at it a lot, I try to put it on the shelf where it’s most accessible,” Barber said.
Green likes to think about what’s at eye level in the pantry and refrigerator, and what can go in hard-to-reach spaces.
Foods that she might be drawn to but aren’t satisfied with should be placed on the top shelf, she said, and meal components that she loves and would like to eat should be placed where she can easily see them.
Also, just because your refrigerator drawer is marked for fruits and vegetables, doesn’t mean you have to put them there, Mokali says.
Drawers are often where good produce gets forgotten and disappears, so she likes to store produce on shelves and use drawers for things that are memorable or don’t spoil quickly, like drinks and snacks. is. she said.
What you make available also makes a difference.
Mokali has a three-tiered fruit bowl that holds fruit, but also includes single-serve packages of nuts and granola bars, so she and her family don’t have to look too far when they get hungry. You can get snacks without having to worry about it.
“When setting it up, think, ‘What are my culinary goals?’ What is your favorite? They can be tailored to fit your kitchen space, so make sure they look their best and stand out the most,” Barber says.
A little prep time goes a long way, Mokali said.
It might be worth taking a little more time to wash and cut your produce, or separate out which ingredients go with which meals of the week, so you don’t have to start from scratch every time you go out to eat, she says. Told. .
It’s also helpful to have space in your pantry or refrigerator for items you need to use throughout the week, whether for meal planning or because they’re nearing expiration dates, Green says.
You don’t need to spend your entire paycheck on organizational tools, but if you’re more likely to take them straight from the fridge to the kitchen table, it might be worth investing in some attractive containers to hold your fruits and vegetables. said Barber. .
“There are certain times when you want to splurge on a container of berries. If that’s what really makes you want to get berries, and you want to eat more fruit because you have berries, then by all means go for it.” Spend your food money that way,” she said.
Finally, when preparing meals, Mokali says it’s important to think about more than just what you want to include in your health goals.
“I think the most important thing is the balance of nutrients that will keep you going throughout the day and what you like,” she said. “Even if it comes out, if I don’t like it, I won’t eat it.”
For me, being able to pull out my blender, portion out my fruit into individual containers for the day, and have a smoothie that’s both nourishing and exciting has made a huge difference.
And yes, I seem to eat more fruits and vegetables when they’re in a clean bowl, waiting to be displayed on the counter as a ready-to-eat snack.
