I'm bored with food now what?

Food fatigue is very real and many of us sometimes get bored or overwhelmed at the idea of food consumption and the repetitiveness of it. I have some tricks of the trade that might be useful.

I’m a dietitian, I spend my days talking about food and suggesting ways for people to have a healthy relationship with food. I discuss food neutrality and balanced meals and food pairings consistently. Here’s the catch: I do all of this, and I still have trouble with my meals. The thought of having to feed myself every single day with enough food to nourish and satisfy me sometimes is very overwhelming. I’m divulging all of this because I want you to know that I am also human and have had to figure out various tactics myself. Maybe reading this might help some of you as well.

Photo by kevin turcios on Unsplash

Listen, we’ve all had those days—the days when we have zero motivation for food because we’re bored with everything. The days of opening the refrigerator, staring inside, and still not being inspired to make or eat anything. It seems nonsensical in a way to complain about such a thing, especially if we have the privilege of access to food, but we’re also human, and these feelings of boredom do creep up from time to time. This is also why I disclosed that I go through these thoughts myself, and I have to walk myself through a thought step-by-step process. I don’t always have inspiration, but at the same time, as a dietitian, I know that I have to eat something.

What are some of the reasons we can feel uninspired or repetitive with our choices? There are a number of reasons, which can include neurodivergent tendencies, such as the fact that, for some, it is hard to get accustomed to new tastes, textures, and other senses. Food hyperfixation, which can be experienced by anyone but is more common among people with ADHD and those on the autism spectrum, can be described as a strong preference for particular textures or flavors, often at the exclusion of others. There is also what society might call “picky eating,” and we think this applies only to children, but many adults also have a very narrow range of acceptable foods, often due to sensory sensitivities.

I also know that for many who have spent years dieting and trying to shrink themselves and associating certain foods with less calories or fat, finding foods that they truly find enjoyable is a challenge. It is hard to decide if you actually like a certain food or if you are just used to it because of the years you spent consuming it on autopilot. Many of us tend to gravitate towards familiar foods, meals, or products that we are used to. Or maybe we are afraid to spend money on something that we end up not liking and feel as though we just wasted our hard-earned money. Quite honestly, this is fair, especially in today’s economy. I know for myself that I am tired from life, and sometimes, the thought of figuring out foods is another exhausting task. Overall sometimes we genuinely just do not know how to make new choices.

However, all hope is not lost. Over the years, I have developed some tricks of the trade that might work for you. Of course, I have to give my usual disclosure that I am a dietitian but not your personal dietitian. The following is not meant to provide any medical counseling and is meant for educational purposes only because this is the internet.