HOT TAKE: There’s something way more important than WHAT we eat + HOW MUCH we eat. And that is… the VIBES we bring to our meals & food.
Eating out of the fridge, over the sink, grazing through cabinets, or on a paper towel sends a big message that you aren’t worth the time or energy it would take to sit down & enjoy an actual plated, pretty meal.
Instead of this rushed, random, and undeserving vibe of eating, it’s time to EAT PRETTY…
EAT PRETTY…
making your food look good has benefits
WHAT IS A PRETTY MEAL?
A pretty meal is a meal that you put on a plate to look appetizing.
It’s that simple.
You don’t have to be a professional food stylist to make your food look pretty. It can be as easy as adding a little pop of color with some produce, cutting something into a different shape, or rearranging it on your plate.
BENEFITS OF A PRETTY MEAL:
When I personally started caring if my meals were pretty, I noticed benefits right away. Here are some that you can expect:
✨ MORE SELF-LOVE
This is the biggest benefit! Story time: If you make a kid a lunch w/ a sandwich cut in cute shapes, put in a love note & add slices of their favorite fruit it says I LOVE YOU. Way more than just throwing a few bucks in their face & saying good luck finding something for lunch. This is what pretty meals say to YOU, that you love yourself. Sitting down & eating meals that look pretty is a major gesture of self-love. Plain & simple.
✨ MORE DELICIOUS
We eat with our eyes first, and research agrees that when nourishing food looks prettier, it tastes better!
✨ MORE SATISFYING
Not only are pretty meal more delicious, when you push away from the table you feel more satisfied.
✨ MORE PEACEFUL
Standing, grazing, eating on the go…all very stressful vibes. When you sit to eat a pretty meal, there is more mindfulness and peace. So instead of “fight or flight” sensations, your body is in “rest & digest” mode which research suggests can even help improve digestion.
✨ MORE BALANCED
When you take time to make a meal pretty, often times it’s more nutritionally balanced because you are adding more colorful fruits & veggies. Plus you are likely looking it over to see that there’s some protein, grains, and fat.
✨ MORE EMPOWERED
When you take time & care to make a pretty meal, it’s easier to OWN IT. Meaning you have a healthy sense of control without guilt or shame, no matter what the food is on your plate.
INSPIRED ACTION (a.k.a. homework):
1. Take a picture of each of your meals & snacks this week.
2. Before you start eating, look at the picture & ask yourself if you think it looks PRETTY.
3. If it does, sit down & enjoy it. If not, ask yourself what little tweak you can make to increase the pretty factor.
4. Pay attention to the benefits you notice by adding this extra TLC to your food & yourself. xx
