PCOS NUTRITION CENTER BLOG

In a food rut or feeling blah about your food choices lately? You’re not alone. Most people buy the same foods every week at the grocery store leaving the palate yearning for some fresh, new and tasty ideas. Here are some tips for making your meals more satisfying and enjoyable.

Buy local

Shopping at your local Farmers’ Market on a weekly or monthly basis gives you access to the freshest grown produce around. By eating what’s in season you have an ability to expose your taste buds to a rainbow of nutrients, challenging you to expand the recipes in your personal cookbook.

Spice it up!

Don’t be shy of adding flavor to your food. Spices, herbs, garlic and other seasonings add flavor and/or enhance the flavor of food. Grow some herbs in a pot, keep garlic on your staples list, and store dried herbs in your pantry for quick and effortless flavor.

Add fat

You may be worried about the calories but adding some fat to meals can make food taste a whole lot better. Fat provides not only flavor but gives a creamy texture. Fat also takes longer to digest and thus, keeps us fuller longer so you actually may save calories in the long run. Fat, in the unsaturated form (nuts, fish, avocado, olive oil, peanut butter) offers numerous health benefits to women with PCOS.

Pay attention

No meal is going to be satisfying unless you really taste it. The brain needs the connection of eating and that includes enjoying all the senses (smell, taste and texture) that food can provide. It can be difficult to eat mindfully if you are focused on TV or other distractions while eating. Try to make it a point to turn off your TV or computer monitor and devote your full attention to your food, noting how your food smells, tastes and feels in your body.

Have kids and find it difficult to eat mindfully? Rotate between eating meals alone (while they are quiet) and being a role model and eating with them. Having all the food on the table along with plenty of napkins and beverages can minimize getting up and down during mealtime, helping you to stay focused on the food.

Slow down

It really does take 20 minutes for you to feel satisfied after a meal. And let’s face it: Eating fast is not enjoyable. At a recent conference, Chere Bork, the keynote speaker had attendees put a Hershey Kiss in their mouths with the instructions of not to chew it. While it slowly melted down, people got to really experience what intense flavor and creamy texture that one piece of chocolate provided. After it melted, attendees had to put another Kiss in their mouths and race to eat it as fast as they could-the winner received a prize. No one wanted to eat the Kiss fast, but wanted to savor it again.

Mix up textures

Just as our bodies need different flavors; it also craves a variety of textures. Think about the last meal you ate that wasn’t so great. Was it all the same texture? The next time you eat, try to aim for at least 2 different textures such as creamy (peanut butter), smooth (yogurt), crunchy (nuts), and chewy (quinoa).

Our last tip for enjoying a satisfying meal: have great company. Great scenery doesn’t hurt either-Italian Riviera anyone?

How do you make your meals more satisfying?