Nourishment is important, but what if you’re just not hungry? Maybe you’re not feeling well, or the weather is oppressively hot. Or maybe your appetite is simply smaller these days (common if you’re taking a GLP-1 medication). No matter the reason, skipping meals puts both your body and your mind at risk. Missing one meal isn’t too serious for most people, but even that can lead to low energy and poor focus. On the other hand, consistently skipping meals can throw off multiple body systems and makes it harder to get all the nutrients you need to thrive. Here are three strategies to help you get something healthy down when food just isn’t very appealing.
Turn a Snack Into a Mini-Meal
Just grabbing a granola bar might be ok in a pinch. But with two minutes more thought and prep time, you can turn “just a snack” into a balanced mini-meal. The key is to eat a small portion of two or three foods that work together to provide a mix of all three macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Look at what you already have on hand, and don’t feel compelled to cook anything. The idea is to keep it simple, small, and nutritious. The chart below has some ideas for easy mix-and-match combos. Choose one item from column A (carbohydrate) and one from column B (protein/fat):
| A (Carbohydrates) | B (Proteins/Fats) |
| Whole fruit | Nuts, soy nuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds |
| Whole grain crackers | Hummus or guacamole |
| Whole grain English muffin | Peanut butter or other nut/seed butter |
| Fresh, raw vegetables | Low-fat or nonfat cottage cheese/Greek yogurt |
| Whole grain slice of bread or toast | Hard-boiled egg |
| 1 cup melon, pineapple, grapes | Cheese stick or sliced/cubed cheese |
| Natural or baked tortilla/corn chips | Sliced roast beef, turkey, ham |
| Plain popcorn | Granola bar with at least 6g protein |
Have Breakfast—No Matter the Time of Day
“Breakfast for dinner” is nothing new, for good reason! Most breakfast-type foods are simple or quick to prepare. You may even have some breakfast items prepped in your fridge already. Good choices include energy balls (Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bumps are a favorite), chia pudding, Homemade Snack Bars, or overnight oats. But if not, don’t worry, you can pull together a small and nourishing breakfast with little time or effort. Here are a few suggestions:
- Scramble two eggs and eat with a piece of whole grain toast or some fruit.
- Microwave a packet of plain instant oats. Top with whatever fruit you have on hand, a dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt, and a shake of cinnamon.
- Toast a whole grain frozen waffle. Spread on a little nut butter and top with sliced apple or a sprinkle of raisins.
- Blend up a small smoothie. Start with ½ cup low-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt, ½ cup frozen or fresh fruit, and a teaspoon of chia, flax, or hemp seeds. Add in water or low-fat or nonfat milk of choice until you get the consistency you prefer.
Help Yourself to Healthy Convenience Items
There are plenty of convenience foods that provide nourishment with next to no effort. Keep a few on hand (or have the supermarket deliver them), and then combine them into small, quick meals. Use the same strategy of balance we talked about above: a bit of protein, some carbohydrate, and a little fat. Here are a few ideas for simple, convenient, “I’m not that hungry” meals:
- Combine half a pouch of microwavable plain (unseasoned) rice or rice/quinoa mixture with a few spoonfuls of low-sodium, canned black beans. Add a dash of ground cumin and a sprinkle of shredded cheese.
- Combine frozen grilled chicken with frozen mixed veggies and saute with your favorite seasonings.
- Heat a can of your favorite low-sodium soup and pair it with whole grain crackers and cheese.
- Fill a whole grain tortilla with scrambled egg, a spoonful of salsa, and a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream.
Lean on Your Leftovers
I used to dislike leftovers because I don’t enjoy eating the same thing for days on end. But I don’t like wasting food either, so I learned to reinvigorate them to be less like leftovers. When you aren’t very hungry, having leftovers around can be a lifesaver! Eat them as they are if you don’t mind that, or try these three simple ways to switch them up:
- Serve leftover mixed dishes over half a potato—this works great with chili, taco meat, even stir-fried veggie-and-protein mixtures.
- Add leftover proteins and vegetables to scrambled eggs while they are cooking.
- Augment lower-sodium broth or canned soup to make something more substantial but still easy. Try this with leftovers like cooked rice, pasta, meat, poultry, vegetables, or legumes.
