In times of high stress, overstimulation, trauma, and grief, our body's messages may be temporarily offline… leaving it really challenging to decide what to eat. We may also be faced with a lot of tough decisions, and adding what to eat on top of that can be exhausting and feel impossible.

During these times, it can be helpful to have a plan for how to keep us nourished with minimal effort and thought.

Planning or preparing meals ahead of time can be a game changer when it comes to eating well. What I love about using these tools is how easily adjustable they are to changes in our schedule, budget, or preferences.

Eating is an essential form of self-care. How we get our food to our plate can also be a self-care experience as well. Grocery shopping, meal planning, and cooking can all be fulfilling ways to take time out of your day to provide your body with what it needs to survive and thrive. For me, meal planning is one of the most important self-care tasks that I do all week because it prepares me to meet my needs and eliminates anxiety when suddenly my stomach is rumbling and I’m asking myself “What’s for dinner?”