Game Day Grazing: Mastering Intuitive Eating for the Ultimate Gathering
Author: Paige Green, RD, LD Hy-Vee Registered Dietitian
With the New Year come new goals, often centered around dieting. In January, it is easy to stay on track and prioritize your nutrition goals. Then the first test of your willpower comes when it is time for the Big Game and all your favorite game day foods. It feels good to gather and share food and good times, but you may have mixed feelings about indulging. It is OK to celebrate with friends and include your favorite foods – and I am here to teach you how to do so mindfully and without guilt!
What if you could ditch the diet and ditch the guilt? What if you learned how to listen and respond to your body’s needs? What if you started eating intuitively? Intuitive eating is a philosophy of eating that makes you an expert on your body and its hunger signals, focuses on nurturing your body rather than diets or starvation and encourages natural weight loss, helping you find the weight you were meant to be. Studies show that intuitive eating is connected to positive body image and self-esteem, as well as a positive impact on physical health including improved blood pressure and cholesterol.
You may be thinking, “That sounds great! I can eat what I want and still be healthy? Sign me up!” It isn’t quite that simple, though. Maintaining balance and a healthy eating pattern are also important when eating intuitively. You can learn skills to indulge mindfully and practice intuitive eating. Useful skills include balancing your plate by including at least 3 of the 5 food groups – protein, grains/starches, fruits, veggies, dairy – at each meal, even on game day. Be sure your game day plate includes both protein and fiber! When your meals and snacks include a combination of foods with protein and fiber, you are more likely to feel fuller for longer, which helps you manage cravings.
Don’t forget to listen to your body! With intuitive eating, there is a difference between physical hunger and mental/head hunger. Physical hunger is a need for food; the feeling of hunger is replaced with a feeling of being satisfied when food is consumed. Physical hunger has a slow onset, then becomes more intense. Head hunger or mental hunger is the want for food. This involves other feelings, such as stress, sadness, loneliness, tiredness, anxiety or anger. Mental hunger lingers, and often the feeling continues after eating food and is accompanied by guilt or remorse. This type of hunger can be sudden onset and it won’t be “fixed,” or go away, when food is eaten.
A popular question asked of dietitians is: “How can I stay on track and eat healthy during Big Game celebrations?” The answer to this question is unique for each person. There are many strategies you can use to help prepare and plan for any eating challenges that may arise. Here are my top tips to help keep you from overindulging at the Big Game celebration, or any time: Put down your fork between bites. When you do, it encourages you to slow down and enjoy your food – allowing your body time to navigate hunger versus satiety cues. Next, choose a smaller plate. We eat with our eyes and it can be common to overserve when filling up a larger plate. Opting for a smaller plate can help with portion control! Last, wait at least 20 minutes after eating before going back for more portions. This helps your brain “catch up” and register your feeling of fullness.
One more thing you can do to maintain balance and stay mindful is volunteer to bring a nutrient dense option to your game day gathering. You could opt to bring a traditional veggie or fruit tray or a new spin on an old classic like the Spinach-and-Artichoke Yogurt Dip, below, for a low-carb option that packs in 10 grams of protein per ½ cup serving!
Spinach-and-Artichoke Yogurt Dip
Makes 8 (½-cup) servings
All you need:
2 (5 oz) containers baby spinach
1 (14 oz) can Hy-Vee quartered artichoke hearts, drained and cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup Fairlife plain ultra-filtered yogurt
¾ cup Soirée shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
½ cup Soirée traditional feta cheese crumbles
½ tsp Hy-Vee onion powder
½ tsp Hy-Vee garlic powder
½ tsp Hy-Vee black pepper
Hy-Vee crushed red pepper, optional
Hy-Vee canola oil cooking spray, if baking dip
Desired dippers: sea-salted naan crisps, snack-size bruschetta toasts, cucumber slices, halved and seeded Basket & Bushel mini bell peppers, carrot sticks and/or celery sticks
All you do:
Microwave spinach, a few large handfuls at a time, in a microwave-safe bowl or glass pie plate on HIGH for 1 to 2 minutes or until wilted. Carefully drain and transfer spinach to paper towels. Squeeze spinach in paper towels to remove excess moisture. Set spinach aside.
Stir together artichoke hearts, yogurt, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, feta cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper and, if desired, crushed red pepper in a large bowl. Fold in spinach.
To heat dip in oven, preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 1-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer spinach mixture to prepared baking dish; sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes until cheeses are melted and dip is hot.
To heat dip in slow cooker, transfer spinach mixture to a small slow cooker; sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Cover and cook on LOW heat for 2 to 3 hours or until heated through.
Serve with desired dippers.
Recipe source: https://www.hy-vee.com/recipes-ideas/recipes/spinach-and-artichoke-yogurt-dip
The information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.