Since I skipped What I Ate Wednesday last week, I wanted to show you a beautiful and innovative recipe this week.
You know, the kind that healthy living bloggers post with the perfectly shaped homemade bean patties and ripe strawberries on the side glistening in the afternoon sunlight on a checkered tablecloth.
But of course, I forgot to research any new recipes during the week, and my weekend debauchery resulted in spending my Sunday afternoon trying not to throw up.
When I arrived home after a Monday night Whole Foods run, I unloaded the same food I had last week. And the week before. And the week before that.
It was then that I knew the sad and painful truth:
I’m in a food rut.
My worst fear (well not the worst, but a pretty big one) has come true. I’m actually Chicken Nugget Girl again – only eating certain foods, not especially wanting to try anything new, getting the same thing over and over again at the same restaurant. The only difference now is that I’m just healthy Chicken Nugget Girl.
Part of the reason I was so excited when I first started eating clean was that I was finally discovering food in an unabridged way. I learned a myriad of information about the nutrients and deliciousness that food exudes. I was all about trying new foods and figuring out how to make them.
Now that I found healthy foods I like I’m sticking with them again. I’m going back to the food safety blanket of repetition. For example, looking back at the photos I took of food this week, I thought I could post my Mexican Friday meal:
Yum. But…. are you sensing some deja vu, too?
Omg, tomatoes. Omg, corn. Omg, avocado.
I thought about tricking you and posting some old recipe and raving about how I ate it this week. But I decided to be honest. I haven’t made anything of variety lately. And I’m not going to pretend I prepare and inhale awesome new recipes all day every day.
This week prompted me to reevaluate my healthy living goals in regards to food. I found out what to eat and how to eat it to lose weight, but I actually found a whole new self confidence by surprising myself and opening my mind (and my mouth) to new things. I was proud of myself.
Eating the same thing every day is boring. I want to buy different items at the grocery store every week and bring different things to lunch.
One day I want to not have to worry about if there is something I will like to eat at a family’s dinner party or at the exotic restaurant I’m out to dinner at with friends.
As much as food is about nutrients for me, I need to re-find my new found passion about it too.
Next week’s goal: make something new, fun, and exciting to eat.
Do you ever find yourself in a food rut?
Chicken Nugget Girl 
That sounds like a fantastic goal. I am with you on this. My problem is kids in the house…they never want to try anything that remotely sounds “weird”. And I hate making two different meals for everyone. But now that they are gone for a while…time to get to doing something fun in the kitchen!! Can’t wait to see what you come up with! 🙂
Haha I used to force my parents to make me a second meal….until I was a teenager. That is exciting you’ll get to experiment now, though!
I totally get into food ruts too! Sometimes it’s just easier to fall back on easy, familiar recipes. Or in my case I find that sometime tastes so good that I just want to eat it over and over and over again! 😛 But earlier in the summer I started making meal plans and planned to make a few new recipes a week, and it really helped me start trying new things again!
A meal plan – what a good idea. That would force me to buy different things at the grocery store too! I will definitely have to try that. Thanks for the advice!
Food rut…I think it’s inevitable! How can we eat new, diff things all the time? As for me, I’m a creature of habit so I def gravitate towards the same veggies, same meat sources, recipes…I don’t mind it so much. But it sure is fun to spice it up from time to time, just like with everything else in life!
It’s a wonderful goal! I’m going to join you :).
You’re right – we shouldn’t expect ourselves to eat new and different things all the time. We’d eventually run out of choices, I guess! I’ll work on the spice factor too. 😉 Maybe that will make me feel more adventurous. I def have to check out what you make next week!
Add some black bean and lime to last pic and you’ve changed it up a bit. 😉
I’m all about intuitive eating. And if it means the same thing over and over.. then that is what works for me. 😉
but if you are looking for change maybe hit a farmer’s market for inspiration or try a new recipe…
Maybe I should listen to my intuition a little more, like you! Ooooh, I forgot there is a farmer’s market just a few blocks away. I should go on Saturday morning (if I can get myself up early enough!)
Even though you might be in a food rut, everything still looks delicious! I go through phases where I eat the same exact meal every day for weeks too, and then one day, it just doesn’t appeal any more and I move on:)
Aw, thanks! Yeah, I’m so picky I just don’t want to get sick of my options! That would be disastrous…
My current food rut problem is that it’s been 90 degrees for like two weeks. Today it hit 100. You can’t even make a decent salad because the lettuce dies before you can get it home. Lots of cereal, canned beans and Chinese take-out.
I can’t wait for hot soup on a cold winter afternoon right now….
I definitely end up eating the same things a lot – the same veggies etc., but I do try to make them slightly different so I don’t get bored. Not very exciting different though – I should definitely make more of an effort to try more new recipes once in a while. I like the idea of a meal plan too. Maybe I’ll try and make one new recipe each week over the summer too.
Yes, def a good summer project. I’m going to work on one this weekend!
Love the GIF! I eat the same things all of the time. WIAW gets me into trying new things. At least once a week I can eat something different!
Haha, I’m glad you like the gifs too. I am slightly obsessed with the RHs ones, if you can’t tell. 😉 That is a good thing about WIAW helping you too. We can both add some variety in to our meals!
Kates–just now following your stuff. If you’re still bored, look at your Pinterest page on food–great ideas!
Yeah – I love finding recipes on Pinterest. I’ll have to look at your Pinterest page!