🌿 How I actually eat at restaurants

Published 9 days ago • 1 min read

Hi Reader,

By the time this lands in your inbox I'll be in Vail for the Mountain Games: some yoga, a couple of child-free nights with my husband, and then the kids join for playgrounds, swimming, and lots of village strolls along the river.

One thing I'm looking forward to is the food. I love cooking, and I'm also very happy to let someone else take care of the prep and cleanup for a few days.

We have a favorite Thai restaurant in the next town over. It's a little more low-key than the places right in the village, which is one of the reasons we love it. The food is delicious and it isn't a whole production, which is exactly what you want when you're traveling with small kids.

Trips like these remind me of how eating out used to feel complicated in ways it just doesn't anymore. Menus felt like decisions that required justification. Now it mostly just feels like choosing whatever sounds good. Everyone at the table orders what they actually want, including the kids, which is its own kind of food freedom moment.

Something I've noticed over the years: when I'm really eating intuitively, restaurant meals tend to include a pretty good mix of things. Not because I'm trying to balance or optimize anything, but because that's actually what sounds good and feels good in my body. I'll naturally start craving something with vegetables or a grain bowl after a few days of traveling. My body just starts asking for something different. That's gentle nutrition in practice.

I packed a few things for hotel breakfasts to avoid the scramble of trying to find something before I've had my morning coffee. My current solution: individual Greek yogurt containers as the base with granola and berries. It's the same idea as this Greek Yogurt Bowl recipe. It all fits in the hotel mini fridge and is endlessly adaptable and truly satisfying, which matters when you're heading out for the day.

Warmly,

Stephanie

P.S. Something like this Peanut Noodle Bowl is a common first meal back after a trip. It's fast, satisfying, and always feels good to be back in my own kitchen.

Hi, I'm Stephanie

I'm a registered dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor. I help people stop fighting food and build a way of eating that feels steady and satisfying, with plant-forward recipes and one-on-one support.

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