Not wanting to waste food is a common reason for overeating. This guide will explore four thinking traps relating to this topic to help you begin to identify if and when you’re falling into these.
It’s important to emphasise that food waste is a critical worldwide problem that needs to be addressed. However, we also need to find a balance between making the right decisions for our health and shouldering a realistic amount of individual responsibility for reducing food waste.
1: Being afraid of wasting a flavour or experience
Hedonic hunger refers to the desire for food to obtain pleasure, rather than to fulfil our body’s nutritional needs, which is known as homeostatic hunger.
While it’s important to derive pleasure from food, relying on food as our only source of pleasure can be problematic. To address this, we can start to explore alternative sources of pleasure, such as socialising with friends, engaging in hobbies like reading, or spending time outdoors.
Interestingly, the act of consuming food to avoid waste is more likely to be a reflection of hedonic hunger, rather than homeostatic. This is because we often eat past the point of fullness when we finish a meal or snack with the intention of avoiding waste.
Reason 2: Feeling guilty for wasting food because it could have gone to those more in need
While feeling guilty about wasting food that could have helped someone in need is a valid concern, finishing everything on our plate won’t necessarily make a difference in that moment.
So, if you find yourself with excess food, consider saving the remaining portion for later. Keeping leftovers in the fridge for a future meal or snack is a practical and sustainable solution that can also help reduce food waste.
As you become more in-tune with your feelings of hunger and fullness, you may also find you’re comfortable serving smaller portions to begin with, and purchasing smaller quantities of food at the supermarket.
Finally, rather than focusing on finishing your meal, you could make a more significant impact by supporting those in need through donations to charity or volunteering at a food bank.
Reason 3: Being conditioned to finish everything on the plate
Finishing everything on our plates is a common parenting tactic that many of us have internalised as a habit. However, it’s crucial to recognise that this is just a form of conditioning, and we have the freedom to make our own choices.
The next time you feel obligated to eat everything on your plate, even if you’re full, remind yourself that you have the power to decide whether or not to finish it. There are no hard and fast rules, and it’s ok to leave some food behind.
If you find it challenging to break the habit, using affirmations such as “I’m allowed to leave food on my plate” can be a helpful technique to reinforce your mindset shift.
Reason 4: Worrying about missing out on food or flavours
The fear of missing out can drive us to engage in behaviours that may not serve our best interests in the long term, such as overeating. At Second Nature, we believe in a balanced approach that encourages you to build meals that keep you feeling full and that you enjoy eating.
That being said, it’s natural to miss certain habits or behaviours, such as ordering takeout on Friday nights or having a dessert every time you eat out. However, it’s important to remember that short-term discomfort may lead to long-term benefits.
The ‘Decision pathway’ is a tool we can use to help us make decisions when we’re having that debate in our heads about what the right thing to do is. Here’s how it works:
Think about what you’d like your life to look like and how it would be if you were the healthiest, happiest version of yourself
Which pathway (decision) brings you closer to your goals? Which pathway (decision) is the way you want to live your life?
Looking at the bigger picture
The fear of wasting food can be a difficult obstacle to overcome, but beginning to gently challenge some of the thinking traps explored in this guide is a great first step. It’s also important to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. It may take some time to unlearn the guilt associated with leaving food on our plate, but this process will ultimately help us become more mindful and in tune with what our body needs.
Key points
Not wanting to waste food is a common reason for overeating. This guide explored four thinking traps relating to this topic to help you begin to identify if and when you’re falling into these.
Reason 1: Being afraid of wasting a flavour or experience. In these scenarios, our hedonic hunger (eating for pleasure) often takes over. While there’s nothing wrong with hedonic eating in moderation, if we find ourselves relying on food as the sole source of pleasure, it may be worth identifying other forms of enjoyment and focusing on these.
Reason 2: Feeling guilty for wasting food because it could have gone to those more in need. It would be more worthwhile to do something that will more directly support those in need of food, such as donating to a charity.
Reason 3: Being conditioned to finish everything on the plate. This is a common parenting tactic that many of us have internalised as a habit. However, it’s important to recognise that this is just a form of conditioning, and we have the freedom to make our own choices.
Reason 4: Worrying about missing out on food or flavours. The fear of missing out can drive us to engage in behaviours that may not serve our best interests in the long term, such as overeating. Remember that it might be worth tolerating some short-term discomfort for long-term rewards.