When people learn I’m in graduate school for Nutrition and nearly a registered dietitian, they often assume I eat perfectly all the time or that I’ll judge them for ordering french fries.
The truth is I do not eat perfectly. I believe it’s not healthy to strive for perfection with food every day. Knowledge about nutrition doesn’t require strict rules; instead, I aim for balance and flexibility.
I recently read an Instagram post from a dietitian that suggested a “pro tip”: always eat a nutrient-dense meal before going somewhere you think won’t offer healthy options. On one level, that makes sense—you’ll be sure to get nutrients. But looking at health more holistically, that approach can work against overall well-being.
- Skipping shared meals with friends or family can leave you feeling deprived, especially if it becomes a habit. Deprivation often triggers rebellion. Many people who follow a rigid food rule find they eventually give up and overindulge. If you eat a perfect meal at home and then watch friends enjoy pizza and dessert, you might later binge on the foods you avoided because you felt left out.
- Occasional less-nutritious meals are fine when your usual pattern is balanced. If you eat well most of the time, one meal that isn’t ideal won’t harm your long-term health. Balance matters more than one isolated choice.
- Skipping a meal because it isn’t as healthy as you’d like can make you irritable. Going hours without eating makes it hard to enjoy social events or relax and connect with others.
- Constantly planning and policing every meal consumes time and mental energy that could be spent on activities you enjoy or relationships you value.
- Even if you eat beforehand to avoid tempting foods, you may still be drawn to them once you’re with others. That can leave you feeling like you failed rather than allowing you to enjoy the food and move on.
I don’t want you to take this as permission to eat poorly all the time. That’s not my point. My message is that the occasional indulgence won’t ruin your health. It’s about perspective: a single meal doesn’t define your overall habits.
There are practical moments when planning ahead to eat something healthier makes sense. For example, if you’re heading to work and know you have leftovers at home, packing them saves you from a sluggish afternoon after eating an unbalanced lunch. That’s a sensible, planned choice.
Contrast that with a situation where coworkers invite you to lunch and you decline solely because your packed lunch is healthier. If the only reason you skip social time is to avoid a slightly less nutritious meal, you’re choosing isolation for the sake of one meal. That’s where an emphasis on “healthy eating” can become unhealthy emotionally and socially.
Finding the right balance is challenging. Trusting yourself around food can be difficult, especially with conflicting messages about what “healthy” looks like.
As a dietitian, I won’t scold people for enjoying less-healthy foods now and then or demand they give up favorites forever. Judging choices doesn’t help. My goal is to support sustainable habits—one that usually includes vegetables, whole foods, and kindness toward yourself.