What to Eat When You’re Too Tired to Cook — Registered Dietitian Columbia SC

One of the occasionally annoying things about occupying a human body is that we regularly need an input of energy in the form of food to survive. It’s fun when we’ve got the time and energy to make something that’s tasty and satisfying to eat…not so much when we’re feeling physically or mentally exhausted and can barely think about food, let alone go grocery shopping or cook. Those are the times I wish I had a personal chef! Unfortunately, the reality of our financial situation (and presumably yours as well) does not allow for that, so when I’m feeling too tired to cook, it means dredging up what little energy I have to figure something out.

When we work with clients on flexible meal planning, we encourage them to have plans for when they’re feeling too tired to cook. Everyone has those days when cooking or putting on real clothes to go out to eat feels impossible, so it’s important to have a plan for how to feed yourself in that situation. It’s especially important for clients in eating disorder recovery, where skipping a meal or undereating ramps up ED thoughts, making the next meal/snack even more challenging. It’s also especially important for clients struggling with depression or a health condition that affects energy levels, like chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis or cancer.

One thing I’ve noticed in my client work is that often times people place unrealistic expectations on themselves around nutrition when they’re feeling tired, as if having the perfect balance of nutrients will perk their body right up! While food can instantly energize you if you’re feeling tired due to hunger, unfortunately, there is no perfect food or meal or mix of nutrients for fatigue. The focus on things like “energy superfoods” overlooks the most important aspect of nutrition for energy – getting a balance of fat, protein, and carbs at your meal, and perhaps some produce as well. Pairing carbs with fat, protein, and some fiber from produce is helpful for stabilizing blood sugar levels, making it best thing you can do for yourself food-wise when you’re feeling exhausted.

Ideas for what to eat when you’re too tired to cook:

Outsource to a child/partner/etc:

This one is mainly for my female readers (but not exclusively). We can take on a lot of responsibility for caring for other people’s food needs, when there may be people there who are willing to help take care of ours. Sometimes, we just need to ask for help. If you have a partner, older child, or even a roommate that can help, it’s OK to ask.

Order takeout

When you’re too tired to cook, don’t cook! Takeout is a great option, especially if you order enough to have leftovers the next day. When I’m exhausted, my go to orders are Vietnamese vermicelli bowls (since we live in Boston’s Little Saigon there are approximately 3,482 options), Indian, and pizza.