“Playing With Your Food”
How many of you were told, “don’t play with your food?” I know I had it ingrained in my brain. I find that we put restrictions and barriers to food choices vs. the power of choice, creativity and non-judgmental thinking when taking responsibility for our nutritional lifestyle. Now, it’s time to fight back! It’s perfectly fine to “play” with your food, as long as we define “play” in a fun, healthy, motivating, educating and safe manner. Here are five steps to putting “fun back into food” and making food your power vs. allowing food to have power over you.
1. Allow yourself to choose foods that create colorful combinations which “light up your plate”. These bright concoctions bring smiles to your lips, face and tongue.
2. Give your meals “cool and clever” names. (i.e. – Rockin’Shockin Shrimp, Breezy Eazy Tropical Smoothie, and Fo Shizzle Drizzle Hot Wing Sauce).
3. Create categories for foods that allow you to identify with how foods affect your moods (Spiced-turns up body heat, Sweets- allows for affection, Laughers-creates funny moods because of shapes, colors and configurations.)
4. Create games with your family and friends using food. Even a “friendly food fight may even save the day because someone may have had a bad day.
5. Put all the suggestions together each day and add more excitement to your health than you ever expected!!
Remember, there is always a “kid” inside of us no matter what age you feel.
