If you’re reading this post, it means you’ve made it to my new home! I’m still working on getting everything set up, including updating the blogroll and organizing all the recipes for the “on the plate” tab. I’ll tackle it this weekend! In the meantime, please update your reader of choice to include www.thewholeplate.com. Happy Friday!
Last month, when I spoke to people regarding my vacation, I was often asked what plans I had to fill the week. My response was rather mundane: I hadn’t scheduled a single adventure for the days away. For me, that is the essence of vacation – letting the hours flow, reading a book in the sun, chatting with the company, leaving a calendar at home.
I began this week, however, anticipating a return to normality. Home-cooking, a good grocery haul, a comfortable and predictable routine.
Life, however, got in the way. I didn’t arrive back in the city until Tuesday evening, when I pulled an ear of corn, a pepper, and an avocado out of my suitcase, stolen from my mom’s refrigerator. I steamed the corn and called the three dinner. I was hungry, I wanted vegetables, and these sufficed.
I am a firm believer that as long as you have some ingredients on hand, it doesn’t take much effort to prepare a healthy meal. Few of the recipes I create require more than thirty minutes, and I do find meal preparation calms and decompresses my often racing mind. Occasions arise, however, where thirty minutes is too much, where a large grocery trip doesn’t fit into the schedule, and where the stock of produce, even in the freezer, is vastly depleted.
Those occasions have summed up my life this past week. I awoke on Wednesday morning, for instance, without a banana for my morning oats. So, I utilized what I had, getting in my grains, healthy fat, and fruit another way. Somehow, I survived.
In the past, these circumstances might have caused me to panic. I couldn’t trust myself. I needed a plan and a grocery list; I had to fit in my run and cook the perfectly-portioned meal. I had a relaxing and easy vacation mentality, but when it came to the 51 weeks of reality – well, rigidity ruled.
This week, I proved to myself that while a plan may simplify things, life doesn’t come with an agenda. Some days I’ll have to scrape the remnants of the fridge for an impromptu meal. Some days I’ll graze all day – a salad here, granola there, fruit here, dark chocolate there. One day I may eat less and one day more.
That’s ok. Everything I choose is good for me, so really, the dining hour, the quantity – they are unimportant. I just have to go with the flow.
Do you struggle to be flexible in your eating?
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I love that you made dinner out of a pepper, avocado and corn. :D
Welcome to your new blog home, it looks great :)
I definitely struggle with flexible eating, especially when I should be doing it more up at school. I guess I should be more mindful of it!
I love this post! I love it even more that you pulled those veggies out of your purse.
I completely understand–I am now on vacation and trying to tell myself that enjoying my vacation will not ruin my waist line overnight. I packed the essentials for breakfasts (good nut butters, Amazing Grass with chocolate almond milk) cliff and luna bars, and yogurt in our mini fridge from Whole Foods) and we’ve bought an abundance of California produce that I snack on often. Vacation is great and I’m enjoying trying so many new things, but I do enjoy routine and will be happy to create a new one in Hawaii!
Congrats on the domain!
I have a really hard time being flexible with eating. I’ve worked hard on getting variety in my diet but still trying to shake off the fears that if meals aren’t perfectly balanced, something terrible will happen. Though when I think about it, the worst that happens is…I am hungry for a snack sooner or maybe not as energetic…disasterous, right? I need to ease up!
While I try to stick to my trusted meals each day, I also leave room for unplanned events. It’s a daily challenge and I look at it with positivity. Today, I had a ww pancakes and green eggs for bfast – something I’ve planned for all week. For lunch? I’ll just eat what I’ll feel like later. :P Congrats with the domain!
I don’t struggle anymore.
I love the idea of bringing the vacation mentality home with you; life is too short not to!
I actually wish I was more of a meal planner. :( I end up eating the same thing a lot because I don’t think in advance and then get too hungry.
I used to be terrified of “messing with the plan” of my day, whether it be related to food, plans with friends, whatever. I’ve learned however that being flexible is essential for survival — if you can’t just roll with the punches how can you make it out on top? Also I’ve found that my life has improved significantly since I’ve let things happen unexpectedly and taken things in stride. There is more room for deviation and change, which to me = opportunity and growth.
PS love the new look of the blog!
It’s easy to get in a rut with cooking and eating – making the same things all the time. But if you like all the things and they’re good for you, perhaps that’s not so bad.
I do like having a stock of easy recipes in my repetoire that I can pull out when I’m tired rather than hitting a restaurant.
Congrats on the domain name! You’re a dot com lady now! Whoop whoop!
I struggle with getting into ruts – it’s hard to be imaginative sometimes when certain ingredients make your mind automatically run to certain recipes or meals. Thats what I find so inspiring and awesome about food blogging though – there’s so much inspiration and so many ideas out there! My eats get better week by week!
I can totally relate to this. As long as you have something you can wing it!