Do you eat for health as well as pleasure?

[Thevegetarianchef]

I was talking with dh about this week's food shop.
He bought me some low calorie snacks that I have that are half the calories of kettle crisps I love.I tend to mix and match snacks.
He couldn't believe I would eat something less enjoyable and I said many things I eat are due to health tbh.
For context he is overweight anyway.
Got me thinking do the majority of people eat for health ie brown breads high fibre cereal fruit veggies or just because it's delicious which I understand as a chef.
I've always had what's cheapest, healthiest or quickest to get ready.

I'm not sure I understand. Are you asking if most people eat purely for enjoyment or purely for health?

Some people have zero idea what constitutes healthy or how to eat accordingly or don't like any foods that are healthy.

Some people only eat healthy food and don't seem to have any interest in food for enjoyment.

But Surely for most people they aim for an enjoyable diet that's also healthy?

I'm surprised anyone wouldn't eat healthier foods with all of the online advice and medical advice on tv.

I eat foods that I enjoy, most of which are healthy. I'm certainly not going to eat something I hate the taste of just because it's 'good' for me.

I eat healthy foods that I also like.
I enjoy hummus, whole fruit, kefir, vegetables, sourdough bread, seeds, nuts, fish etc etc

I also have a sweet tooth so eat chocolates and cake.
If I’m at home I will eat cottage cheese and apple, for example, for lunch as it’s tasty, low calorie and filling.

I don’t really enjoy most take away/fast food or ready meals.

So I eat mainly for health, but that’s also due to it being nice to eat……

Is this a thread to bash your husband or a thread to bash overweight people? People do all kinds of things that aren't good for them; is that really surprising to you?

What is healthier? Have you ever been on a food thread on MN?

Some of the posters will be frothing at the mouth becuase a child was given a chicken nugget, once.

Others are obsessive about super low fat, low calorie and that's what they see as healthy.

Others are only into whole foods and don't care so much about calories or fat but get very worked up if everyone isn't eating 30g of fibre a day and avoiding all processed foods.

It's not as simple as "why wouldn't everyone eat healthier foods"..... And that's before you add preferences or medical issues or whatever.

No, tbh I wouldn't ever eat a low calorie snack. I'd either eat the actual snack I wanted or no snack at all. You're only eating a snack for pleasure presumably so I wouldn't go out of my way to eat something I enjoyed less, I'd just not bother

I eat for pleasure but I just so happen to love a lot of foods that are really nutritious and not just empty calories. I do like crisps! But I maybe eat them once a week or so rather than seeing them as a daily food because they’re pretty empty, nutrition wise.
Not sure what you’re asking really, I don’t eat foods I dislike because ‘they’re good for me’.

In your example, do you actually enjoy the “healthier” kettle crisps? I would be having half the quantity of the double calorie ones I really enjoyed, and eating them slowly.

I love broccoli and eat it a lot, but detest Brussels sprouts so they never darken my fridge box.

I eat unhealthy stuff in moderation. Its okay to

Healthy nutritional eating is a science. Getting the correct calorie, fat, protein levels versus energy expenditure balanced against weight, height, age and biometrics like blood tests results, BP, resting HR, BMI etc. Downloading an app that quickly highlights good and bad food would be a good start.

A low calorie snack is going to have artificial sweeteners or flavourings in it. Health-wise, it is probably no more good for you than the regular one eaten in moderation.

I'd rather have actual butter on my bread than some other random yellow over-processed substitute.

I think it’s often a balance between enjoyment, convenience, and health; some people prioritise taste, while others are happy to compromise a little if it helps them feel better or meet their health goals.

Yeah, I come on Mumsnet and it doesn't do my blood pressure much good.😅

I wouldn’t eat something if I didn’t like the taste of it. I’d rather not eat.

I wouldn’t consider a processed low calorie snack as “healthy”.

I try to plan meals to be both delicious and healthy. But occasionally I something delicious and distinctly unhealthy.

Balance is key.

Yeah this is what I was coming on here to write. I generally enjoy healthy foods and crave fresh things like fruit and veg and salads.

that being said, I don’t eat any crisps, chocolates, biscuits yogurts or anything that is advertised and being either low fat or low sugar.

If I want a salty snack I would got for normal crisps/ nuts and if I wanted a sweet snack I would either go for good quality dark chocolate, or home made cake or biscuits (but wouldn’t turn my nose up at shop bought either!).

If I wanted to make conscious effort to be healthier I would maybe do something like reduce number of times in a week rather than going for the “healthy” UPF which is still a UPF so might as well enjoy the version you love!

Well yeah, don’t most people?

Yes I just wondered.My diet as an adhder is erratic.I can forget to eat so I'm far from perfect.I work in the food industry so never have chips from a fryer and my current work place doesn't have one anyway.I do think there is such a huge pressure on women to be a certain size which most men do not have.

Of course you are lol

I've genuinely trained myself to prefer and enjoy healthier food, mostly. I do have a soft spot for proper kettle crisps though.

I get what you're saying. Some people definitely only eat food that they enjoy eating the most. My ex used to be like this and I see it in my DS too "I don't want it, it's not my favourite" it doesn't have to be.
I won't eat foods I actively dislike just because they're healthy. But I will add veg to meals because it's healthy, not because I really fancy it. If I'm deficient in something I actively try to eat foods that have it in it even if I'd prefer something different. Like I prefer spag bol with pork mince but will use beef because I need the iron. I'll have some fruit instead of sweets etc.

I wouldn't be very healthy if I only ate the food I wanted to eat because I like the taste. Some people do this naturally, some people enjoy healthy food over unhealthy food naturally. Some of us would much prefer to live on unhealthy food but have to actively choose the healthier option

I tend to like healthy food

Yes, both! I'm a nutrition bore and very conscious of getting enough protein - that's 70-100g a day for my age and build - and fibre. I use wholemeal seeded bread, eat fruit & veg every day and rarely use fats other than olive and rapeseed. Loads of variety, different colours, soya as well as meat.

I also eat ice cream (Magnums, often), cake and biscuits. Crisps are a big weakness but a ridiculous amount of calories & fat for what you get, so I stuff myself with Walkers Oven-baked instead. Too many oven chips really, and I'm not giving them up so I have the 'naked' ones as they're a bit healthier.

I love food and eat mountains of the stuff! For the record, I am fat but not overweight by BMI or waist/height ratio. I'm borderline, but that's okay.

I have 2-3 meals or snacks a day that are for the health benefits of that particular snack - for example I hate yogurt, but will eat chia seeds with yogurt, fruit etc just to get the benefits.

Then usual 2 other meals or snacks where they are both healthy and tasty. Then one more which is purely for enjoyment.

I do sort of get annoyed when people have to snit about making a healthy choice when there's lots of nice things that are also healthy. I got all sorts of remarks because I chose an apple over a biscuit at work - you'd think the choice was a biscuit Vs a buttered turd.