When I was a kid, meal art was taken very seriously.

I remember coming home from school and heading straight to the fridge where a world of snack creations awaited me. As an adult, I realize those “creations” were mostly cheese, apples, and celery, but as a KID? They were the necessary ingredients for my culinary renaissance. The keys to my masterful snack craft.

An apple, with a few quick cuts, could be a beautiful butterfly, or a flower. A slice of cheese, once bitten directly in the center, would become a legendary reverse-eye patch. A piece of celery, when filled with peanut butter and topped with perfectly spaced-out raisins would become adorable ants in a log.

Food was INSPIRATION. It was CREATION. Then one day….it became fear.

I remember when my approach to food shifted. I was heading into high school and the 1500-calorie diet was just kicking off. Running, HIIT, or plyometrics were mainstream forms of exercise, and everyone wanted to be “skinny”. Victoria’s Secret Model skinny.

Thigh gaps were in - natural body fat was out.

Me? I had been “chubby” my whole life. I wasn’t the pretty friend or the hot friend, I was the NICE friend. The APPROACHABLE friend. I also happened to be the THICKEST friend.

Until I wasn’t.

One summer, with too few calories and too many miles later, I was unrecognizable. People I went to school with for years didn’t even recognize me. I looked completely different, and I was PROUD.

But that pride came at a cost. Food was now enemy #1 and the thought of eating anything that wasn’t pure protein or low calorie was appalling.

Until it wasn’t.

Years passed and I found joy in food again.  Joy in the feeling of contentedness or fullness. Joy in the bites of food that enter my mouth. Of course, the little voice in the back of my head pops out occasionally with a “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” but I can say shhhh and tell that little voice to go back to where it belongs.

A mental tool that helped me get to that point? Creating (not so artistic) Edible Art.

Planning a meal can be triggering when dealing with eating disorders. Planning leads to anticipation. Anticipation leads to fear. Fear leads to avoidance. Avoidance means not eating. Eating is what we WANT to do. Eating is good. Eating is healthy. Eating is necessary.

So, instead of planning, I create. How many ingredients can I add to this meal and still make it taste good? What flavor profile do I want? How can I plate it? Can I chop the ingredients in different ways, or do a little dance as I stir the sauce?

Although this differs from my childlike version of edible art, it has helped me embrace the art of the mundane and the beauty in creating and enjoying a good meal. It allows me to slow down, savor each bite, and remind my brain that food is not something to fear, but something to enjoy. The more your brain starts to connect food to creation and not restriction? The more it will embrace mealtime instead of run from it.

PERSONAL CHALLENGE:

1.  Go to the store (or have someone go for you) and pick out 5 random ingredients.

   a. Include a protein source (chicken, beef, tofu, etc.

   b. Include a carb (bread, rice, pasta, noodles, etc.)

   c. Include veggies (broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, etc.)

2. Use what you (or someone else) have collected and make a meal. You are not restricted to these ingredients only. You can add whatever else you desire, but you MUST include all 5 ingredients somehow.

3. Get creative with it! Can you serve your protein on toothpicks like fancy hors d'oeuvres? Or use the veggies to create images that sprinkle your plate? Do what feels FUN and EXCITING. This art is yours! Do with it as you wish. (Pinterest is GREAT for inspiration is you need some!)

4. Enjoy your creations. The more you do this, the quicker inspiration will strike and the easier it will become.

BONUS: If you notice that even after creating your meal you’re struggling to take that first bite –

1.  Close your eyes, take a deeeeepppp breath in. Then out.

2. Before you open your eyes, lean in closer to your plate and take another deeeeep breath. Smell the aromas coming from your creation. The crispness of the lettuce or the warmth of your spices.

3. Open your eyes and look down at your plate. Appreciate the effort you’ve put into this meal. Laugh if it’s not so masterful and kinds of looks funky, because you DID it! You completed the challenge! That’s what counts.

4. Now pick up the food item, with your hands or your utensil, and look at it for a minute. Realize that this small item does NOT have power over you. You are GIVING it power over you. I know it’s scary, but it doesn’t have to be.

5. Pretend you’re a dinosaur and throw it into your mouth while you CHOMP. Yes, CHOMP. Obliterate the food piece! You might now seem powerful over the food, but you know who is? Dinosaurs. Always dinosaurs.

6. Do that again and again for as long as it takes.

BONUS BONUS - Post a video or image of your new meal creation (or your best dinosaur bite) to Instagram and tag @aspiritualgirlsguide to spread the edible art love!

YOU GOT THIS!