Once upon a time, I was afraid of packet mixes
There was a time, not all that long ago when I would scoff at the thought of using a packet mix to make dinner. That was a time when I had a lot more TIME on my hands. I only had one child, I wasn’t working the long hours I do now and I was hyper-focused on my health. At about this same time, my husband was diagnosed with testicular cancer which as you could imagine, was a highly stressful time for us. While being really focused on your health might not sound like a bad thing, when you take it too far, it can certainly be detrimental to your health. For those of you who don’t know much about this condition, orthorexia is an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy or pure foods. It is not an officially recognized eating disorder, but some experts consider it to be a subtype of anorexia nervosa or obsessive-compulsive disorder. People with orthorexia become fixated on the quality and purity of the foods they eat, and may severely restrict their diet in an attempt to eat only "healthy" or "pure" foods. This can lead to malnutrition and other health problems.
Symptoms of orthorexia may include:
A preoccupation with the health benefits of the foods they eat
An obsession with avoiding foods perceived as unhealthy or impure
Extreme or rigid dietary restrictions
Difficulty eating anywhere but at home, or difficulty eating with others
Social isolation and difficulty participating in social activities that involve food
I suffered from all of the above. I ate such a restricted diet that I ended up developing fertility issues (lost my menstrual cycle) which resulted in having to seek assistance to fall pregnant again after our firstborn.
It was after studying nutrition and really understanding not only the science but also the psychology around eating that I realised I really needed to take another approach that was less extreme. Taking a moderate approach to your health can be a lot more difficult than an extreme approach because it requires stepping into grey areas as well as consistency.
To give you some idea of how extreme I was, I didn’t eat anything containing gluten, sugar, or anything in a packet unless it was un-processed, such as nuts/seeds, I didn’t drink alcohol or any kind of soft drink - ‘sugar-free or otherwise’, I ate mostly organic foods and I limited time out socialising due to fear of having to eat foods beyond my control. It was a very stressful time in my life. Now while this might sound like it was kinda healthy, it wasn’t. I had good intentions, don’t get me wrong, but I was treating my perceived lack of control in my life by controlling what I could eat, and how much I could exercise.
As I recovered, I slowly introduced foods I had forbade myself from eating. I remember the first day I allowed myself to eat a chicken and salad wrap for lunch - with a real wrap made from wheat (and god forbid, it contained gluten). Christ, I had been missing out! Lettuce just doesn’t cut the mustard as a wrap. I started using processed foods again. It was really uncomfortable at first. I had feelings of guilt creep in about how this was ‘bad’ for my body. I had to push past all that because ultimately I was making myself unwell by being so restrictive.
My approach to food and eating has now changed. I now understand that a small number of processed foods in a diet that is full of plant foods can definitely still be healthy. I no longer restrict myself from anything. I give myself full permission to eat whatever the hell I want, but this does not mean I go bananas and eat KFC three times a week. Quite the opposite in fact. By actually tuning in and listening to my body, I find it easy to give it what it needs. There are times when I’ll have ice cream, but the difference now is that I’ll eat it mindfully and enjoy it. I won’t be riddled with guilt and then think about how many km’s I need to run to burn it off.
I now eat lots of plant foods (carbs wheat and gluten included), adequate protein for repair and growth and enough healthy fats.
So these days - as a busy working mum, with three young children, if I am running short on time (often) and I want something flavourful for dinner that comes from a packet mix, I’ll do it. I just look for the best options I can access and afford and use lots of plant foods and lean proteins to make them healthier. I read labels, look at what I can do to the suggested cooking method to increase the nutritional quality of the meal and do that. I don’t beat myself up, or stress about ‘killing’ myself or my family through our food choices. I look at the bigger picture. Are we getting our 5 serves of veggies in? Are we eating a majority of whole unprocessed food? Are we eating whole fruit? Are we eating lean sources of protein? Are we eating healthy fats and avoiding trans fats? Are we moving our bodies in a way that feels good and helps us live a better life? Tick tick tick.
We don’t live exclusively off packet mixes, but they do now have a place in my pantry. My favourite brands are Hart & Soul and Mingle - they focus on quality ingredients and are the best options in the supermarket if you’re health-conscious.
Remember to focus on the big picture when it comes to your health - not so much of the nitty-gritty of some occasional processed food or packet foods/mixes.
