The Spoonie Struggle with Food

You stare into the fridge, utterly exhausted. The thought of cooking feels like climbing Everest. This is one of the tough parts about eating as a spoonie. But, it doesn’t need to be, not with my spoonie’s guide to gentle nutrition.

As a spoonie there are unique challenges to nutrition that “healthy” people wouldn’t even think about. There are general issues that affect most spoonies, but others are unique to the diagnosis, whether that’s Endo, Dysautonomia, EDS or you may be Neurodivergent, or a combination. Symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, brain fog, mobility issues, dizziness and presyncope all have the potential to affect your appetite and your ability to cook. The unpredictability of flare-ups can also bring with it it’s own challenges. These challenges can make following traditional diets and eating patterns even harder. But, there’s a compassionate and flexible alternative to rigid diets, gentle nutrition. Gentle nutrition focuses on self-compassion and flexibility. It acknowledges that it’s okay for each day to be different, that some days simply being fed is best, while other days will be more balanced. My spoonie’s guide to gentle nutrition will provide practical tips for gentle nutrition, less stress and permission to do what you need to do to feel your best.

Why Traditional “Healthy Eating” Falls Flat for Spoonies

There are many reasons why traditional “healthy eating” advice doesn’t always work for spoonies. These include the diet culture trap, the energy cost and symptom fluctuations.

The Diet Culture Trap

Mainstream “healthy eating” advice you see online often focuses on things like meal prep, or restrictive eating to fit into a certain standard of how they think you should look and feel. However, this isn’t always feasible or beneficial for chronic illness. A lot of their tips and advice rely on your capacity being the same each day, which is not the case for most spoonies. It also doesn’t allow for flexibility and focuses more on “perfection”. Striving for perfection can lead to added stress spoonies don’t need. How often have you thought, “I just need to eat better and exercise more”, just to have a bad flare that derails everything and feeling like a failure? I know I’ve felt this way in the past. But, you’re not a failure, it’s diet culture that has failed you, it doesn’t take into account how different life can be for a spoonie.

The Energy Cost

Cooking and food prep can drain you of your already limited energy. Sure, traditional meal prep saves you time during the week, but if doing all the prep on the weekend leaves you wrecked for days after, it’s not really helpful or worth it. That’s not even taking into account that you may already be low on spoons that day. Or if you plan to cook fresh everyday, traditional plans may not take into account, how much energy it may cost you to cook each night. In some cases, you may find you used too much energy to cook and end up losing your appetite. Once again, this can lead you to feel down and like it’s your fault, but it’s because the “typical” plans don’t consider your varying energy levels.

Symptom Fluctuations

What your body can tolerate varies day to day. Some days cooking from scratch may feel easy, while other days you may be in too much pain or be too fatigued to do anything other than use the microwave. That’s okay, but traditional meal and diet plans don’t take this into consideration. They make you think that it’s bad to eat anything other than whole minimally processed foods. When in reality, convenience foods are so useful for these moments and ensuring you’re still able to eat when symptoms are high.

These are just a few of the reasons why I decided to write my spoonie’s guide to gentle nutrition.

The Principles of a Spoonie’s Guide to Gentle Nutrition

Gentle nutrition is based on a few principles, not rules, to guide how to eat best for you and your symptoms.

Permission, not perfection

Gentle nutrition is about shifting the focus to adequacy and ease, not “ideal”. Focus on eating enough food and regularly, including all the core food groups, but not stressing if a meal isn’t 100% balanced.

Honouring hunger and fullness (within your context)

It’s about learning to tune into your body even when symptoms are loud. It is possible, but it may take some time to figure it out, as it’s unique to you. It may be as simple as eating when you’re hungry and stopping when you’re full. But, it could also mean choosing to eat something small, even if your aren’t particularly hungry, because you know if you don’t you’ll be starving and binge eat later on.

Prioritising comfort and nourishment

It’s about what feels good and provides you with energy, not just what’s “healthy”. It’s choosing options based on what will nourish you, but also provide comfort, enjoyment and satisfaction. Some days that may be a salad or a sandwich, others it may be mac & cheese or toast. You can always add to your comfort meals to add extra nourishment, for example, if you want mac & cheese, you can always add some broccoli or cauliflower to it, other days have it as is.

Flexibility is key

It’s about adapting to your energy levels and symptoms moment-to-moment. This could mean planning a few meals to have throughout the week with out specifying days and also having staples on hand to assemble no or minimal prep meals when symptoms are high and energy is low.

Self-compassion above all

It’s about releasing guilt and judgment. It’s about reminding yourself that it’s okay for every day to look different, that perfection is overrated and that being fed is the most important thing. You can return to balanced meals when you’re able to. Remember, if you only have 40% and you give 40%, you’ve given it 100%, and you are doing the best you can.

Your Flare-Friendly Food Arsenal: Quick & Easy Staples

Here are a few of my favourite staples to keep on hand to make meals easier.

• The Pantry Powerhouses:
  • Canned goods (beans, lentils, tomatoes, tuna, soup)
  • Pasta, rice, grains (quick-cook options)
  • Shelf-stable milks
  • Instant oats and other cereals
  • Nut butters, nuts and seeds
  • Breads, wraps
  • Olive oil
• Freezer Favourites:
  • Frozen fruits & vegetables (for smoothies, quick sides)
  • Pre-cooked or easy to cook proteins (chicken tenders, frozen fish)
  • Frozen meals (how to choose these will depend on you and your needs, but aim for ones that include protein, carbs and veg)
• Fridge & Fresh Staples:
  • Salad mixes
  • Pre-cut veg
  • Hummus, yoghurt, cottage cheese
  • Sliced or shredded cheese
  • Milk
  • Smoothies
  • Eggs
  • Rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked meats
  • Fruit (easy to eat like bananas, berries)

Beyond “Cooking”: Assembling Low-Energy Meals

Meals don’t need to look a certain way to be adequate, below are some of my favourite ways to assemble a low-energy meal:

• The “Deconstructed Meal” Method: Pairing a protein, carb, fat, and colour (fruit/veg) without cooking. (e.g., canned tuna + crackers + avocado + apple)
• Single-Serving Magic: Focus on making just an individual portion.
• The “Semi-Homemade” Hero: Using ready-made components to elevate simplicity (e.g., pre-made soup with added frozen veggies/protein, some toast on the side).
• Snack plate: It’s okay if your meal looks like a collection of snacks, just make sure you’ve got some protein, carbs, colour and some healthy fats.
• Hydration as a Priority: Broths, soup, herbal teas, electrolytes (if needed), smoothies (homemade or store bought).

Practical Tips for Minimising Effort

Some of my favourite tips for minimising effort when it comes to food include:

• Batch Pre-Planning (Component Style): Cook rice or roast a tray of veggies when you do have energy, then use them in meals throughout the week.
• Strategic Grocery Shopping: Online delivery, delegating, focusing on efficiency.
• “Emergency” Stash: Dedicated easy meals for the worst days.
• Don’t Fear Takeaway/Delivery: Sometimes it’s essential self-care. You can always choose a type of takeaway that includes the core food groups, or enjoy what you’re craving and return to your usual eating the next meal.
• Listen to Your Body, Not the Clock: Eating when you can, what you can.

You’re Doing Enough, Spoonie

Gentle nutrition is about support, not struggle. Nutrition shouldn’t stress you out, it should be flexible and work for you. Be kind to yourself, you’re already dealing with so much. Your nutrition is valid, even if it looks different to someone else’s.

If you’re craving support that meets you where you are — without judgment or pressure — I’m here. You can DM me on Instagram or head to my services page to explore how we can work together gently. I also have a free Low Spoon Meal eBook if you’d like more information on low spoon meals.

🩷Emma