Imagine this: Your stomach is rumbling and growling, but nothing seems good for you, no matter what food you think of.
You’re hungry, but you’re not craving anything. You need to eat, but you can’t think of any food you like to eat.
That’s a terrible situation to be in, right?
Unfortunately, a lot of us have experienced this at one point. The worst part is you need to force yourself to eat something so you won’t become hangry.
So what to eat when nothing sounds good?
Read on to find out!
Why Does Nothing Sound Good? Is That Normal?
If you’re hungry yet you can’t think of anything to eat or no dish sounds good to you, it means you have a low appetite. While it’s normal for you to have little to no appetite from time to time, it can sometimes be a sign of specific health issues such as:
1. Stress
When your stress levels are high, your body releases different types of hormones, which can speed up your heart and slow down your digestion, leading to a decreased appetite. (*) This is often the result of acute stress.
Did You Know?
Chronic stress may cause you to binge eat, resulting in weight gain. (*)
2. Depression
Another mental health condition that may cause decreased appetite would be depression. But same with stress, it can influence your appetite in different ways. That’s why you should seek help from a healthcare professional if you’re experiencing changes in appetite and mood.
3. Common Cold or Flu
When you have an infection or fever, your body releases cytokines that can help fight off the disease. Unfortunately, these particular hormones may make you feel tired and cause a loss of appetite. (*)
4. Pregnancy
Nausea is a standard part of pregnancy. But, unfortunately, you won’t feel the desire to eat when you’re experiencing it.
5. Other Health Conditions
There is a wide range of health conditions that will cause you to lose your appetite. These range from something mild (digestive issues and migraine) to more serious (cancer, diabetes, and anemia).
Should You Still Eat Even if Nothing Sounds Good?
The simple answer would be yes! Even though you don’t have any appetite, this simple fact remains: our bodies consistently need the energy to function correctly. Therefore, the only way to provide the energy your body needs is by eating and consuming food.
Tips and Ideas You Need to Know
Feeling hungry and not knowing what to eat or not having any desire to eat is a frustrating situation. We get it.
The good news is there are a few things that you can do to help you determine. Here they are:
1. Go for meals that cover the three food groups.
The best time to eat healthily is when you don’t feel like eating anything. After all, you don’t have to deal with unhealthy cravings (since you’re not craving for anything!).
With that said, take this time to eat a meal with fats, carbohydrates, and protein. Here are some fantastic examples:
- Tuna bowl with rice, chickpeas, mayo, and your choice of greens
- Pita bread, hummus dip, and vegetable sides
- Avocado toast with scrambled eggs on top.
2. Choose food items that are easy to digest.
If you’re struggling with eating due to digestive issues or other medical conditions, err on the side of safety and go for food items that are gentle on the stomach and easy to digest. Check out our examples below:
- Saltine crackers
- Brothy noodle soup with small and tender cuts of meat
- Oatmeal
- A puree of legumes, chickpeas, and lentils
- Smoothies with different types of vegetables, fruits
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to add milk or yogurt to improve digestion and protein powder to boost energy.
- White Rice
- Hardboiled eggs
- Low fiber fruits like bananas
- Great carbohydrate and fiber sources like sweet potato and squash
3. Fill up with foods that are rich in protein and fiber.
If you can only go for the bare minimum, make sure to go for meals that can fill you up (carbohydrates) and provide you with the energy you need (proteins).
The good news is you can check a list that they call the Satiety Index, which ranks different types of food based on their ability to satisfy your hunger. (*) The higher the index, the more filling it is.
With that said, here are some of the food items with the highest Satiety Index rating:
More Tips to Determine What to Eat When Nothing Sounds Good
Now that you know what some of the best dishes or food items are to eat when nothing sounds good, you may also want to check out some tips that can help you choose what to eat. Here they are:
- Work with food items that will expire the soonest.
- Try and trigger your appetite by browsing through menus.
- Go for your all-time favorite dishes.
- Always have ready-to-go meals on hand.
The Bottom Line
Feeling hungry but nothing sounds good to eat can be a frustrating situation.
While it’s tempting to skip eating altogether, please prioritize your body’s needs. Accept that you won’t always feel satisfied with every meal you consume, but what’s important is that your body gets the nourishment that it deserves.
So what to eat when nothing sounds good? There are plenty of healthy options that you can choose from.
Just make sure to follow all of the tips that we’ve shared so you can still provide your body with the nutrition it needs even if you have decreased appetite.
We wish you all the best, and we hope your appetite goes back soon!
