Variety vs Routine

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  • Mangopickle
    Mangopickle Posts: 1,509 Member
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    My variety now is cooking 2-3 new healthy recipes on the wkend to test whether they will work long term. Made Ann Burrells ricotta spinach gnocchi last wkend. Will definitely make them again tho half a recipe yields a huge quantity. Zucchini tots, fried egg plant and Brazilian cheese puffs have been our latest successful experiments. During the week my meals are all very similar and convenient.
  • twl900
    twl900 Posts: 122 Member
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    Breakfast and lunch are usually the same every day for me during the week. I'll have something different on the weekend (if I'm not feeling lazy, that is haha). Dinners are usually different unless I'm having leftovers.
  • joanna_82
    joanna_82 Posts: 151 Member
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    I also have variety within my routine, for example I keep a number of different breakfast options at home that all roughly count the same, and I mix them up depending on what I fancy. Lunch is usually pretty standard although i try and buy different sandwich fillings and different snacks each week to keep it interesting. Dinner is a variety of different proteins, carbs and veggies depending on what I bought for the week. Each week i go shopping I try and add something different to my basket just to ensure that I get as much variety as possible.

    I also build in treats to my routine, for example always have a coffee and a pastry on a Friday and really enjoy that. And often have a chocolate bar or something similar on one of the weekend days. I look forward to these and so them being part of my routine works.
  • ewhip17
    ewhip17 Posts: 515 Member
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    I fall VERY firmly into the "routine" camp, but that applies to all aspects of my life. Routine keeps me sane. However, with that said, one of the reasons MFP has really worked for me is that if I fall out of that routine with food I still have options and can make it work. I still don't like it though... haha.
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
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    As a general rule I like to vary my routine :-p
  • ingeborgv
    ingeborgv Posts: 175 Member
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    I love food. All kinds. I need variety. So much good food out there.

    This!!
  • Beckboo0912
    Beckboo0912 Posts: 447 Member
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    I do both actually. During the school year my breakfasts and lunches are very routine, I know what works and it keeps me from eating the cakes and such that people bring to work. But my afternoon snack and dinner vary because they can and I like the variety. It's really just what works for you.
  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
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    I'm far too lazy for variety. I would probably eat bacon flavored pellets for every meal if I could find them. I would have made someone a great hamster.



    Lol!!
  • Eoghann
    Eoghann Posts: 130 Member
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    My personality type doesn't like "surprises" so basically routine always works better for me.

    There are variations built into my routines, but generally for lunch I'll have the same thing for a week then move to something different and for dinners we have certain days, like Wednesday we eat pasta and Saturday is pizza night.
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
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    I tend to eat the same things, with a little variety involved. For example, breakfast tends to be the same every morning, and I like knowing what I shall have without having to even think. Dinner tends to mostly be some meat/ fish with some vegetables and starches, but what that meat or fish is, or what the vegetables or starches are vary meal to meal. Lunch is the meal with the most variety for me, although I will frequently have something with eggs, like a frittata or spanish-style omelette and side salad. Also, snacks tend to be the same sorts of things.

    So, more of a template, rather than actually identical foods at each meal every day. I find that helps me most, and do take care to rotate foods a little before I get bored of them. For example, I can eat eggs every day for a week or two, but then not be able to eat them again for another week or two. I try to avoid that happening as much as possible, while at the same time enjoying the benefits that similar types of food most days offers.

    I think whichever way you go, it helps a lot to have go-to meal options for when you need them, and might otherwise fall off the wagon if you were very hungry and had no options at hand.
  • marypresent
    marypresent Posts: 39 Member
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    I think whichever way you go, it helps a lot to have go-to meal options for when you need them, and might otherwise fall off the wagon if you were very hungry and had no options at hand.

    Good point! This can be a real downfall for me if I'm hungry and grab something (usually high caloric) impulsively.

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