WHY IT DOESN’T FEEL LIKE THERE’S FOOD IN THE FRIDGE — WHEN THERE’S PLENTY OF FOOD
You’ve been here many times before. Hungry for something, you go to the fridge. Looking inside, you can count your blessings from the fact that there is plenty of food. Leftover spaghetti from last night. Grapes. Some jelly. Pickles. A package of pepperoni. A carton of eggs. But you don’t want any of this stuff. The pantry is the same story. There’s cookie mix, a box of rice, a few cans of beans, a half a bag of chips, some oatmeal, and some rice cakes. Nothing’s coming out at you.
However, you don’t say, “Ok, I’ll whip up something to eat, I guess.”
You say, “There’s nothing to eat!”
Whenever you eat food, chemical processes occur in your brain. Food is becoming more engineered to find what is called “the bliss point”, which can be found in pretty much any food you find in the grocery store. The “bliss point” is designed to trigger enough endorphins and dopamine to create a feel-good, “reward” sensation in your brain, to the point where we become addicted to these foods. In fact, highly sugary foods create the same processes in your brain as cocaine. Ever have a “snaccident” where you’ve eaten an entire bag of chips in one sitting while watching TV? This is why.
Bliss points are found everywhere. Besides chips, ice cream, and sugary foods, they’re also in pasta sauce and bread. There’s even one in the hummus that I can’t stop eating right now…and won’t stop. Anything “manufactured” is going to have a bliss point.
When we look in the fridge for something to eat, we’re really looking to have a bliss point experience. We want something specific that’s going to satisfy our appetite. “No, that spaghetti’s not going to do it…where are the pizza rolls?”
There’s also the added factor that when you’re having this dopamine craving, you’re not looking to “cook” something — that’s not usually where the reward is. You want something to eat, hence why a box of pasta is not nearly as appetizing as ready-to-eat pasta. The reward needs to happen now.
What can we do to combat this?
For starters, work towards buying less processed foods. Replace what’s in your household with more natural foods and foods with healthier ingredients in whatever way doesn’t push your budget. Also, recognize your cravings and replace them with a different alternative (“I want chips…but what about a bag of carrots with peanut butter instead?”). Or, nix the appetite altogether (“Am I really hungry or am I just bored?”).
Whenever you’re getting this feeling of “there’s nothing to eat in the fridge!”, consider what’s really going on. Close the fridge, close the pantry, and hold off until it’s time for dinner. You don’t need food, you just need a bliss point.
