The BEST Foods to Include in Your Anxiety Meal Plan

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Diet can be a huge help when thinking about managing anxiety. Making a meal-plan for anxiety will help your diet overall and your mental health. Taking care of your body is the first step in taking care of your mental health. Often times, when we are anxious we will forget to eat, this can case worsening anxiety. Think about it, what happens when people forget to eat? They get hangry. Hangriness can manifest as anxiety, sleepiness, and other things. Eating makes sure these symptoms don’t come along.

Nutrient-Rich, Whole Foods for Anxiety Management

When designing a meal plan for anxiety it is important to find a way to get your nutrients in. This means eating whole foods in ways that you can tolerate. For you, that could mean buying a veggie tray with ranch every week or having frozen vegetables in your freezer for easy air frying. (Here’s the Air Fryer I use!)

One way to help anxiety meal prep easier is to make several servings of brown rice and freeze individual servings in plastic wrap and then microwave with a little bit of water when you’re ready to eat. Brown rice is great because it contains complex carbohydrates and fiber which will help fuel your brain.

Fish is also great because it contains Omega-3 and fatty acids that are essential for your health. If you don’t like fish, try taking a multivitamin everyday or eat a variety of foods to help you keep up a diverse range of nutrients.

Fruits and Berries are also great as they contain many essential vitamins. Fruit is also sweet and there is minimal preparation when trying to eat. Keeping cleaned and prepped berries are a great way to have a great snack. Try out eating frozen fruit if you’re struggling with money. The cold helps you focus and become grounded and takes your mind off of your anxiety.

Chick Peas/ Garbanzo Beans are a great snack. Keeping a can of them with some simple seasonings makes an easy, nutrient dense snack. I like to keep some in my fridge for when I don’t want to cook because I can eat some with rice and that is satisfying for me.

If you are having trouble getting greens in, try making a pasta salad. I keep chopped romaine, cooked pasta, cooked and chopped cooked chicken, parmesan cheese, caesar dressing, and panko bread crumbs in stock at my house when it is a stressful week like finals. I combine all of them to make a simple pasta salad that is easy to eat.

Sourdough is a great comfort food, making grilled cheese is often what comes to mind when thinking of a simple meal. Cooking it in the airfryer at 400 for 10 minutes makes the perfect grilled cheese.

Calming Drinks and Beverages

Water, green smoothies, and herbal teas can all be great to calm your nerves. Calming drinks are great to introduce to your anxiety meal plan. Cold or hot drinks can give your brain something else to focus on other than your anxiety. Try making a hot tea or a smoothie to get in some nutrients without having to cook a whole meal.

Plan Simple, Balanced Meals That Support Mental Health

When cooking, plan a simple meal that you can make in bulk. This could mean cooking a double batch of soup or extra protein (like chicken and beans). Keeping extra simple ingredients on hand can help ease anxiety over food or help you to reduce anxiety overall.

I find that creating a daily meal plan can be more overwhelming if I don’t stick to it. So, instead I like to prep ingredients so I can at least make a snack plate if I don’t have the energy to make a whole meal.

Here is a great Lunch Box that I use to keep it super simple when I go to work!

Foods to Avoid or Limit for Your Anxiety Meal Plan

Drinks that are caffeinated or sugary can cause your anxiety to feel worse. Think of what happens when you drink too much coffee, you get shaky right? Trying to cut back on caffeine and sugar can help your heart not feel so fluttery.

Alcohol can also be a trigger for anxiety. Most people would think that a glass of wine calms them down, and that might be true in the moment, but later on it’ll effect your anxiety levels.

Conclusion

A well-balanced diet is a great idea when thinking of an anxiety meal plan. Incorporating anxiety-reducing foods into your daily life will not only improve your mental well-being, but your physical well-being too.