How to Eat Healthy When You’re Depressed

By: Bridget Sharkey

It is hard to eat healthy when you are depressed. But, ironically, it’s also the time when you most need nutrition that fuels you and sustains you.

We asked leading nutritionists, intuitive eating coaches, and mental health professionals how you can eat healthy when you’re depressed. Check out their expert tips below!

Add, don’t subtract 

This is not time to overhaul your fridge or to start a restrictive, complicated diet. Make 1-2 daily food goals that are sustainable and easy to achieve. For example, instead of swearing off carbs or giving up sugar, think of what you can add to your diet. 

• Pro Tip: Anna Smith is a Nashville-based dietitian who suggests the ‘add, not subtract’ diet philosophy. She says that restricting foods only makes you want them more, and it can be impossible to maintain in the long-run. Instead, focus on ADDING things to your diet, such as fruit, protein, whole grains, and healthy fats. 

• For example, make it a goal to eat just one fruit (or two!) a day. Have an apple with your lunch, or a clementine with your snack. Go for pre-cut, pre-washed fruits to make it even easier on yourself. It’s a small way to commit to your health, but it’s also a good way to get into the practice of goal-setting and self-care. 

• You can ‘level up’ after your initial goal becomes part of your daily practice. Next, you may want to tackle eating one green thing everyday. Or maybe you will make a commitment to always eat protein with every meal, whether that’s chicken, eggs, fish, nuts, or Greek yogurt.

• Just remember: The goal should be based on adding something to your diet, not taking something away. You should not punish or restrict yourself. This is about honoring yourself and your body’s needs.

Eat before you’re hungry 

Loss of appetite is a common symptom of depression. You don’t have to force-feed yourself, but you need to get into the habit of consciously creating meal-time routines, even if you just have a banana or a muffin. You may be surprised to realize that you’ve been unconsciously starving! This can also lead to over-eating: By the time you finally realize you’re ravenous, you may not have the time or energy to make healthy choices, and will instead go to a drive-thru or binge on junk food.  

• Make a commitment to have regular meal-times. Put a reminder on your phone when it’s time for you to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner (and snack-times as well, if you want). 

• For snacks, keep easy, grab-and-go options in your fridge or pantry. Think protein bars, carrot sticks, pretzels, smoothies, or hard-boiled eggs. Make sure it’s food you actually like and will want to eat. 

• Frozen dinners and pre-made meals are perfect for when you are depressed and struggling to eat. Stock up on the easiest options available. You can plan recurring Instacart orders or grocery deliveries each week with these basics so you never have to stress about shopping. 
• Pro Tip: Zishan Khan, MD, says that eating with others can help to ensure that you don’t miss meals. You can even do this virtually if you don’t have friends or family nearby. Do a virtual lunch or plan a Zoom dinner with friends–you can make the same recipe and talk as you eat. 

Fuel up with protein 

Find out how much protein you need a day by multiplying your weight by 0.36. For example, if you are 150 pounds, you should eat about 55 grams of protein a day. Or you can use an online calculator (like this one) to help you determine your protein goals. 

Getting enough protein can help improve your mood. The experts at Braincare Performance Center say: Your brain needs protein to support the production of serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters are essential for your mood, sleep, and focus. 

• Try to eat protein everytime you eat carbs. When you eat protein, fiber, and fats alongside carbs, it helps to keep your blood sugar from spiking. This means you will have more energy after you eat, instead of the dreaded post-meal crash. 

• The Joslin Diabetes Center says that balanced meals give you a steady supply of glucose (blood sugar) throughout the day. Glucose is your body’s fuel, so keeping it level is crucial. 

• Keep it simple. You can put a scoop of protein powder in your smoothies, or buy premade protein shakes. You can even use protein powder in baked goods. 

• Think beyond meat. If you’re not a huge carnivore, you can still easily meet your protein goals. For example, a peanut butter sandwich has about 15 grams of protein. An 8-ounce serving of Greek yogurt has 23 grams of protein. String cheese, nuts, edamame, hummus, and hard-boiled eggs are also protein-rich and easy to grab for a snack.

Don’t rely on food for comfort 

Comfort food isn’t just a meaningless phrase: The reward center in your brain is naturally activated when you eat something you enjoy. Food really can comfort us when we are feeling down…but if it is your only source of comfort, you risk over-eating. Look for ways other than junk food to ‘treat yourself’ after a hard day.

• Create comfort from small rituals that don’t involve food. Consider a wind-down routine at night that includes a warm bath, a good book, and a hot cup of tea. 

•  Instead of splurging on DoorDash, you can save that money for a mani/pedi or a massage. 
• Keep track of how food impacts your mood and body. A ‘food mood journal’ can be useful here. There are many apps that help you track how your meals impact your mental health, or you can go old-school and use a notebook and pencil. 

• A cheeseburger and fries might feel like a indulgent treat, but pay attention to how you feel afterwards. In truth, our comfort foods can sometimes lead us to feel uncomfortable after the fact! 

• You can still eat food you enjoy, but be intentional about choosing foods that won’t leave you filled with regret.

• Adopt a non-judgmental, curious mindset when you eat too much or when you fail to meet your healthy eating goals. Ask yourself: Why did this happen? What can I learn from this? Perhaps you waited too long to eat, or you were stressed out from work or school. Think of different ways you could have approached the situation, and walk through the steps mentally. Then you will be prepared to tackle the situation when it happens again.

• Pro Tip: Visualization and planning are essential for meeting your healthy eating goals. A recent study found that people who made a concrete plan for healthy eating, including visualizing the steps and writing down the ways they would make those plans happen, were twice as likely to be successful at meeting their goals.

Keep it simple

Right now, you’re in survival mode. Allow yourself the right to take shortcuts. This might mean that you need to use paper plates, or that you pay extra for prebagged salads or precut fruit. You don’t need to feel guilty for taking advantage of conveniences that make healthy eating easier for you. When your depression is adequately managed, you may not need those shortcuts, but for right now, you do…and that is perfectly okay. 

• Experts Say: Self-help leader Brene Brown suggests writing yourself ‘permission slips.’ This can help you mentally release the conscious and unconcious thought patterns that may be harming your mental health. 

Put up sticky notes around your home that say things like: 

• I give myself permission to ask for help.
• I have permission to spend money on healthy food. 
• I give myself permission to have a messy house. 
• I have permission to be gentle with myself.   
• I give myself permission to make things ‘good enough’ instead of perfect. 

• Let go of the need to make complicated dishes or meals that involve a lot of cleanup. Look for the simplest ways to get the nutrition you need, such as using precooked chicken strips, canned beans, or frozen veggies in steamer bags. 

Enjoy caffeine in small doses 

Depression can zap your energy and make you feel like a zombie. No wonder you might be heavily relying on caffeine right now. A little bit of caffeine can be beneficial for your mood. But too much can wreak havoc on your body. Caffeine dulls hunger cues, and it can make you jittery and anxious. And when it wears off, it comes with a big crash. 

• Doctors say: In low doses, caffeine can have a beneficial impact on mental health. Nicole Clark, neurologist, says that caffeine can help with depression, because it stimulates dopamine. Dopamine is the ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter that is activated when we engage in pleasurable activities. 

• Caffeine can cause insomnia and trigger anxiety, and it can also negatively interfere with certain medications. You should talk to your doctor to find out if your medications can be taken safely with caffeine. 

• If you’re struggling with sleep, try to cut back on caffeine well before bedtime. The American Academy of Sleep says that the half-life of caffeine is 5 hours. (A substance’s half-life is the amount of time it takes for the substance to be reduced by half). So even 5 hours after your latte, you still have caffeine in your body (although a much smaller amount than when you first drank it). 

• Po-Chang Hsu, MD, MS, says that while caffeine can make you feel like you have more energy, it is not your energy. It’s energy from the caffeine, so while the energy drink or espresso can keep you going, you’re still in an energy deficit.  

The takeaway: Don’t use caffeine to keep you on your feet when you would be better served by a nap, or a quick energizing walk. Don’t let the ‘grind’ mindset make you believe that you have to keep going past the point of exhaustion. Instead, make sure you’re getting enough sleep, and generate energy with regular exercise and nutritious foods. 

Eat foods that support your mental health 

Food can help to support your mood and well-being. Choose foods that have can have a positive impact on your depression. Approach your diet with the mindest of “How will this food choice make me feel in the short-term? In the long-term? Is there a better choice I could make for my mental health right now?” 

• Getting enough omega-3 fatty acids is essential for mood. People with low levels of omega-3 fatty acids are at higher risk of depression. Fish, seeds, and nuts are all high in omega-3’s. Add chia seeds or flaxseed oil to your smoothies, or consider omega-3 supplements. (Always talk to your doctor first before beginning any vitamin or supplement regime).

• B-12 is another important vitamin for healthy mood. The Mayo Clinic says that low levels of B-12 can impact on your mood. Look for foods high in B-12, like chicken, eggs, fish, and breakfast cereals that are fortified with B-12.   

• Pro Tip: Michelle Dees, MD, says that folate is a must for mental well-being. She says that folate plays a critical role on the chemicals in your brain that impact your mood. Folate can be found in dark, leafy vegetables, as well as citrus fruits, eggs, legumes, and folate-fortified foods. 

Use food for self-care 

Make a mealtime a ritual of self-care rather than an unpleasant chore. Reframe the way you look at food prep and the work it takes. Your needs matter, and you have the right to make time and space for your needs. Depression can lie to you and make feel like you are insignificant or not as important as other people, but this is not true. You can begin to reclaim your worthiness by committing time each and every day to feeding yourself food that makes you feel good, inside and out. 

• Pro tip: Use mantras to help overcome negative self-talk that can derail your appetite and your healthy eating goals. Jennice Vilhauer, PhD, of Psychology Today says that mantras (short, repetitive phrases or sounds) have been shown to have a positive impact on people struggling with mental health. 

• Write down 2-3 mantras and hang them in your kitchen or on your bathroom mirror (or somewhere you will see them frequently)  to remind you of why it is crucial to eat and take care of yourself. Repeat these phrases in your head and use them as a guidepost when you forget why healthy eating is so important, Here are some mantra suggestions:  

• “I honor my body when I eat food that makes me feel good.” 
• “I deserve to eat food that nourishes me.” 
• “My needs matter.”
• “I care for my body without shame or fear.” 
• “I have permission to eat when I am hungry, and stop when I am full.” 

• Saying ‘yes’ to healthy eating may mean that you need to say ‘no’ to other things. And that is okay. When you are going through depression, it is absolutely essential to carve out this time for yourself. 

Remember to talk with your doctor or therapist if you’re struggling with your mental health. Treatment is available and healing is possible. Contact your local crisis center if you need support.