Love yourself and love what you put into your body.
Being around other people who I sometimes perceive as better than and prettier than me can lead me into a rabbit hole of self-hatred.
My self-confidence issues carry over to what foods I feel are acceptable to eat, which is even more difficult while in college. However, I’ve been trying to focus more on whether the food I put into my body is nourishing and makes me feel physically better, rather than focusing on how I look.
This path has led me into trying more vegan options for desserts that have more wholesome ingredients.
Bowl & Basket’s vegan chocolate ice cream
One of the first vegan desserts I’ve come to love is Bowl & Basket’s vegan chocolate ice cream. It’s super creamy, just like regular ice cream. It’s made using coconut milk, so it has the faintest taste of coconut but nothing too intense where it doesn’t taste like chocolate.
Chocolate ice cream is something that we should all be able to enjoy and love. When I eat it, I focus on the taste and how much I love it, which helps a lot with any negative feelings surrounding this staple dessert.
DEUX’s edible cookie dough
Another major vegan dessert I’ve come across is DEUX’s edible cookie dough. It’s so rich and tastes exactly like normal cookie dough.
It’s so important to think of the parts that you really enjoy when eating a trigger food. I like to think about the good memories I have of baking cookies with family and friends and how food is fun, not something negative.
Dark Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter Cups
Trader Joe’s has some of the best vegan desserts, they have so many delicious options but only one takes the cake: the Dark Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter Cups.
They’re so easy to pop into the mouth and have that Reese’s satisfaction while still putting nourishing ingredients into your body.
I really enjoy these because they put into perspective that I’m allowed to enjoy good things. I can eat something sweet, and I don’t feel a sense of guilt.
I used to really struggle with binge eating food, especially desserts. I pushed it off as having a “sweet tooth” but have since realized that I did it because I didn’t like myself and felt like I didn’t have control.
I’ve learned it’s easy to get into that mindset, especially at this age and being a woman. However, taking a step back and analyzing what things are triggering and how to combat those areas has helped me a lot.
When I finally realized these things, I changed my habits. I bought desserts that are less processed and have fewer physically triggering ingredients in them to eat. I not only feel better mentally but physically too. We should take pride in what our body does for us, and how we can help it.