Practicing self-care has become an important and widely accepted part of many peoples’ daily routines. After all, if you burn yourself out and don’t take care of yourself, how will you be able to take care of others and focus on important aspects of your job?

There are many ways to practice self-care. Relaxing in a warm bubble bath with a bath bomb, taking a walk, reading your favorite book, or watching your favorite TV series are just a few examples.

One way you can help take care of yourself with your everyday routine is with what you eat. Food is an essential part of everyone’s lives, and what we eat can make a tremendous impact on how we feel. Here are some suggestions for practicing self-care simply by watching what you eat.

Go For Homemade

We hear it time and again: homemade food is better than take-out or fast food any day. Even if you’re essentially eating the same thing — a burger or a sandwich — it’s still better to prepare your meals at home when you can. Not only will you be saving some dollars in your wallet, which can give you peace of mind financially, but it’s also easier to control what goes into a hamburger that you make at home compared to what you pick up at a drive-thru.

Of course, not everyone can prepare and eat every meal homemade. But, even when you can’t, try to make mindful choices if and when you do eat out. Salads are often healthier than burgers and will have more nutrient and vitamin-packed vegetables.

Keep In Mind Drinks Too

Many people may be aware of what they eat throughout the day and can curb bad snacking or eating habits. But, be careful not to replace those habits of munching on something with sipping on something instead. Drinks like soda, juice, and power water can all be loaded with sugar and artificial flavors.

Plain water is the best thing to drink, and drink plenty of it. If the taste of plain water doesn’t appeal to you, try flavoring your water with unsweetened citrus juice, like lemon or lime. Or, add some slices of cucumber or pineapple to your water.

Make A Meal Plan Or Journal

Many people may cringe at the idea of keeping a journal of what they eat or planning their meals days in advance. But, doing so can have many advantages.

Meal journaling can help you identify if there are any foods that you may be intolerant of. If you meal journal for a month and recognize that you get an upset stomach every time you eat something with milk in it, you may be able to identify that you are lactose intolerant.

Likewise, meal planning can help you avoid those days where you just don’t feel like going grocery shopping after work and then having to make dinner. If you spend half an hour a week planning out your meals and making a shopping list for the week, you can have everything you need ready to make quick and easy meals on those nights you know you’re going to be tired after a long day’s work.

These are just a few ways you can make small changes that can have a large impact on your overall health and wellbeing.