HA Recovery Snack Guide

If you’re working on recovery from an eating disorder or hypothalamic amenorrhea, having regular meals and snacks is essential.

But do you ever get caught thinking “yes, but what should I actually be having?”

Or maybe you may feel like you’re caught in a snack rut and end up having the same thing day in, day out?

Depending on what you are having, your snacks could either be working for you or against you on your recovery journey. Here are some tips to help you supercharge your snack choices and keep you moving forward in recovery.

How many snacks should I be having?

The best place to start is by having 3 meals and 3 snacks a day. Classically this looks like having a snack mid-morning, mid-afternoon and after dinner.

What should I include in my snacks for HA & ED recovery?

It’s important not to get caught in the trap of needing to have the “perfect snack.” Instead it’s about reflecting on both your preferences and your body’s unique individual needs for recovery.

As a minimum, I would include 2 different food groups at each snack occassion and aim to make one of these a carbohydrate based food. For example, fruit (carb based) and a yoghurt (dairy/calcium based).

Shouldn’t snacks be small and low in calories?

Diet culture has probably taught you that the best choice is always the choice lowest in calories, however, in recovery you NEED calories to help your body repair and to restore your period.

Overcoming the low calorie mindset can take time, but it’s important to remind yourself that this food is the medicine your body needs.

Here are some wholesome and soulful snack ideas to help you get started in recovery.

1. Milky drink & bakery item.

This is a convenient snack option to provide your body with energy, as well as calcium if you’re opting for full cream milk. Calcium is particularly important in recovery, as hypothalamic amenorrhea and energy deficiency can be a big contributor to weakened bone strength and health, making it even more essential to prioritise calcium in your diet to combat this.

2. Toast & spread.

Carbs, and bread, have become common fear foods thanks to their misrepresentation in society and messaging around health. Carbs are crucial for recovery, as they’re the most readily available source of energy for your body, allowing it to replenish and restore its optimal function. A huge part of recovery is overcoming your lingering food rules and fears, so this snack option can be a great way to challenge that and nourish your body at the same time.

HA Recovery Snack eBook

3. Smoothie or milkshake.

A protein shake mixed with water is not an adequate snack – your body needs far more energy than this provides during recovery. Instead, we’re talking nourishing, satiating smoothies with fruit, milk (or milk alternatives), nut butter, oats, yoghurt, nuts and seeds – whatever takes your fancy. This is also a great way to tackle the common fear around liquid calories, and also offers an easier way to get enough energy into your day if you’re struggling with low or no appetite – particularly as the gastric emptying speed of liquids is much quicker than that of solid foods, so you’ll feel fuller for a shorter period of time.

4. Chia pudding & fruit.

Chia seeds are a rich source of omega-3 healthy fats and fibre, making them excellent for alleviating constipation. In recovery from HA, many people experience slow or sluggish digestion, so it’s important to get enough fibre to support your digestive system, alongside other nutrients. Not only is this fibre-rich snack sure to provide lasting energy, it’s also delicious, and super easy and quick to make!

5. Yoghurt & granola.

Opt for a full-fat dairy-based yoghurt (if you can), and top it with your favourite granola (homemade or store-bought are both great!). Notably, research has shown that eating full-fat dairy regularly can reduce your risk of infertility caused by ovulation disorders (including HA), while eating low-fat dairy products can have the opposite effect. So it’s important to overcome any lingering food rules around high-fat dairy products, and include them where possible to support fertility and bone health, thanks to their high calcium content.

HA Recovery Snack eBook

6. Nut bar & fruit.

This is such a convenient, easy snack option for whenever you’re on-the-go, providing you with the energy your body needs to support your performance at work or school.

7. Chips & dip.

Another great snack to practise incorporating into your lifestyle – particularly given how commonly it’s offered in social settings! While some people have lingering fears or rules around chips, concentrate on overcoming these restrictions and allowing yourself to snack on chips and dip whenever you like!

8. Cheese & crackers.

Another high calcium opinion, making it fantastic for your bone health (and also for your fertility if you’re opting for full-fat cheese varieties!). It’s also a great social snack to share with others, giving you the chance to appreciate food for being more than just fuel – it can bring you connection, pleasure and joy too!

9. Cereal with milk.

For some of us, cereal with milk is so comforting and nostalgic. It’s also a great way to acknowledge that you don’t have to be limited to consuming “breakfast foods” in the mornings alone – there are no rules when it comes to food! You can enjoy them whenever you like! This snack choice is a perfect balance of protein, calcium and carbohydrates to support your hormone production – and again, opt for full-fat dairy milk where possible.

HA Recovery Snack eBook

10. Bagel & cream cheese or spread.

As you may notice, carbs are a common theme on our snack list. We love carbs – not only do they support healthy production of lutenising hormone (which helps control your menstrual cycle, making it crucial in recovery), but they also provide your body with readily-accessible energy and (contrary to popular belief) help to regulate your blood glucose, so your energy levels can be sustained and stable and you can feel satisfied and nourished. Carbs are the number one nutrient to prioritise during recovery, so this is a perfect snack to help you get more in!

11. A chocolate bar.

When it comes to recovery, a key focus is to normalise all food choices, even ones you once considered “unhealthy”, and to intentionally include foods you want to be able to intuitively enjoy later down the track. In the future, you want to be able to grab a yummy chocolate bar at a petrol station stop mid road trip, or jump at the chance to enjoy a movie snack when you’re out with your friends.

Including foods like this help to unlearn those rigid food rules we’re fighting back against, and allow you to remove labels of “good” and “bad” or “healthy” and “unhealthy” foods. Chocolate bars can also help you reach your daily energy requirements too. 

12. Ice cream cone or Drumstick.

Ice cream is another common fear food, but similar to chocolate bars, incorporating it into your diet regularly is important to help you rewrite your food rules, and give yourself permission to enjoy all foods, whenever you want them. Plus, ice cream is actually a great source of calcium (winning!), energy, and a fantastic social snack to enjoy after dinner if you’re out with friends. You don’t want to be the one watching on longingly as your friends debate who chose the best flavour!

HA Recovery Snack eBook

What if I’m not hungry? Do I still need a snack during HA recovery?

The short answer: yes.

Try to stick to your daily routine of at least three main meals and three significant snacks during recovery. If you’re skipping snacks because you’re not hungry, you make it more difficult for yourself to meet your energy needs each day.

It can take time for your hunger signals to restore when you’re in recovery, so you do need to resort to mechanical eating at times. This requires eating even when you’re not necessarily hungry, in order to meet your body’s energy requirements and allow it to restore crucial functions like your menstrual cycle.

You should be aiming to eat roughly every three hours. This also means you’re not having to cram in your energy needs for the day into a small window in the evening, but rather you’re spreading out your intake across your snacks and meals, preventing digestive discomfort and ensuring you meet your minimum daily 2,500 calorie requirements.

In addition, when you eat during HA recovery is important too, making snacks a key priority. Previously, your body has been taught to believe it won’t get the energy it needs each day, leading to a stress response including an elevated production of your stress hormone, cortisol. But during recovery, eating regularly and plentifully can slowly allow your body to come out of this stress response, as you reassure it that it can rely on regular, satiating food. 

This is so important in helping to restore your period – and snacks play a key role here! So not only is it essential to eat those three snacks (even when you’re not feeling hungry!) to meet your body’s energy requirements, but also to allow your body to de-stress, and restore those functions it had to put “on hold” while it was undernourished.

How many calories should each of my snacks be?

If you’re aiming for around 2,500 calories minimum per day, assuming your main meals are substantial and include around 500-600 calories each, that means each snack should be at least 250-300 calories. But don’t be afraid to exceed this amount either – your body will thank you for it, as you’re replenishing prolonged energy deficiencies!

HA Recovery Meal Plans

What should I do if I miss a snack?

It happens! First and foremost, forgive yourself! It doesn’t help to beat yourself up, dwell on the snack you missed, or tell yourself you’re a failure for missing one snack.

Instead, you have a few options to make up for it, without missing out on your energy requirements for the day.

• You can bulk up the next meal or snack you consume. Simple ways to do so include adding a source of healthy fats, like nut butter, olive oil, avocado, nuts or seeds. These are super simple ingredients to help you reach your energy needs without much fuss. Simply add a couple of servings into your next meal (or snack), and that will help to compensate for the deficit you created in missing your snack.
• Add in another snack after dinner. Dessert is always an easy option to bulk up in order to meet your energy needs. Add in some nut butter, a chocolate bar, or an extra scoop of ice cream to your regular dessert, and you’ll be making up for some of the energy you missed earlier.

Whatever you choose, recommit to prioritising and sticking to all your snacks the following day. Don’t let one slip up convince you to abandon all your hard work!

Chocolate bars and ice cream are unhealthy, why are you suggesting those as snacks?

Part of recovery is removing this idea of foods as being “healthy” or “unhealthy”. Instead, we learn to see all foods as neutral, and part of a regular diet. Of course there are some foods which are more nutritionally-dense than others, and may leave you feeling more energised and nourished – these are the foods you’ll generally eat more of and prioritise as you move towards a more intuitive approach to eating over time. But these “treat” foods are absolutely allowed as part of a healthy diet, and in learning to honour your body’s needs and cravings, you discover how to give yourself unconditional permission to eat and enjoy them when and as you wish.

While it may be difficult to unlearn the idea of these snack options as being “unhealthy”, the truly unhealthy thing is not having a healthy menstrual cycle or adequately nourishing your body! When you’re not providing sufficient energy to support your body’s optimal function, this is when you’re creating a threat to your health. So in including these less nutritionally-dense foods, which can help you meet your body’s daily energy requirements, you’re actually making the healthier choice after all!

Should I follow a meal plan or count calories if I’m in recovery from HA?

For the majority of people, counting calories can interfere with your recovery efforts. It can encourage a numbers-centric approach to nutrition, meaning you continue to see foods for their numerical value or macro breakdown, and this can perpetuate existing food rules and fears you’ve built up over time. If you’re looking to move towards a more intuitive approach to eating, then ditching the calorie counting and emphasising adequate nourishment and honouring your body’s hunger signals is key.

However, for some of us, meal plans can play an important role in recovery. If you’re struggling to tune back into your hunger signals after spending so long ignoring them, or you’re feeling full all the time and experiencing difficulty meeting your daily energy requirements, you might consider following a meal plan for a short period of time (under the guidance of a health professional or support team). In these instances, a more structured approach to eating can be helpful to ensure you are meeting your energy targets each day, and identifying areas of opportunity to help you reach these goals if you’re struggling. For example, if you identify you’re falling short of your calorie target for HA recovery each day, you might choose to add a tablespoon of peanut butter to your evening dessert, or an extra tablespoon of olive oil to your salad dressing at lunch, allowing you to hit that target consistently. 

Meal plans can also be useful if you’re not able to rely on hunger and fullness cues just yet, as they can help you understand the need for mechanical eating (even if you’re not necessarily hungry) until your internal signals return and you regain trust in them. This can be another effective tool if you’re finding it difficult to meet your daily energy requirements. But be sure to seek the guidance of a health coach or professional, who can help you identify the safest and most effective way for you to meet your daily needs, while still repairing your relationship with food and your body along your recovery journey.