Have you ever tried to write a shopping list and you get stuck? How about staring at a menu when getting a quick lunch and you just draw a blank? This happens to most of us. The next time you find yourself in this situation, think about:

1. What sounds good? If there isn’t one item jumping out at you, use your senses to guide you. Does something crunchy sound good? Juicy and refreshing? Maybe something soft and warm sounds better. Once something sounds pleasing, think about what foods come to mind and go from there.

2. How do you feel? And how do you want to feel? If you’ve got a busy day or week (and most of us do), consider what will give you the energy you need to do the things that are important.

3. What’s available to you? Sometimes we aren’t able to buy or make the exact thing we would like to eat. It could be a very busy day or maybe there is food in the pantry or refrigerator that must be used before the next shopping trip. We need to make smart food choices based on what best suits our needs.

Here are some examples of this.