Friday

Happy Friday! As we head into the weekend, we’re taking a look at:

• Is it ok to skip breakfast if you’re not hungry?

• Tips to make cooking during the week easier

• Personalized menopause care

• What to know about cooking with an “iron fish”

Is It Ok To Skip Breakfast if You’re Not Hungry?

We’ve all heard it: “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”

But what happens when you wake up, and you’re simply not hungry? Do you have to eat breakfast right away?

Dating breakfast — and not waiting until lunchtime — ensures that we are fueled and have the energy to get through the day. Hunger can cause uncomfortable symptoms, including brain fog, headaches, lightheadedness, weakness, and more.

Furthermore, experts say that eating breakfast helps avoid “hanger” — that uncomfortable, irritated feeling we get when it’s been just a little too long since we’ve eaten.

This doesn’t mean you need to eat breakfast right when you wake up. Experts say eating within an hour or two gives you the benefits of being fueled and gives you some time to get up and moving — and your hunger cues to kick in.

It’s not the end of the world if you miss breakfast once in a while, but experts agree it’s not something you likely want to make a regular habit of.

Even eating something small — like a bar, yogurt, granola, or something similar — can help get the day started on the right foot.

Ideas To Make Cooking During the Week Easier

After a long day of work, the last thing many of us want to do is cook. However, nourishing our bodies is an essential form of self-care!

Luckily, you don’t have to cook a 3-course meal every night. Here are a few ways to make cooking during the week a little less of a mental lift.

• Lean for one-pot meals: Think baked pasta with veggies, soup, crock pot dishes, and so forth. This not only saves on the number of dishes you’ll have to wash but also means you’ll have fewer steps to worry about.

• Batch cook: Cooking for more than one meal at a time with double or triple batches ensures you have enough for future lunches or dinners during the week.

• Streamline what you can: If buying pre-chopped or frozen fruits or vegetables means you’ll be more apt to cook and less likely to order takeout, this can be a cost-effective way to make cooking during the week easier.

• Mismatch your meals: If all you can manage one night is a hodgepodge of food — like pasta with spinach, a side of avocado, and a few slices of deli meat — that’s okay. What’s most important is that you’re fueling your body with a range of nutrients!

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Thank you to Winona for sponsoring Note To Self. 

What To Know about the Trend of Cooking With an “Iron Fish”

People have long cooked with cast iron skillets. But a different iron tool has recently spiked in popularity in the kitchen: the “Iron Fish.”

This little tool is exactly what the name suggests — a little fish made of iron. It may be attached to a string and can be used in the same pot or pan as another dish you’re using to cook.

The idea is that when you cook with an Iron Fish, it infuses iron into your meal, giving you a boost of the essential mineral.

And according to science, it can actually be beneficial!

Research found that a Lucky Iron Fish can “restore circulating and stored levels of iron” and reduce anemia by 43%.

Speaking with SELF, Cara Harbstreet, MS, RD, LD, of Street Smart Nutrition, pointed to a review that found cooking in a range of iron tools — including pots, pans, or a fish — showed an increase in hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein that’s formed with iron.

Experts say if you think you might be iron deficient, it’s a good idea to chat with a doctor. However, cooking with an iron fish is generally considered safe and can be helpful for some added nutrients! To get the best benefits, it’s best to use when cooking food with water — think soup, oatmeal, pasta, and the like.

Parting Thoughts

• ✅ Did You Know: A majority of people cook between 3 and 5 times a week.

• 🙋🏼‍♀️ Snapshot Of The Day: We'd love to see moments from our readers lives that they are proud of! If you recently accomplished an achievement, experienced a joyful moment, or are proud of a picture you have taken, be sure to capture it on camera and send it to us for a chance to be featured next week! 

• 💭 Final Self-Care Thoughts for Today: Find a few ways to make cooking easier, and see how it impacts your mood and motivation during the week!

Enjoying Note to Self?

Know of a great self-care tip or article you'd love to share with the community? Want to send us pictures of you completing one of your self-care rituals? Email us at [email protected]!