BREAKING FREE FROM EMOTIONAL EATING: A GUIDE FOR BUSY WOMEN 40+… And Roasted Vegetables

Finding balance, nourishment, and self-compassion in every season of life

For many busy women over 40, life can be a constant balancing act. Career, caregiving, and personal transitions during the menopausal years. When stress runs high, food can shift from fuel to comfort, reward, or distraction. That pattern, emotional eating, is common but often goes unrecognized. Understanding the difference between emotional and physical hunger is the first step to moving from reactive habits to intentional nourishment.

What Is Emotional Eating?

Emotional eating is turning to food to soothe or cope with feelings rather than to satisfy physical hunger. Signs include:

• Eating when stressed, lonely, bored, anxious, or sad

• Craving specific comfort foods that are high in sugar, fat, or salt

• Eating mindlessly/quickly without tasting your food

• Feeling guilt or regret after eating

Emotional vs. physical hunger: Emotional hunger comes on suddenly, is often specific (“I need chocolate now”), isn’t satisfied even when you’re full, and is tied to feelings, not your true physical needs.

Why Emotional Eating Often Shows Up After 40

Shifting hormones in perimenopause/menopause can affect mood, stress response, sleep, and appetite signals. Combine that with work and caregiving stress, and eating food that might not be particularly nourishing may provide seemingly easy relief. Over time, however, emotional eating can disrupt blood sugar, your energy, gut health, and self-esteem.

Becoming Aware: Are You an Emotional Eater?

Reflect on these questions:

• Do you eat when you’re not hungry especially during stress or boredom?

• Do you crave specific foods when upset?

• Do you eat quickly without tasting or chewing well?

• Do you feel guilt or regret after eating?

Try a 7-day food–mood journal: Note what you ate, hunger level (1–10), emotions before/after. This often reveals patterns you can’t see in the moment.

Why Seasonal Eating Supports Mindful Nourishment

• Supports hormone & gut health: Fresh, local produce is rich in fiber and phytonutrients.

• Aligns with natural rhythms: Light/cooling in summer; grounding/warming in fall and winter.

• Simplifies decisions: Fewer, in-season choices reduce overwhelm and impulse purchases.

• Encourages mindfulness: Staying close to nature’s cycles naturally slows your pace. Grounding in nature helps regulate stress and cravings. If you’re in Chicago, try a forest therapy walk to reset your nervous system.

My fall favorites in the Midwest: squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, Brussels sprouts, apples, pears. I love these options because they are fiber-rich and deeply nourishing.

My Favorite Reads on Seasonal Eating 

If you want to explore this topic further, these books offer beautiful guidance on seasonal eating and whole-body nourishment:

• Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson 

• The Ayurvedic Cookbook by Amadea Morningstar

• The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia by Rebecca Wood

• Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables by Joshua McFadden

• Cooking with the Seasons by Monique Jamet Hooker

10 Tips to Move Past Emotional Eating

1. Pause and check in – When cravings hit, pause and ask: “Am I physically hungry, or am I feeling something else?”

2. Practice HALT – Notice if you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. These feelings often disguise themselves as hunger.

3. Slow down meals – Try to eat without distractions, chew slowly, and truly taste your food. Mindful eating helps your body register fullness.

4. Create emotional toolkits – Build a list of non-food coping tools: a short walk, noticing your breath, journaling, or calling a friend.

5. Balance blood sugar – Eat balanced meals with protein, fiber, and healthy fats to prevent energy crashes that trigger emotional eating.

6. Honor your emotions – Allow yourself to feel emotions fully instead of suppressing them with food. Therapy, coaching, or journaling can help.

7. Prioritize rest – Lack of sleep intensifies cravings and stress hormones. Aim for 7–8 hours of restorative sleep. Not always easy, but so important for healing.

8. Move your body daily – Movement relieves stress and increases mood-lifting endorphins. Even a 10-minute walk before or after a meal is good.

9. Schedule meals and snacks – Regular eating patterns prevent extreme hunger which often drives emotional impulses.

10. Celebrate progress, not perfection – Shifting eating patterns is a journey. Acknowledge small wins and show yourself compassion.

Recipe: Roasted Autumn Vegetables (Midwest Seasonal)

Grounding, nutrient-dense, and perfect for fall. Serve as a side or over greens/quinoa for a satisfying main dish.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cubed butternut squash

• 1 cup sliced carrots

• 1 cup cubed sweet potatoes

• 1 cup Brussels sprouts, halved

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp sea salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp dried thyme and/or rosemary
  

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. Toss vegetables with oil, salt, pepper, herbs.

3. Spread vegetables evenly; roast 25–30 minutes, stirring halfway, until tender and caramelized.
   

Marguerite’s version: I often add parsnips, fennel, onions and a whole garlic bulb when roasting vegetables. After roasting your vegetables, you might also use a hand-emulsifier or blender to make a chunky, cozy soup. This soup will last 2-3 days in the fridge. Any easy, nourishing meal after work.

How an Integrative Health & Wellness Coach Can Help

Breaking free from emotional eating isn’t about willpower; it’s about sustainable, compassionate systems. Coaching provides:

• Help identifying your triggers and patterns

• Balanced meal planning for hormone & gut health

• Mindfulness tools for eating and stress relief

• Accountability and encouragement in a judgment-free space
  

You might choose to work with me 1:1 or alongside others:

• 1:1 Coaching :  personalized strategy and support

• Seed Keepers Group Coaching : community + accountability

• About Marguerite : credentials & approach

• Book a Complimentary Health Discovery Call

Nourishment as an Act of Self-Love

Emotional eating is a learned stress response not a personal failure. By building awareness, eating seasonally, practicing mindful routines, and seeking compassionate support, you can move toward a peaceful, energized relationship with food. Give yourself permission to slow down, savor what’s on your plate, and remember: you’re worthy of care, one nourishing choice at a time.

FAQ 

How can I tell emotional hunger from physical hunger?
Emotional hunger arrives suddenly, craves specific comfort foods, and isn’t satisfied when you’re full. Physical hunger builds gradually, is open to various foods, and eases after a balanced meal.

How do I stop emotional eating at night?
Eat balanced meals in the early evening (protein + fiber + healthy fat), plan a protein-rich evening snack if needed, build a calming wind-down routine, and keep HALT in mind to address tiredness and stress directly.

What foods help reduce cravings in perimenopause?
Protein with each meal, high-fiber plants (especially leafy greens and beans), omega-3s (flax, chia, walnuts), fermented foods for gut health, and steady hydration support more stable appetite signals.

Author

Marguerite Griffin, Integrative Nutrition, Health & Wellness Coach; Relational Forest Therapy Guide. Based in Chicago; virtual coaching available worldwide.