Why ‘Eat Well’ Is Not Good Enough Advice When We’re Grieving
- Sabine
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
During grief, the body needs the most support
When we lose someone we love, our focus is rarely on food. Appetite can disappear, energy drops, and even the simplest tasks - like cooking a meal - can feel overwhelming.
Yet this is exactly the time when the body needs support the most. It’s also often a time when our meal routine changes and we adopt new eating habits - whether that’s cooking for one, eating at different times, or relying on whatever feels easiest in the moment.
These changes can either gently support our recovery or, over time, contribute to further imbalances. Without the right guidance, it’s easy to fall into patterns that leave us feeling more depleted rather than nourished.
If mentioned at all, the only advice we get is to "eat well"- but this advice is not very helpful when you're struggling just to get through the day. What does “eating well” actually look like when you have no appetite, no energy, and no motivation to cook?
The Reality for Widowed People
As a member of the WAY Cook Group, I often see how others struggle with making daily meals without any nutritional knowledge or guidance whatsoever. I was fortunate to be my own nutritionist when my husband died, and still I struggled.
Can you imagine the challenges people face not knowing what foods would support them best?
Many cook the same meals as before the loss of their partner, not realising they may now have trouble digesting wheat, red meat, cow's dairy, or processed foods - all common comfort foods many grievers rely on. These can worsen grief-related digestive issues and nutrient deficiencies - often resulting in permanent exhaustion around the 6-month mark.
Advice That’s Too Generic
The places we're most commonly directed to when told to 'eat well' - websites like the NHS or recipe sites like BBC Good Food - either offer advice that's outdated or don't account for the realities of grief: low appetite, minimal energy and motivation, digestive issues, sudden food sensitivities, or the need for very simple, adaptable meals.
Tomatoes, peanuts, and other common recipe ingredients, for example, can aggravate digestive discomfort and are not suitable daily food choices for people whose digestive system has been compromised by grief.
Eating Well For Grievers
What’s needed instead is an approach that meets people where they are, acknowledges their limited energy, and shows them simple, practical ways to nourish their body and support their mental and emotional wellbeing.
This means:
Preparing meals that are quick, nourishing, and affordable
Using ingredients that support energy, mood, and digestion
Reducing the pressure to cook "perfectly" and focusing on small, manageable steps
Creating simple meal routines that bring a sense of stability back into daily life
Using cooking gadgets to make meal prepping easier
Even one warm, nourishing meal a day can make a noticeable difference to how we feel - physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Free National Lottery-Funded Workshop
To support this, I've created a funded online cooking workshop designed specifically for people navigating grief on a low budget.
Cooking Through Grief: The True Magic of a Simple Dish
📅 Friday 10 April | ⏰ 5–6pm | 💻 Online via Zoom
In this practical, hands-on session, participants will learn how to prepare a simple, nourishing meal using affordable ingredients, while also understanding why these foods can support both body and mind after a profound loss.
The workshop is:
Free to attend
Designed for bereaved people on low incomes
One hour long and held online
Supportive, interactive, and suitable for all skill levels
Only 14 places available
Participants can cook along in their own kitchen or simply watch—whatever feels manageable on the day. Register on Eventbrite here.
Help Shape Future Support
I'm also gathering feedback to shape future bereavement support through a short survey, ensuring that upcoming workshops, webinars, and programmes reflect what people truly need during this time. The survey takes about 3-5 minutes. Share your input here.
Additional Free Resources
Free Webinar - Wednesday 9 April
Free Easter eBook: 7 Guilt-Free Easter Treats
About Sabine
Sabine Horner is a qualified nutritionist, yoga therapist, and Ayurvedic health practitioner who supports bereaved people struggling with the very real physical impact of grief and the day-to-day practicalities of cooking for only one person.
After losing her husband Kevin, Sabine experienced how grief affects not only our emotions and mood, but also our digestion, appetite, daily routines, blood sugar, energy, and sleep. She combines professional expertise with lived experience as a widow to provide practical, achievable strategies for physical self-care that actually work - and make emotional pain a little easier to bear.
Sabine is the author of Nourishing Through Loss: A Gentle Holiday Guide and provides support through practical grief resources, cooking workshops, yoga classes, comprehensive health assessments, and 1:1 mind-body support. You can find out more about Sabine at www.sabinehorner.com.
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