Is It Healthy To Eat The Same Thing Every Day? Even If It's Nutritious?

If you're eating the same meals every day because of convenience (or other reasons), you may want to rethink your plans.

Sometimes, eating the same thing every day, especially if it’s nutritious, seems like a good idea. Having something like egg whites, yogurt and toast for breakfast, and chicken, broccoli and rice for dinner helps with meal preparation and simplifies one’s life.

It can also aid in maintaining energy levels. For example, an athlete friend of mine eats the same thing every day at the exact same time (3:30 p.m.) to “secure his energy levels.” Two hours before his workout, he eats chicken, rice and rice cakes. Eating the same thing guarantees his energy, and eating two hours before working out allows him to digest the food. He also typically eats the same food for breakfast every day.

But getting stuck in a steadfast routine can have some drawbacks. Is this type of eating regimen healthy enough?

There’s a fine line to be aware of.

While it can be common to eat the same foods every day, there can be a point when it turns into something of more concern. Katherine Metzelaar, a Seattle-based dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor, explained if someone’s eating the same foods every day, they might have an eating disorder called avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, or ARFID.