Day 3475 in isolation. Oh wait no, that’s just how it feels. 

Scrolling my instagram whilst stuck on my sofa again I’m confronted by the obligatory sourdoughs and banana breads, and yes I am guilty of both. What I find more surprising is the sheer volume of health posts, the WW points for a ‘Fake away”, slimming world substitutions for a lasagne sauce. (I have a horror story where a woman told me to blend a WW mac and cheese instead of making béchamel but that is for another day.) People angry with themselves for not sticking to their diets. 

Slews of #healthyliving #summerready #backgardenbikini. Inspirational posts telling you put down the fork. If you know me you know I am not averse to a piece of cake, a giant steak or a jar of Chicken Butter so these kind of posts I know are not meant for me but sometimes I can’t help but feel attacked by these. I’ve never been one for a diet but I get the pressure to be “good”  all the time.

The phrase that grates the most “naughty food.” Why is it naughty? Did it draw a dick on your wall in crayon? Sleep with your sister? Kill the family hamster?

The simple truth. There is no naughty food only food you’ve been told to feel bad about eating. 

Example. I ate an entire bag of Giant Wotsits in the form of a cheese spread and Wotsit sandwiches and they were glorious. Don’t @ me. 

In these trying times staying healthy is important, maybe don’t eat an entire family size apple pie if it’s not something you’d usually do but it’s a scary world out there and if that’s going to make you feel a little better then so be it. I say this will full admission that I do have a family size pie downstairs and a carton of custard that I don’t see lasting to the weekend. 

You haven’t ruined yourself or your diet because you ate a piece of cake or that selection box that was left over from christmas. Food is a comfort and right now we can all use a little comfort.

Everyone is stuck inside and time out side is limited either by fear, or nosy neighbours twitching their net curtains to ensure you’re not leaving the house more than once day. Everything feels out of control so food is probably the easiest thing you can control but is beating yourself up about making and eating banana bread really worth it. You put yourself into it so you should be allowed to enjoy it 

This is probably the best time to try something you may not have usually have time for. Slow cooked tagines you can leave in the oven for the hours you’d usually be at work, with the fear your going to burn down the house gone. Bake bread if you’re lucky enough to have flour, invent anything and everything you can with the store cupboard staples. If you’re the lady I saw in Sainsbury’s with the 23 cans of condensed milk in her trolley, make millionaires shortbread for your entire street. Obviously whilst maintaining social distancing of course. 

Exercise videos are popping up everywhere be it videos or webcam classes to keep you active if you don’t want to or can not leave your house. Chefs are also popping up all over the gram to do cook alongs or recipe videos, some more luxurious than others I admit, but they are there sharing their skills and knowledge with the everyday people. Healthy and simple recipes such as a great pasta sauce (check out The Patricia’s for some great ones) to more complex recipes such as you’ll see Adam Handling and Luke Selby putting out there. 

When this is all over you’re going to see your friends and family and there is gonna be no better reason for a huge feast and no one is going to care about the calorie content of what you’ve made. 

Food is a joy and you shouldn’t be made to feel guilty for eating something you enjoy. So do yoga in your pants, follow a fitness guru on Youtube, join in with the cook along, learn a new skill.

We should be cherishing those we have and that includes yourself so give yourself a break and eat the fucking pie.