…And Why That’s Completely Normal

Every winter, I start hearing the same thing in the clinic.

“I’ve been so good all year, but all I want now is toast.”

“I can’t stop thinking about pasta.”

“I’ve completely fallen off the wagon.”

Almost every woman says it as though she’s about to confess to robbing a bank rather than eating a bowl of pasta.

My response is usually the same: I don’t think you’ve failed at all. I think you’re experiencing winter.

Somewhere along the way, we’ve been sold the idea that healthy eating should look exactly the same every day of the year. Salads in January, salads in July. Smoothies when it’s 35 degrees, and smoothies when it’s 8 degrees. Personally, I don’t think that’s realistic. As a Clinical Nutritionist, and as someone who would much rather sit down to a bowl of pumpkin soup than a cold salad on a freezing Melbourne evening, I think our eating habits should evolve with the seasons. Winter naturally changes how we live, and it makes sense that it also changes how we eat.

There’s More Than One Reason We Crave Comfort Food

One of the things I love about nutrition is that there usually isn’t a single explanation for why we eat the way we do. Our food choices are influenced by biology, psychology, culture, habit and environment, and winter brings changes to all of them. As the days become shorter, many of us spend less time outdoors and less time in natural light. Research suggests that reduced daylight can influence our circadian rhythm—our internal body clock—which plays an important role in regulating our sleep, energy levels and mood (Dollish et al., 2024). While that doesn’t mean everyone experiences the “winter blues”, it’s one reason many people simply don’t feel like themselves during the colder months. Then, there are the practical changes that winter brings. We often leave home before the sun is up and get home after it’s gone down. We spend more time inside, we socialise differently, and after a long day at work, a warm meal often feels far more appealing than something cold. Honestly, I don’t think that’s something we should be trying to fight.

We’ve Become Too Afraid of Comfort Food

This is probably where my opinion differs from much of the nutrition advice online. I think we’ve become far too suspicious of comfort food. Every winter, clients apologise for craving toast, pasta or mashed potatoes, as though those foods are the reason they aren’t reaching their health goals. But I don’t think the problem is the toast. I think the problem is the guilt we’ve attached to it.

Food has become so heavily moralised that we’ve forgotten one of its most important roles—it brings comfort.

That doesn’t make it unhealthy.

Food has always been about more than nutrients. It’s how we celebrate birthdays, gather with family, pass down traditions and look after people when they’re unwell. Research supports this too, showing that our food choices are influenced by far more than hunger alone. Our emotions, environment, cultural traditions and the changing seasons all shape what we naturally feel like eating (Spence, 2021; Ballabh & Rathee, 2026). When you think about it, no one questions why we crave watermelon on a hot summer’s day. So why do we judge ourselves for wanting soup, porridge or a hearty pasta dish in winter?

Instead of Fighting the Craving, Get Curious

One thing I’ve learnt over the years is that cravings are often worth exploring rather than fearing. When a client tells me she’s craving carbohydrates every night, my first thought isn’t, “How do we stop the craving?” It’s, “What’s going on here?”

Has she eaten enough throughout the day? Is lunch a little more than a salad that left her hungry by three o’clock? Has she been avoiding carbohydrates because she thinks she should? Is she exhausted after juggling work, family and life? Or is she simply looking for something warm and satisfying after spending the day in the cold?

Sometimes we’re craving comfort.

Sometimes we’re craving convenience.

Sometimes we’re simply hungry.

I’ve found that when we stop treating cravings as the enemy and start getting curious about them, the conversation becomes much more productive.

Comfort and Nutrition Can Sit at the Same Table

One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that comfort food and healthy eating are somehow opposites. I couldn’t disagree more.

Some of the most nourishing meals I eat all winter are also the ones I enjoy the most. A homemade minestrone packed with vegetables and beans. A slow-cooked beef casserole. Pumpkin soup with crusty wholegrain bread. A bowl of pasta tossed with chicken, spinach, mushrooms and parmesan.

Those meals are comforting, but they’re also providing protein, fibre, healthy fats and a wide range of vitamins and minerals.

I don’t encourage my clients to stop eating the foods they love. Instead, we look at how we can make those meals a little more balanced and satisfying. Rather than removing the pasta, could we add some chicken or lentils? Could we include a couple of extra handfuls of vegetables? Could we make sure the meal actually keeps us full for the rest of the evening?

Healthy eating doesn’t have to mean giving up the foods that bring you joy.

Winter Changes More Than Our Food Choices

Winter often changes the way we move as well. Research consistently shows that physical activity tends to decline during the colder months, while sedentary behaviour increases (Garriga et al., 2022). Again, I don’t see this as a lack of motivation. I see it as a normal response to the environment we’re living in. Instead of expecting yourself to maintain exactly the same routine you had in summer, it can be more helpful to adapt. Maybe your morning walk becomes a lunchtime walk while the sun is out. Maybe your run is replaced with a strength session indoors. Movement doesn’t have to look the same all year round, just as our meals don’t have to look the same all year round.

My Take on Winter Nutrition

If there’s one thing I’d love you to take away from this, it’s that you don’t need to fight winter.

You don’t need to feel guilty because you’re craving soup instead of salad or toast instead of yoghurt.

I think we’ve become so focused on eating the “perfect” diet that we’ve forgotten food is allowed to feel good. It’s allowed to be warming, comforting and satisfying while still supporting your health. So this winter, enjoy the soup. Cook the casserole. Have the pasta. Just remember that nourishing your body doesn’t mean ignoring what the season is asking of you.

Because in my experience, some of the healthiest meals we eat all year are also the ones that bring us the greatest comfort.

How We Support Women at Katie Blakely Wellness

At Katie Blakely Wellness, we don’t just look at what you’re eating – we look at supporting you holistically & meeting you where you’re at. We take into account your lifestyle (including family life), the season, your food preferances, and beyond that we delve into understanding your body as a whole to best support you – asking about your gut health, energy levels, hormones, health goals

Learn more by booking in a free 15 minute discovery call.