Why Variety Matters—But So Does Routine

We’ve all heard it: “Eat the rainbow!” “Don’t eat the same thing every day!” “You need variety in your diet!”

And it’s true—variety does matter. A wide range of plant foods supports a diverse gut microbiome. It helps us get the nutrients we need and keeps meals from becoming monotonous.

But here’s the nuance no one talks about: Variety doesn’t have to mean 21 different meals a week.
And trying to eat something new at every meal? It’s often a recipe for burnout, not better health.

The Routine that Makes Room for Real Life

In my own life, I eat variations on the same breakfast and lunch almost every day.
It’s simple. It's fast. It's nourishing.
It helps me hit my nutrition goals without thinking about food all day.

Dinner is where I tend to play with more variety—because that’s what works for me. But even there, I’ve got a few go-to “frameworks” that I rotate and remix depending on what’s in my fridge or what I’m craving.

This is the sweet spot I recommend to clients too:
✅ Enough routine to reduce decision fatigue
✅ Enough variety to support gut health
✅ Enough flexibility to make meals enjoyable

Variety Within Routine

Here’s what this looks like in practice:

• Oats + berries + flax + Greek yogurt might be a weekday breakfast—but the fruit rotates

• A lunch bowl might include chickpeas one day, lentils the next, leftover chicken another

• Your “big salad” might always include leafy greens—but the toppings change and so does the accompanying carb

That’s still variety.
It doesn’t have to be fancy.
It just has to work for you.

Why This Approach Works

1. Less Stress = More Consistency
   When meals are easy to prep, you're more likely to eat well regularly.

2. More Fiber + Plants Without the Overwhelm
   You can build in microbiome diversity across the week—without overhauling your diet every day.

3. Better for Busy Lives
   Especially for professionals, caregivers, and anyone juggling multiple roles, this kind of planning makes it possible to eat well without decision fatigue or guilt.

You don’t have to choose between health and simplicity.
You just need a system that gives you both.