The Myth of If I Don’t Eat It Now, I’ll Never Get It Again

One of the most common emotional triggers around food is the belief that if you don’t eat a certain food in the moment, you’ll never have the chance again. 

It sounds dramatic when you say it out loud, but it’s real — and it drives a lot of unnecessary overeating. 

This usually happens with foods that feel rare, nostalgic, or deeply tied to family or memory. It might be a grandmother’s kokosh cake that reminds you of childhood, a dessert your mother makes only on special occasions, a bakery you don’t live near anymore, or a particular dish you associate with your birthday or Yom Tov.

When the food feels special, your brain reacts with urgency. Suddenly the thought becomes, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment! I have to eat it,” even though logically you know that isn’t true. This is what I call scarcity eating. Eating from the fear that the opportunity will disappear, not from hunger or real desire.

But the truth is that food isn’t rare. The moment might feel emotional, but the food itself isn’t going anywhere. You can have it again. You can enjoy it again. You can recreate it, save a piece, ask for some to take home, or simply choose to have it another time. The pressure you feel isn’t coming from the food — it’s coming from the story your brain tells you about the food.

When you stop eating from fear and start eating from calm, everything changes. A small portion becomes satisfying. You taste the food instead of rushing through it. You enjoy the moment instead of feeling out of control. And afterwards, instead of guilt, you feel proud of the version of yourself you’re becoming.

Letting go of the “last chance” mentality is one of the most freeing shifts you can make. It allows you to enjoy meaningful foods more, not less. 

It brings peace into moments that used to feel out of control. 

And it teaches your brain that nothing is being taken away from you. 

You are simply choosing when and how you want to enjoy it.

That’s the freedom waiting for you in Week 5.

 Sorele