Have you ever found yourself sneaking a snack, hiding a wrapper, or feeling the need to justify your food choices? Maybe it’s a candy bar after lunch or a drive-thru burger on a busy day. If you’ve ever felt that urge to eat in secret or cover up your snack evidence, you’re not alone. So many of us carry this hidden food shame, and it often comes down to the messages we’ve absorbed from diet culture and our own fears of judgment. Today, let’s dig into where this shame comes from and, more importantly, how we can start to let it go.

Why Do We Sneak Food?

When we’re sneaking food, it’s usually because we feel some level of shame about it. Think about it: if you weren’t worried about eating that chocolate or grabbing that fast-food meal, you wouldn’t feel the need to hide it. For a lot of people, this shame is rooted in two main things: our own beliefs about “good” and “bad” foods and our fear of judgment from others.

Sometimes, we’re the ones judging ourselves. Maybe we’ve been told our whole lives that certain foods are “bad” or that eating a specific way is a sign of being “healthy.” So, when we reach for something we’ve labeled as “bad,” it feels like we’re doing something wrong. Other times, it’s not so much our judgment as it is the worry about what other people think. Maybe you’ve gotten a side-eye from a friend or a comment from a family member about your food choices. Over time, we start to internalize that fear of judgment, leading us to sneak food when we think no one’s looking.

If this sounds familiar, you’re definitely not alone. Many of us have learned to feel this way from an early age. Think about the times when parents restrict kids from eating certain treats, saying things like, “You don’t need that” or “Just one piece of Halloween candy a day.” When food is restricted or labeled as “bad,” kids often end up sneaking it—and we carry that habit into adulthood. But here’s the thing: there’s another way to approach this.

The Shame Loop and Why It’s So Hard to Break

The tricky thing about food shame is that it creates a loop that can feel almost impossible to break. Here’s how it tends to go:

1. You feel shame or guilt about eating a certain food.
2. To avoid that shame, you try to control your eating, maybe by restricting certain foods or only allowing them in small amounts.
3. But then, restricting those foods makes you crave them even more.
4. Eventually, you give in to the craving, which might lead to overeating because you’ve built it up so much.
5. And then… you feel guilty all over again.

This cycle is exhausting and frustrating, and yet most of us try to break it by doing the same thing: more control, more restriction, more rules. And, not surprisingly, we stay stuck. The solution? We’re going to look at a different approach.

Giving Yourself Permission to Enjoy Food

One of the most powerful steps in breaking the food shame cycle is simply giving yourself permission to enjoy all types of food. This is a core part of intuitive eating, where the goal is to stop labeling foods as “good” or “bad.” It’s hard, I know—especially when we’ve been taught to feel guilty about eating certain things. But making peace with food is about more than just letting yourself eat the candy or the pizza; it’s about releasing those judgments altogether.

As a dietitian who’s spent years studying nutrition, I can assure you: there is no single food that is “good” or “bad” for you. Sure, different foods offer different nutrients, and variety is essential. But food itself doesn’t carry a moral value, and enjoying a balanced range of foods is part of taking care of yourself.

So, when you’re able to shift your mindset and start seeing food without moral judgment, you’ll start to notice that shame and guilt slowly lose their grip. This is what I work on with clients all the time—helping them to feel genuinely free around food so they can say yes when they want something and no when it’s not what they truly need, without all that baggage of guilt.

Letting Go of “Wrapper Shame”

Have you ever had that moment where you’re tossing a food wrapper and you feel this rush of embarrassment? It’s like you’re trying to cover up a crime. Next time that happens, I encourage you to do something different: throw it away like it’s any other piece of trash. Don’t hide it, don’t feel the need to sneak it into the bottom of the trash can—just dispose of it openly. Because eating is normal. It’s part of life.

And here’s something to keep in mind: everyone eats, and almost everyone struggles with food in some way at some point. You’re not alone in this. There’s a strange comfort in knowing that even the people who seem to have it “all together” around food probably have moments of struggle. By letting yourself be seen eating without shame, you might even inspire others to do the same. You don’t have to hide in your car, wait until everyone’s gone to bed, or shut your office door. Try eating as if you’re not ashamed, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. Over time, this will feel less like a challenge and more like freedom.

Understanding Your Own Food Shame

Finally, let’s get curious about where your food shame comes from. When you feel that urge to sneak or hide your eating, take a moment to reflect. Are you judging yourself, worried about how you look to others, or caught up in thoughts about food being “bad”? If you can pinpoint these thoughts, it becomes easier to let them go.

Journaling can be really helpful here. Write down what you’re afraid others might think if they saw you eating that food or found the wrappers. Often, bringing those fears into the open can make them lose their power. And if you find yourself eating compulsively or feeling out of control, that’s also a clue that restrictive rules may be at play, which is something you can explore further.

Moving Forward with Food Freedom

The journey to food freedom isn’t about perfect eating. It’s about a mindset shift that allows you to enjoy food without guilt or shame. Here’s a quick recap:

• Recognize why you’re sneaking food (often shame or fear of judgment).
• Let go of restrictive control, which only fuels cravings and guilt.
• Give yourself permission to eat a variety of foods and practice seeing all foods as neutral.
• Ditch the “wrapper shame” and try eating openly, reminding yourself that eating is a normal part of life.
• Explore your own food shame to better understand and release it.

If you ever want to chat more about this topic, I’m here! Send me an email at katy@katyharvey.net or reach out on social media. You deserve to feel free and joyful around food, and I’m here to support you every step of the way.

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