THE SCOOP 

Controversial Opinion: Birthday Cake Is Emotional Eating

Emotional eating—it’s one of those phrases that immediately gets a bad rap. We hear it, and we think of people mindlessly eating their feelings away, turning to food in times of stress or sadness. But here’s the truth: emotional eating is much broader, and it’s time we expand the definition.

What is Emotional Eating, Really?

Let's shift how we think about emotional eating. In its simplest form, emotional eating is eating for a reason that is primarily emotional and only secondarily about hunger. And guess what? That’s not always a bad thing. In fact, emotional eating happens more often than we realize and in many positive ways.

Take birthday cake, for example. When we’re at a birthday party and everyone is laughing, enjoying themselves, and indulging in a slice of cake, are we really eating because we’re hungry? Nope. We’re eating for the emotional experience of celebration, connection, and joy.

"Think about it: When you enjoy birthday cake, you're not just satisfying hunger—you're partaking in a collective moment of happiness and celebration."

Emotional Eating Starts Early—And It’s Normal

Here’s something you might not have considered: emotional eating is one of the first coping mechanisms we ever learn. As babies, when we cry, we’re given milk or food to comfort us. It’s how we first experience soothing and connection. So why, as adults, should we demonize emotional eating altogether? Comfort through food is ingrained in us from the start.

In fact, it’s okay to use food for comfort occasionally. The key is understanding when it’s serving us and when it’s not.

Making Empowered Choices, Not Judgment

When we release the judgment around emotional eating, we gain control over it. Instead of guilting ourselves every time we reach for that comfort food, we can ask ourselves, Is this the kind of emotional eating I want to engage in right now?

By removing the shame, we can decide which forms of emotional eating align with our values. Do you want to enjoy food as part of joyous social moments? Absolutely. Do you want to mindlessly use food to avoid feeling your emotions? Maybe not. The power lies in the choice.

"Once you remove the judgment around emotional eating, you're free to make conscious, empowered decisions about when and how you want to use food to manage emotions."

If this resonates with you and you’re ready to take control of your relationship with food, check out my Emotional Eating & Self-Authority Short Course. In this course, we dive deeper into understanding your emotional triggers around food and to make empowered choices that serve both your body and mind. It’s time to move from guilt to freedom—let’s do this together!