Traffic Light Eating Method: A Mindful Eating Tool

When you know which foods work well for you, which ones are “meh,” and which ones cause unwanted issues, food choices become easier.

Consider how foods make you feel — holistically:

🟢 Does this food feel good in my body?

🟡 Does this food align with my goals and values?

🔴 Do I like how I behave when I’m around these foods?

Green Light Foods: These are anytime, anywhere foods. These are foods you eat regularly and with ease. You can eat them normally, slowly, and in reasonable amounts. This list should include mostly whole food, ut may also include pleasure foods that you reasonably consume without much thought.

Yellow Light Foods: These are sometimes and small-dose foods. These are foods you might eat occasionally, but it requires some mindfulness and caution. These foods may not leave you feeling your best or are foods you consume only on special occasions or in small doses.

Red Light Foods: These are foods you minimize or make less available. These foods aren’t “bad,” they are foods that you choose not to eat most of the time because they leave you feeling unwell, you don’t like them, you tend to overeat them, or you lack self-control around them.

When used as an awareness-building tool, our coaches have found the traffic light analogy can actually help people move away from distorted eating habits and help them eat more nutritiously, enjoy their meals, and feel “in control” around food without feeling restricted or deprived.