What to eat after a retreat

By Claire

One of the things people miss most after a retreat is the food: colourful plates, regular meals, someone else doing the cooking. The good news is that very little of it is complicated. The trick is to keep the simple patterns, not to copy a menu.

Keep the rhythm, not the rules

On a retreat you eat at regular times, rarely snack, and sit down for each meal. That rhythm is probably more useful than any single ingredient. In the first weeks home, try to keep three proper meals, eaten at a table, at roughly the same times.

Breakfast that lasts

Most retreats serve a breakfast that carries you through a morning of activity: fruit, yoghurt, eggs, oats, good bread. At home, the same idea works on a weekday in ten minutes. Porridge with fruit and a spoon of nuts, or eggs on wholemeal toast with tomatoes, beats a pastry on the way to work.

Half a plate of vegetables

Mediterranean retreats lean on vegetables without making a point of it: salads, roasted peppers, greens with olive oil, bean stews. A practical rule is half a plate of vegetables at lunch and dinner. Frozen vegetables count, and save a lot of time.

Beans and lentils

Cretan and Portuguese cooking use pulses everywhere. They are cheap, filling and easy to batch-cook on a Sunday. A pot of lentil soup or a tray of chickpeas roasted with spices covers several lunches.

Something you enjoy

A glass of wine with friends, a slice of cake, chocolate after dinner: retreats that ban everything tend to produce a rebound on the way home from the airport. Eating well is a pattern over weeks, not a test you pass or fail each day.

About "detox" products

You may be tempted to keep the retreat feeling going with teas, powders or juice plans promising to cleanse. The body already handles that through the liver and kidneys. If you are curious about a particular supplement, speak to your GP or a pharmacist, especially if you take any medication.

Keep moving too

Food is only half the story. A daily walk, a weekly class or a Saturday swim keeps the retreat feeling alive far longer than any recipe. If your legs are still complaining from the trip, read how to handle recovery.

Planning the next break already? Our destinations page compares the best places for an active week.