At a Glance
- Demi Lovato says cooking has been “so healing” during her eating disorder recovery
- She once viewed food as “the enemy” and broke down in grocery stores
- Her cookbook ONE PLATE AT A TIME releases March 31
- Why it matters: Lovato’s openness offers hope to millions silently battling eating disorders
Demi Lovato credits cooking with mending her relationship with food after years of viewing meals as the enemy. The 33-year-old singer shared the revelation during a Jan. 15 appearance on Kylie Kelce’s podcast, Not Gonna Lie, explaining how the kitchen became her sanctuary.
From Tears at the Grocery Store to Joy in the Kitchen
Lovato, who has spoken candidly about her ongoing struggle with eating disorders, described early recovery as overwhelming.
“When I first got into recovery, food was very, very overwhelming for me, to the point where, when I would go to the grocery store, I would break down in tears because there was just food everywhere. And that, to me, was the enemy at the time,” she told Kelce.
Treatment introduced her to cooking as a therapeutic tool.
“They taught me the importance and the value of cooking and repairing your relationship with food through that way … I found that cooking just kind of helps build my relationship with food in a way that, like – I trust the food and it’s fun,” she said.
A Cookbook Born from Recovery
Those kitchen victories inspired Lovato’s upcoming release, ONE PLATE AT A TIME: Recipes for Finding Freedom with Food, arriving March 31 via Flatiron Books.
“Stepping into the kitchen and learning how to cook has been such an important part of my recovery and healing my relationship with food,” she wrote in the cookbook announcement. “This book is filled with simple, comforting recipes that have allowed me to reconnect with myself and find both freedom and joy in my kitchen – feelings I never thought I could experience.”
Lovato emphasized the project isn’t solely for those in recovery.
“Say you don’t have an eating disorder and you’re not in recovery and you want recipes that are just easy and tips on how to get started in the kitchen. Like, you could be that person, too,” she told Kelce.
Kylie Kelce Praises Lovato’s Honesty
Kelce, mother to four daughters under age seven, thanked Lovato for publicly discussing her journey.
“I really, really appreciate you not only creating this cookbook, but just even starting that conversation. You being open to discussing it is so incredibly special for other people who are also going through it,” she said.
She continued, “I cannot thank you enough for being so open about your process and your recovery and what you went through, because raising four girls in this world, it’s important to have people who will speak up about those types of things that are impacting a lot of people – oftentimes silently.”
Daily Struggles and Ongoing Healing
Lovato has previously acknowledged that recovery is not linear, stating she still wrestles with disordered thoughts “daily.” Cooking, she reiterated, provides daily reprieve.
“Cooking has been so healing for me and my recovery,” she said.
Key Takeaways
- Lovato began cooking a few years ago and considers herself a novice
- The singer views preparing meals as “an act of love and kindness to myself”
- Her cookbook offers approachable recipes for beginners and those healing their relationship with food
- Kelce highlights the importance of role models for young girls navigating body-image pressures
Anyone struggling with an eating disorder can contact The Alliance for Eating Disorders at 1-866-662-1235 for a fully-staffed helpline and free, therapist-led support groups.
