# Food cravings at "that time of the month" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725 "2010-12-19T17:20:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TheTerribleTako](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@TheTerribleTako](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheTerribleTako)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/21 "2010-12-20T03:32:58Z")
Chocolate, pastries, and milk. I don’t usually have a very heavy sweet tooth and I’m generally lactose intolerant enough that I don’t really have much desire for anything milk related, but once it gets close to my period, those foods are on my mind all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/22 "2010-12-20T03:33:11Z")
Food in general, my appetite spikes just before Aunt Flow comes to visit. Fish is often on the menu, sometimes more than once a day. Chocolate, too. Anything with salt/grease like bacon or sausage. The the first day or two my appetite totally evaporates. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/23 "2010-12-20T03:45:04Z")
\ I don’t have a period anymore, but I don’t recall any cravings. Pregnancy cravings however - that’s another story. V8 and tuna salad sandwiches for breakfast was the norm. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/24 "2010-12-20T03:55:46Z")
Potato chips, which I basically never buy at any other time of the month Grilled red meat, preferably beef, but lamb will do Bacon! I used to crave chocolate and broccoli (not at the same time!), but my cravings have changed over time. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/25 "2010-12-20T04:00:20Z")
Chocolate for me. I eat it occasionally in between but chocolate is one I can stuff my face with at that time. Potato chips are the same, and then eating everything else, often the greasier the better but sometimes it’s spicy. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/26 "2010-12-20T04:04:27Z")
> [@causticsubstance](#): > > It changes all the time, but it has been chocolate a couple times. I like chocolate, but I normally don’t crave it. It’s also been ice cream. It may have been things like buffalo wings, sushi and steak, but I get intense cravings all the time for all kinds of random foods, so it may not be related > > Most every time, however, the surest sign isn’t that I crave a particular food but I WANT TO EAT ALL THE TIME. SEVERAL MEALS IN A ROW. Usually savory and salty food, but I’m not picky. > [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Right before my period I just can’t stop eating. Anything will do. I am a bottomless pit, insatiable. > > I find if I just eat a lot for a day I’m fine. If I resist, the urge goes on and on. I am the exact same way. I feel like I could eat and eat until food was backed up in my esophagus, and I’d _still_ want to keep eating. It’s horrible. (Although I will say that since I’ve been on a low glycemic-index diet, it’s gotten much better.) I have an extremely irregular period, so the one good thing about this is that it gives me some warning that I’m about to start bleeding in a few days. If I’m already thinking about lunch at 9:00 am, I know something’s coming. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/27 "2010-12-20T04:21:32Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > Chocolate and salt. Chocolate covered pretzels are the food of the PMS gods. THIS! And also more recently, chocolate covered bacon. Or a Take 5 bar with hunk of bacon. But definitely salt-chocolate-salt-chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/28 "2010-12-20T04:31:31Z")
Chocolate. Caffeine. Salt. Beef. I found myself standing in line at CVS one day before work a few years ago with a box of tampons, a bag of Hershey’s Kisses and a six-pack of Diet Pepsi. The line was about three people deep…I was number three, and going to be late for work. The woman ahead of me turned around (I think I made an impatient noise) looked at what I was carrying and said, "Oh, honey, you need to go ahead of me! I was eternally grateful. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/29 "2010-12-20T04:53:15Z")
Speaking of chocolate and salt, did anyone notice that Lindt now sell a dark chocolate bar with sea salt? Salty chocolate is the best thing ever, so I’m impatiently waiting for a milk chocolate version. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/30 "2010-12-20T11:04:34Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Does “enough painkillers to immobilize a horse” count as food? > > No? > > Okay, then, I can’t think of anything. > > Funny about the chocolate thing- I don’t really like chocolate all that much. I certaintly don’t crave it. But I’ve eaten it anyway on the theory that since, a) chocolate slightly raises your endorphin levels, and b) endorphins are natural painkillers, eating six whole chocolate bars should do a little something about the pain. You could always try dipping your painkillers in chocolate! 😃 [The Princess Bride]“The chocolate makes it go down easier”[/TPB] ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/31 "2010-12-20T12:41:23Z")
> [@gallows\_fodder](#): > > I am the exact same way. I feel like I could eat and eat until food was backed up in my esophagus, and I’d _still_ want to keep eating. It’s horrible. (Although I will say that since I’ve been on a low glycemic-index diet, it’s gotten much better.) > > I have an extremely irregular period, so the one good thing about this is that it gives me some warning that I’m about to start bleeding in a few days. If I’m already thinking about lunch at 9:00 am, I know something’s coming. I;m so relieved to hear other women say they can’t stop eating around their periods too! I thought I was this no-self-control piggy. But I’m not- it’s natural! Yahoo! Really, though- if I resist eating it’s sooo much worse. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/32 "2010-12-20T15:09:13Z")
Salt, also. It’s the only time I will eat potato chips, which I generally don’t like too much (I vastly prefer corn chips). ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/33 "2010-12-20T21:27:46Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > Chocolate. **Caffeine.** Salt. Beef. Oh yeah, caffeine. I forgot! ---
**Author:** ![TheMerchandise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b487fb/32.png) [@TheMerchandise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMerchandise)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/34 "2010-12-20T21:39:22Z")
Salt and sour. Potato chips and kalamata olives. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/35 "2010-12-21T02:06:34Z")
Food. Lots of food. I don’t care what, but I get _hungry_ for a few days! ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/36 "2010-12-21T02:46:21Z")
Steaks or sushi rolls (I think it’s the iron in the seaweed), and chocolate. Except I’m vegetarian now, so steaks are out. It’s at period time that I really miss meat. At least I can get veggie sushi rolls. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/37 "2010-12-21T03:07:59Z")
I had no idea that hunger was such a common symptom! I, too, thought I was just a weak willed glutton! For me, it’s a volume thing (the very hungry caterpillar - hee!), with a preference for the things already mentioned. Oh, and French Onion Dip with wavy potato chips. I mean, it’s not like I ever _don’t_ like it, but if I grab it and stick it in the cart, my whole family knows what that means! ---
**Author:** ![Kkrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Kkrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kkrose)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/38 "2010-12-21T03:20:31Z")
Chocolate, sweet, and creamy. Those are the three things I crave most. I also eat a crap ton of food right around then. I am just constantly hungry. Ooh! I love bread during that time as well, with lots of creamy sweet butter. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725/39 "2010-12-21T14:26:50Z")
Anything that combines refined carbohydrates with animal fat. Thus, chocolate bars and macaroni and cheese. Mmmmmmm. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-cravings-at-that-time-of-the-month/564725.md?page=1)