NEED TO KNOW
Demi Lovato said she used to “break down into tears” in grocery stores because she was “overwhelmed by all of the food”
Lovato is releasing her first cookbook, One Plate at a Time, on March 31
The cookbook features over 80 recipes and aims to help those intimidated by cooking or recovering from disordered eating
Demi Lovato is sharing a “huge win” amid her ongoing recovery from an eating disorder.
During an interview with Eli Rallo at the 92nd Street Y, New York, on Thursday, March 17, the “Fast” singer, 33, opened up about the inspiration for her first cookbook, One Plate at a Time: Recipes for Finding Freedom with Food.
“It’s celebratory and fun,” Lovato said of the project, set for release on March 31. “I think this whole book is celebratory because it’s a celebration of how far I’ve come. … I used to step foot into a grocery store and break down into tears because I was so overwhelmed by all of the food.”
She added, “And now I’m not only going into grocery stores and shopping myself, but I’m also cooking the meals that I’m making, and that’s a huge win for me.”
Eli Rallo and Demi Lovato at 92NY on March 17, 2026 in New York City.
Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty
Lovato’s comments echo what she told PEOPLE during a recent interview about the upcoming release, which features more than 80 recipes such as “Spag Bol” (spaghetti bolognese), Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad and “Foolproof Pulled Pork.”
The musician, who battled bulimia for years, said her relationship to cooking began to change five years into her recovery, when she was 30. She remembered the moment she made spaghetti squash for the first time with friends.
“We turned it into this spaghetti squash salad,” Lovato said. “That was the first recipe that I cooked with friends where I was like, ‘Wow, this is actually really fun.’”
“When I actually stepped foot into the kitchen and had so much joy come from it, and I was proud of what I made,” she recalled of the moment.
‘One Plate at a Time’
Credit: Flatiron Books
As Lovato began to think about writing a cookbook, she wanted it to be accessible for those who had struggled with their relationship to food or needed a boost of confidence in the kitchen.
“I wanted to create a cookbook that was for people who may have had disordered eating in the past or are just intimidated to step foot into the kitchen for the first time,” she said.
She added, “It’s just about getting in the kitchen and getting comfortable around cooking, and that will set you up for success later down the road with more recipes.”
Lovato previously announced her debut cookbook in an Instagram post, writing that learning to cook has helped heal her relationship with food.
“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,” she wrote. “It has allowed me to see cooking as an act of love and kindness to myself and those in my life, and I hope this book can bring that same feeling into your home too.”
Read the original article on People