May 12, 2023
updated
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Do you ever find yourself wanting to snack when you aren’t really hungry? This happens to me while I’m working since I tend to bring a big jar of nuts to the office for a healthy snack.
The thing is that a handful sometimes turns into two (or three), all within a few hours. This tends to happen when my mind is racing to think, to complete a deadline, or when I am engrossed reading the fine print in a contract.
It would be fine if it happened just at the office, once in a while, but at home, I have another big jar of nuts that tends to empty faster than I can get more at the store. Nuts are one of my favorite snacks, but sometimes I consume more than I should and snack time just turned into an indulgence (chocolate covered almonds, anyone?).
As part of my participation in Aetna’s #Mindful30 program, I’m using of their tips to help me reduce stress. I’ve been working hard this last month to be more mindful of my own thoughts, to be more aware of stressful moments, and even establishing a morning and evening routine to reduce stress.
So far, I’m feeling great. I’ve only missed one of my quick meditations, and I now look forward to them with my morning cup of coffee.
In the evenings, I’m not rushing on autopilot anymore; I’ve become conscious of what the chaos triggers that are happening around the house and I’m focusing on doing one thing at a time to accomplish more.
But sometimes, I over snack on almonds and cashews (my favorite). So I need to be more mindful of this and ask myself whether it’s mindless eating or, perhaps I’m thirsty. To drink more water is always a good rule of thumb.
Today’s Tip is to purge the urge.
Stress isn’t your stomach’s best friend. Prolonged stress can release cortisol in your body making you crave foods that are high in fat or sugar. So next time you crave something that isn’t necessarily good for you; pause and notice your breathing. Take note of how your body feels as the craving begins. Replace wishing for it to go away with the knowledge that it will go away. Once it does, you’ll feel better — and feel more in control.
As I close my month of mindfulness with Aetna, I have put into action some of these tips. When I start to feel the need to snack mindlessly while I work, I now take a few deep breaths and try begin to focus on one thing at a time. It seems funny to tell myself to do something, but that is what I do. I tell myself to stop, focus on one project and when it is complete I can then move on to the next.
Since I know that nuts are my go-to snack, I’ve begun to pre-pack appropriate portions instead of having a full jar at hands reach. I’m also bringing an extra fruit or a side of veggies to the office and eliminated the bulk jar of almonds.
At home, when I feel a strong urge to snack, I first grab my big cup of water with a straw and drink. It turns out that most of the time my body is thirsty, not hungry. The bonus: I’m getting a lot more water per day than I used to, and that is also making me feel great physically.
What is your go-to mindless snacking indulgence, do you have one?
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This post was sponsored by Aetna, who believes health is about the body and the mind. Stress can affect emotional and physical health, and reducing stress can boost wellbeing. As part of their #Mindful30 challenge, the views and opinions expressed in my posts on the topic of mindfulness are my own, not Aetna’s. To learn more about mindfulness, visit aetnamindfulness.com.
Kelli
I would say my worst snack habit would be crackers of any sort. But the ones that I cannot put down are my sons -Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies-. They are so good and so addictive! I am trying to lose 25 lbs. by September so I am cutting out a lot and making better choices in my diet and my family’s.
Becky
Chips are my indulgence snack. Tortilla chips tend to have short ingredient lists, so they have that in their favor, but my are they easy to overdo. My salt/crunch substitution is stove-popped popcorn, and I found that King Arthur Flour’s Vermont cheese powder has one ingredient! Just cheese! I haven’t been happy with my baked tortilla and vegetable chip experiments so far–kale shrank so much it didn’t feel like it was worth the work. The mandoline-sliced sweet potato chips and the tortilla chips, instead of being crisp or crunchy, were so tough and leathery that it hurt to chew them. I’m pretty sure I sliced them thin enough, so I might need to tweak my oven temp or baking times.
Ingrid
I love snacking on almonds and grapes while I’m studying – a much better choice than a decade ago, when my snacks of choice for studying were cookies and M&Ms. I try to be mindful of how much I’m eating, so I never bring the whole jar of nuts to my study space – just the handful I can have. Eat one at a time, chew thoughtfully rather than mindlessly (this part’s a work in progress).
Christina
So funny, that I do the same exact thing to control my trail mix portions! I love those little boxes for that reason! During the winter months I make a point to drink more water (with a water bottle on my desk as a reminder) and herbal teas (no sugar or honey). I notice that when I drink something hot, it suppresses my appetite. So sometimes when I don’t feel like tea, I just drink hot water to curb the snack pangs. I know that sounds weird but it works for me! Plus no calories!
Candis
I love popcorn for snacks.
lisa franklin
bread bread bread, toasted with butter. especially the good stuff. or chocolate. trying to resist those urges lately too, by indulging myself with a few minutes of a favorite or relaxing activity.
Dana
I’m definitely a big snacker! I tend to snack on carbs (cereal, crackers, etc). I’m trying to do better though because my 7 yo son is a selective eater, and I don’t want him to snack so much that he skips meals!
Megan Combs
I have a big sweet tooth so sweets used to be my go to snack however, this year I’m working to change my eating habits and snack less or intentionally snack. My husband and I have this joke and if one or the other is looking for a snack, esp late at night we say “there are carrots in there (the fridge).” Rarely did we ever go for the carrots but now I do or eat a small pc of fruit. My other snack is popcorn, love the crunch and you can eat a fair amount for little calories!
Melissa
Oh, how I love to snack! When the urge hits I usually take a few big drinks of water and change my task if possible. Sometimes it’s just a need to change the scenery or the action. If I’m still munchy after 10 minutes or so I’ll find a sensible portion (NEVER out of the container) of some healthy bites. If I let it go too long when I really am hungry, I CANNOT stop eating.
Jennifer
I love to snack on a cheese stick and pecans or almonds. Baby carrots and homemade ranch dip are also a go-to. The only way I do not overeat snacks is by packing a limited amount and staying out of the fridge and/or containers of goodies.
Sarah L
My go to snacks are raw nuts, especially cashews and popcorn….
Wendy
I love nuts myself. It is very easy to over indulge as you stated. I too, have had to pre-package appropriate portions so I don’t just keep munching. Almonds and pistachios are my favorite.
Thank you for the great post!
Traci W
I eat raw almonds before lunch at work, and I always put out 1/2 of a portion so that I don’t mindlessly pull more out while I’m working. I am really working on random snack attacks at home currently.. and logging everything I eat at MFP helps me stay aware and I can tell my new habits are working and I know when I can have this or that now or if its gonna show up on my waistline! 🙂
Rig
I use either little containers and fill them with mixed nuts and coconut pieces or use the smallest snack bags for the same.
Johanna B.
If I could live on crackers and cheese forever I would! I try to keep the crackers out of my house though, and make my own healthy crackers using nut meals and flax. In a pinch I just microwave cut-up cheese slices for a quick crunchy and cheesy snack.
Zeynep
Nuts are our favorite, especially almond. I always prepare my son and husband ‘s lunch box with fruits and/ or vegetable with humus.
Julie
I am, admittedly, not a big snacker, but when I work, I take small “meals”– 1/2 sandwich and a Cutie, yogurt and berries, cheese and a pear or, most recently, peanut butter and chocolate graham crackers!
The most important tip is pre-portioned protein everytime!
Kellie J.
Love to munch on almonds!
Lisa Marz
My favorite nighttime snack is a bowl of ice cream with caramel and hot fudge. Oh my! I am trying to break this indulgence by having a chocolate protein shake instead.
leah
I have three young daughters and I have to admit I often snack when they do! But I try to keep it healthy. We have fruit for a snack in the afternoon (all bets are off when we are out and about in the mornings…) and I don’t buy garbage stuff…out of the house, we don’t even crave it!
Ana V.
We are nuts for nuts! We have been experiencing a lot with homemade nut butter lately and everyone loves them.
Catherine
Cheese is my weakness.
Faith
Nuts and cheese I love, but can overdo easily.
Kristina g
I hate my snacking habits. I will eat anytime my kids wants something. As I pour their snack I usually grab a handful for me. This is done various times throughout the day!! Yikes!!
Jessica F.
So many great tips here! I agree that staying hydrated is a big part of avoiding mid-day snack attacks! I have a water bottle with an infuser that I got for Christmas and I keep the infuser filled with cut up lemons, cucumbers or strawberries to flavor my water. I try to drink between 80 and 100oz of water each day. It really helps me cut back on snacking!
Claudia
Oreos with milk and if we are out, then water. Not proud, not proud at all.
Whitney Townley
Have to say sugar is my biggest addiction and my biggest problem. I try to not even allow refined sugar into my house because is so bad. I’ve switched all my cooking to using a natural sugar like honey or maple syrup. Also what I have done is just make sure I have easy access to veggies fruits and nuts! And have a very limited access to chocolate and other sweets!
jennifer
I am a big snacker! this will help me!
DeAnn Meade
My way to help purge the urge is to go with protein bars. I know protein fuels me and fills me. Once it’s gone too, I know what I’ve consumed. It’s been so much of a mind over matter issue! That I all too often fail at 🙁
Kim B
Laura, what a truly wonderful site!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping us Moms better care for, not only our families, but ourselves too! Such fantastic creative and healthy ideas. Thank you so much!!!
…snacking…This article is reminding me how important it IS to snack in the first place! I’ve allowed myself to get busy and forget about snacking almost altogether!!! Healthy snacking is important to achieving a higher metabolism and curbing our appetite from eating the wrong foods AND from eating too much when actual meal time comes.
When I’ve gone without proper snacks or NO ‘junk’ food or sweets for awhile, I dive for potato chips or red velvet cupcakes!!!! Albeit one bag or one cupcake at a time, sometimes that happens for a few days at a time.
What really helps me is making a specific step-by-step daily plan for when I’m going to eat (6 meals/day – 3 meals & 3 snacks, AND when and what vitamins I’m going to take), how much water I’m going to drink when, and what kind of exercise I’m going to do that day and when.
I find making a detailed daily plan, writing it down, posting it on my fridge like a check-list, allows me to start fresh the next morning, and really helps me stay on track like a dream!! There’s something about checking it off, marking the progress, and feeling the reward of all the checkmarks that keeps me motivated.
Laura Fuentes
Incredible that you plan all of your snacks and meals Kim! GREAT JOB!!! -thank you for reading as well.
Julie
I like to snack on nuts, cheese and crackers. It really does help to portion them out ahead of time! It is so easy for one handful to turn into so much more before you realize it.
Moriah
My mindless eating snack is nuts too but I LOVE Walnuts…
Rachel
My all time favorite snack is sunflower seeds with the shell on, I can eat a whole bag by myself.
Geneviève
I try to go for fruits like apples or berries, or cheese. Cheese always makes me happy! 🙂
Elizabeth
Unfortunately, my sweet tooth usually rules my snacking. You post too many delicious baking recipes! (not that I’m complaining 🙂 ) I’ve been on a protein kick lately, so some turkey, cheese and crackers has been my go to. I love Easy Lunch Boxes to pack my son’s lunches for school and I use the snack containers for some of his snacks. I love your idea for pre-packing some of the snack containers with correct portions of nuts or dips.
Lauren Boucher
I love everything sweet and salty, and pretty much nothing healthy so my guilty pleasure is chocolate and chips. I’ve been trying to not even keep those items in the house, and only packing pistachios and fruit for my snacks while I’m at work. I count out the pistachios so I don’t eat a whole bag of them!
Suzie
I have a salty tooth so I tend to reach for crackers, cheese, etc. for snacks. Now and then I will go for lightly salted nuts but have discovered that I may have developed an allergy or intolerance. So I often sneak into the sneaky stash of potato chips or Doritos that my husband hides away. But I have recently discovered Skinny Pop popcorn at Costco. A touch of sunflower oil and a sprinkling of salt. So good, no GMOs or trans fats and 1/2 cup of it really helps when I feel the need for some nibbles.
Cynthia Hutchinson
Aah snacking, aka grazing, I must always use portion control!
Ashlee
I love smoothies when I have time to make them. But I try to take a bag of carrots or baby peppers in the car with some nuts too so I don’t get to grumpy when I am running errands or taking my kids places. My husband and I can’t seem to get enough dark chocolate sea salt almonds from Costco though, yikes!
Sharon
I’m awful about drinking water on the days I don’t exercise which leads to more snacking…my first question when I find myself reaching for a snack is am I hungry or thirsty? I also munch on nuts but usually mix them with dried fruit. I’ll split a Baggie of pre-portioned almonds from trader joes in two and add some raisins/craisins (this is always in my car/purse). It’s become my kids favorite snack since its what I always have available.
Marion
I love snacking on fresh made almond butter or peanut butter with apples and celery.
Courtney Siefring
I always pre measure my snacks out and pack them to take to work with me. That way I can’t overeat while snacking.
Judy Otto
I love to browse Pinterest looking for new recipes and I’ve learned that all those appetizing pictures tend to kick off food cravings for me – like tv commercials for restaurants can do. Now that I realize this, I limit my recipe browsing to just after meal time, when my stomach is full and satisfied.
Brianna
I LOVE that you mentioned water! That is always what I do immediately when I feel the urge to snack. I try to keep a big cup of water at my desk (I work from home so the urge can turn very dangerous quickly). That way, I don’t have to get up and see any of the snacks downstairs. It usually fixes the urge and I am able to move on and concentrate again!
Kathy
I love to snack on homemade fresh popped popcorn! I make it fresh in the mornings and then portion out enough for snacks for my husband and I to take to work. I think fresh popcorn is the best snack EVER!! That, and a small square of super dark chocolate 🙂
Nicole
I try to tell myself I can indulge in a piece of dark chocolate for snack AFTER I eat a piece of fruit, but after that my sugar craving is usually gone. If it’s not, I eat the chocolate but at least I also ate a piece of fruit 🙂
Digna
I love nuts and my kids too, well my youngest not so much but he tries 🙂
latanya
I love Cashews or apple slices
Kelly
I am also a fan of snacking on nuts. Toasted walnuts are my favorite. I only take a small handful out of the jar at a time, and then put the jar back in the pantry. If I want more, I have to go back into the pantry, open the jar, and get another handful. It’s a small thing, but it makes me think about whether or not I really want another handful. If I just have the open jar next to me, I probably wouldn’t stop eating until they were gone!
Teresa M.
I also choose nuts as a snack, but my mindless go to snack is often raisins. I think it is the sweetness I crave.
Rhonda
That sounds like a great program! I am definitely going to try thinking my way out of snacking using your method. My post-lunch “snack” has been a bottle of Mountain Dew and today is going to be my first day of weaning myself off of it, so this post is especially timely for me 🙂 So hard to get my soda cravings under control, so hoping this will get the soda out for good!
Lindsay
I love snacking on healthy paleo banana muffins warmed up for a few seconds with peanut butter that melts over the top, almonds, hardboiled eggs, and fruit with peanut butter.
Melanie
Nuts! I take containers of them to work at just eat of it. Measuring out a certain amount is a great idea I am going to try.
StacyF
What a great idea! Sometimes when I am making the kids lunches I am snacking too! So, I will be drinking more water. Thanks for sharing post.
Amanda
I have to say my favorite go to snack is trail mix. It’s easy to pack when you’re on the go especially with 5 kids and they to can pack it to go. You can also portion it out ahead of time for a super quick snack because lets face it when you got kids snacks that are easy to grab are the best.Plus they have such a wide variety of healthy trail mixes which is great because my kids get to pick their favorites.
Cara
My go to snack is dark chocolate. I LOVE chocolate and tend to eat a little (i.e. a lot) more than I should. I have started buying my chocolate bars, breaking them up into individual pieces, and freezing the pieces in the freezer so I have to leave my desk to snack on them. I do believe in having something a little sweet each day but I have to make sure it is just a little something and not half a chocolate bar a day!
carin
EnviroKidz’ panda bear cereal – LOL!
Joellyn
We’re also taking only portioned out snacks. Otherwise it’s way to easy to keep eating. Also have the wait 10 minutes. If still hungry have small snack. And we are also not eating after 7pm and not within 1 hr of a main meal.
Athena R
My go to snacking is usually pretzel crisps. I’m trying to do better.
Christine
Great idea!
Tiffany Campbell
Guittard brand extra dark chocolate chips. I can eat a few of them and be satisfied but then there are days I find myself nibbling on them all day.
Nancy B
I crave sweets especially chocolate. I used to be able to stop at one small wrapped candy but not anymore since I don’t keep candy in the house I eat it quickly. My portion control is to make it inconvenient to reach, high shelf downstairs etc, and my kids help too because I hide eating it from them
Vanessa
When I crave chocolate or dessert after the kids are in bed, lately, I make a chocolate smoothie. WAY more filling than a piece of chocolate and it leaves me satisfied vs wanting more.
Betsy
Almonds! Especially homemade sugared almonds;).
Kristina
Great post! An indulgence for all of us is actually crackers. They are so satisfyingly crunchy and munchable – it gets hard to stop! We are all trying hard to reach for some veggie sticks, dried fruit or nuts instead, and leave crackers for a treat.
Sandra
Mindless gazing appears to be the downfall of just about everyone I know, my friend and I made a pack when we find ourselves grazing to stop, check if you are truly hungry or just stressing, then either choose the appropriate food or if all else fails, drink water or hot water with lemon!
Susanne
Great post! I love fruit/nut trail mix and I am so bad to munch on it when I get home from work as I cook dinne.
Jenni
I’m addicted to a brand of peanut butter that has chia and sesame seeds in it. Before indulging with a spoon (as that’s my favorite way to eat it), I stop and “listen” to my stomach. Am I really hungry? Will I regret that spoonful (or 2 or 3)? Does my body need it? Sometimes the answer is yes! Other times, I have tea or a seltzer and I’m satisfied.
Stacy L
This is a great post. I love almonds (any nuts really) and seem to go through a container much too quickly! I will definitely be trying the tips about pre-packing appropriate portions and reaching for water instead of snacks first.
justamom
I love snacking on white cheddar popcorn. I usually eat from the bag, so by the time I know it the bag is almost empty. It’s a lot easier to control portions by measuring a cup and putting the bag away.
Buffy
I am totally addicted to roasted and salted pumpkin seeds. The green ones without the husks.
Heather
A good reminder for me, because I know I’m not drinking enough water! I don’t have a particular snack item I struggle with, but in the afternoon at work when I need a break I’ll go scrounging for whatever’s in the break room: trail mix, chips, candy, pretzels, etc. I definitely need to be more mindful about what I snack on and why!
Angie S.
Hi! Thank you for your post. Sadly, I can indulge on anything sweet especially chocolate. So in an effort not to do that, I just don’t buy it when I am at the store. Instead, I always try to have carrots and bell peppers on hand that I can eat with white bean hummus (my favorite)!!
Sheri
My goto snack is chocolate and cashews. I also try to put them in small containers to prevent mindless eating.. but sometimes one little tiny container is just not enough !
Nancy
I like seasonal fresh fruit and fresh vegetables for a snack. If I’m not hungry for raw cut up vegetables, then I’m not really hungry.
Susanne
I can eat chips anytime of day, all day & if I have them out the kids want them. So I try to keep a lot of fresh produce on hand. If I slice up a cucumber my kids will also be right there eating the slices directly from the cutting board.
lili
i like to snack on nuts, as well as cut up raw bell peppers, and gluten free pretzels.
Rachel
I try to have fresh fruit in the fridge at home and nuts and dark chocolate in my desk at work.
Cheryl
My favorite thing to snack on is graham crackers with a banana. The banana is not the problem but the many graham crackers with it are. For me the combination is the yummiest.
Colleen M
Raw almonds are my weakness and recently I have stopped buying them because I was “over” snacking way too often. When I start buying them again, I am planning to portion them out ahead of time and when they are gone – they are gone! I think I will try your suggestion of drinking water when I want to snack.
Jaime
I love to snack on tortilla chips. For night time snacking, I oil pull and brush and floss my teeth to keep myself from eating because once that is done, I don’t want to undo it.
Polly Larson
I love the idea about putting snacks like nuts into portion sized containers so we don’t mindlessly eat more than we should. This also makes snacking on the go easy as healthy snacks are ready to grab at anytime.
Laura S
I find that it’s not a certain food that causes mindless snacking, but a certain time of day (afternoon) or a certain activity (being on the computer). I have been chewing gum because it keeps my mouth busy during those times. Then when I’m finished with those things I can eat an appropriate snack in the right portion. Otherwise I snack away (usually when craving carbs) and don’t pay attention to how much I’m eating.
Amanda
I try to take out a small bowl of snacks and eat only one bowlful. I tell myself if I’m still hungry then I should eat some fruit. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
TC
Not an indulgence, but if I’m hankering for a snack, I try going for a cup of tea instead. If I still want that snack afterward, then I know it’s more than just mindless snacking that I’m after.
Aline Grigorian
I love snacking on veggie sticks (the chips kind) or white cheddar popcorn.
thuy n.
I crave salty items at night, so “clean” chips or sprouted chips.
Tricia
Dark chocolate covered almonds with sea salt or honey sesame sticks are my mindless snacks. I really need to focus on portion control and adding veggies or fruit and water alongside these things.
Cathy
It’s a little weird, but staying hydrated is key to not snacking too much!
Laurie
I have to look at the calendar. I usually only get the urge to snack on junk food at a particular time of the month. Being mindful of that allows me to understand the cravings and know they’ll be gone in a matter of days. It makes it easier to resist the urge.
Ambery
Nuts and chips are my indulgences and no open gluten free chocolate is safe in the house.
That said. Portion control; availability of healthy snacks, especially in the car; and drinking water are key. Also taking my supplements is important, because when I notice these things becoming cravings it is often a missing nutrient. I put the supplement drink where I have to see it when I go for a snack as a visual reminder to check why I’m eating.
Sylvia Baker
My weakness is the sea salt and caramel almonds. If I don’t divvy those up into servings size containers, I eat the whole can at once! I try to always keep healthy snacks on hand and remember that I’m a role model for my children!
Viviannette
Mine is cereal. I love to snack on dry cereal. And many times one handful turns into two and then three.
Liza
Best rule of thumb for snacking is don’t go more than 3 hours between eating. Keep the metabolism moving!
Anne
I prefer to snack on dark chocolate… But try to keep apples & cut veggies on hand to eat instead.
Danielle
I would say cashews and homemade chocolate chip cookies. I don’t have the easily accessible often but when they are I go nuts. Plus I bake them small so then I end up eating more
Tanya
My favorite snack is probably popcorn followed by red bell pepper & hummus.
Carol Gamble
I love to mix some nuts w/ some cheese cubes and a couple dark chocolate chips. It makes me feel like I’m getting a little something special since it is chocolate.
Kari Hughes
Nuts are our go-to snack in our family. My hubby and kids finish them off so quickly I can hardly believe it! Trying to encourage other options like veggies and hummus…
Mindy
My favorite thing to snack on are probably sweet potato crackers.
Stephanie
I over snack on peanut/almond butter easily. I now take out a tablespoon, measure what I’m going to have and then put the jar away!
Trish
I do the portion packaging too! It really helps not only me, but my son as well! The hardest to not give in to over eating are Laura’s no bake energy balls! We use your recipe but add flax seeds, Brewers yeast, and chopped prunes! Yummy! Thanks for all the great recipes and ideas to help us all eat better!
Lori
My favorite snack is roasted almonds with a healthy chocolate bar.
Denise
Wow, mindless snacking is my worst enemy. Thank you so much for the tips!
Rachael
Where to start… Wasabi almonds, salt n vinegar rice crisps, corn tortilla chips n salsa. I’m gluten free…
Laurie
My most frequent go to snack are apple slices with peanut butter. One Apple = immediate portion control. It helps me avoid going over board with the PB. Having said that my favorite snack is dark chocolate. I’ve had to invest in smaller individually wrapped bars because it’s too tempting to break off amuch more than a single square!
Jamie
Often when I am working from home the urge to snack can become and all day affair! I have learned I have to plan my meals and snacks ahead of time or things can easily get out of control.
Mamabelly
I pre-portion nuts and dried fruit for the week, so I can just grab a container and don’t have to be careful on how much I eat. We also have a fruit bowl on the table with washed apples and tangerines for snacking!
Britt L
Chips!! Specifically Boulder brand olive oil chips… So good!!
I have to give myself a small bowl to prevent devouring the whole bag.
I will also make a cup of tea to sip slowly if I’m ‘bored snacking’.
Ilana
Cheddar bunnies lol! And I try to avoid eating on empty stomach
Amy Cox
My snacking problem lies in how I always eat certain things at certain points throughout my day. I’ve never been a smoker, but I’m sure that it’s a similar feeling to missing that cigarette in your hand when I sit down to work in the afternoon without something close at hand to drink and/or nibble on. It’s when I don’t have a particular taste for anything in particular but have the overwhelming sensation to munch that leads me to stare into my pantry trying to weigh the options and find a “best case scenario” that allows me to chew without bringing on too many mindless calories. And if i choose incorrectly, then I’ll find myself doing it all over again (or even again!) whereupon I’ve doubled or even tripled my mindless eating calories out of habit.
AMY F.
I like homemade granola bars. My son loves to snack on apples and peanut butter. Spreading the peanut butter on the apples himself can keep him occupied for 30 minutes!
Melinda
I try to alternate something from the earth with something from a bag. I will switch that up more as the year progresses, but it is baby steps for me right now. So, that means banana or carrots, then pretzels or cereal, and so on as the day goes. It’s definitely helped me add more fresh foods to my in-between meals. Great topic. 🙂
Emily
Peanut butter! I crave it’s smooth, creaminess! I make it at home so I know it’s 100% pure at least! I have to remind myself verbally to put the spoon down! And drink water!
Brooke Kingston
Thanks for this great post, Laura! I, too, share your love for snacking on nuts. I’ve had many accidental over-indulgences at snack time. I have recently started pre-packing them to control portion size, and I’m enjoying much healthier portions because of it!
My go-to mindless snacking indulgence is, unfortunately, the pretzels and small crackers I have on hand for my kids. As I pack their lunches and prep their snacks, I find myself grazing on *their* snack items! Before I know it, a good portion of the package is mysteriously gone. 🙁
I think I’ll try your pre-portioning trick with my kids’ snacks too; perhaps I’ll be less tempted to indulge in pretzels when they’re already portioned out for the kids to enjoy!
Thanks again for the great post; your blog is wonderful!
Laura Fuentes
thank you so much Brooke! I was doing the same thing when it came to packing my kids’ snacks. One turns into two…