My prime snacking weakness time comes when a busy day is ending. If I haven’t had time for a good dinner, I’ll find myself trying to make up for it with snacking through part of the night. It’s easy to feel bad after not making time to eat right.
However, there are several ways to avoid the post snack guilt by snacking smart. By thinking about snacking before the hunger bug hits, you can save yourself extra pounds plus stretch your dollar on snack goods. Even if you aren’t big into snacking, these tips can also help control portion sizes at meal times, or give you a new plan for food on the go.
- Prepackage your snacks-
When you come home from the grocery store with a bag of pretzels and crackers, repackage them into plastic baggies. This allows you to control your intake of snack foods plus makes that $2 box of crackers last much longer than it normally would have. Pre-packaging also makes heading out the door in a hurry a little brighter with easy to go treats.
- Mix your own-
This may sound overwhelming but I promise it takes only minutes. Consider gaining more power over your snacks. Creating your own trail mix of dried fruit, cereal, and nuts is a great way to take the reigns over your cravings. Your need for salty and sweet can be satisfied in one snack, and you can mix and match for endless possibilities.
- Don’t feel forced-
When friends or family pop over, don’t feel obligated to supply the typical chips and candy. Think about jazzing up the basics so you can feel comfortable snacking with a group. Consider making your own chips (slice pita bread, lightly coat with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake until golden brown), and pairing them with light cheeses or fruit slices. For those feeling adventurous, try whipping up your own dips by combining low fat store bought cheeses or whirling diced tomatoes, peppers and lime juice in a food processor.
Also, Really Useful Fitness blog has a great article posted on 10 smart snacking foods.
These tips are just a few ways to end the endless snack battles. Your body will thank you if you take the time to think about food before you’re hungry. What are your snacking weaknesses? When do you snack the most?
