Do you eat only during your three scheduled meals or do you like to eat throughout the day? Do you stick to a specific plan or do you like to nibble?

I definitely like to snack. I eat my three meals and then when I am hungry, I will nibble on snacks between meals. When I nibble I aim to make healthy choices. Refer to I’m Hungry, What Should I Eat? However, I do not nibble at all after dinner. That is just one of my set rules.

I am always looking for new nibble ideas. I look for ideas at the grocery store or see what other shoppers are buying. I was at the store last week and the guy in front of me bought 12 packages of rice cakes…12, and nothing else. I have to say they did not sound very appealing to me even though I know others really like them.

What is Your Nibble Story?

I have a dear friend who likes to nibble. She eats 3 smaller meals and then she nibbles between them. This technique works for her since it helps her not to overeat at meals.

Another friend works from home and admits to nibbling all day long. She wants to lose some weight but is tempted since her stocked kitchen is just around the corner. She and her husband have 2 young kiddos, so she keeps quick kid snacks on hand, and then she ends up eating them.

What is your nibble story? When and how do you nibble? Are you like another friend who sneaks food? Do you rush into the kitchen when no one is looking and put something in your mouth?

Pros and Cons of Snacking

It is not good to eat so frequently that you don’t experience hunger, but you don’t want to wait till you are starved and then eat everything in sight. There are pros and cons to snacking.

Benefits of snacking
• Gives you energy throughout the day
• Prevents you from getting too hungry so that you don’t overeat during meals

Cons of snacking
• Eating junk food
• Too many daily calories

Healthy Snack Ideas
• Eat fruits and vegetables
• If you eat when you are distracted, you might lose sight of the amount of food you are eating
• Eat fresh foods instead of packaged “snack” foods
• Celery is good for you and very low in calories, but it does not have much taste. You can eat it plain and have as much as you want, or you can limit the amount and add peanut butter, cheese, or hummus.
• Nuts are good for you for many reasons but are high in fat. People who choose them to snack on watch the number they eat. (8 almonds as an example vs. several handfuls)
• Popcorn is a good option, depending on what is on it. Be aware of butter, cheese and caramel.

Summary

Very few people limit themselves to just three meals. Most eat more frequently. When you do snack, try to make healthy snack choices so you don’t add too many extra calories to your day.