Snack Strategies, Here's Mine, What's Yours?

IamMCM
IamMCM Posts: 122
edited November 8 in Food and Nutrition
I was thinking about snacking strategies in the store today. I try to opt for healthy snacks like fruit, yogurt, nuts, etc., but I let myself have some of the decadent stuff, like Oreos or a chocolate bar, too so I don't start feeling deprived. In theory, I work it into my daily calories. Problem is, if I keep something like a box of Oreos in the house, I tell myself to only eat one or two but sometimes that just doesn't work and a quarter of the box is gone and my daily intake is over before I know it. I'm combating that by choosing snacks that come pre-portioned. I like the 100 calorie packs of cookies, and I also enjoy the Weight Watchers ice cream bars. I know it's purely psychological and I should just be able to count out my own portion and stop, but it's just so much easier when it pre-measured out for me. Any other good snacking strategies?
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Replies

  • TopazCutie
    TopazCutie Posts: 386 Member
    I like to do something i like to call taste switching. have whatever snack I'm craving and immediately have a bit of something else to distract me from continuing with that particular food. hope that makes sense!
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    Step 1: Count Calories
    Step 2: OM NOM NOM
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    In the beginning, I didn't keep sweets that I didn't feel good about eating in the house. We had dark chocolate. We had nuts, fruit, yogurt etc. But no donuts or packaged cookies lying around.
    So much easier. Now, my tastes have changed so it's moot. I have zero craving for most packaged, heavily processed sweets. Even easier.
  • AmigaMaria001
    AmigaMaria001 Posts: 489 Member
    I can't keep ANYTHING chocolate, candy, cookies or pastries in the house or I will eat them. I have no self-control even after doing this for nearly a year now. I just don't tempt the fates by having it around. BUT if I really want something decadent and I can factor the calories in, I buy just one serving - sit down with a perfect cup of coffee and eat it! If I have to buy whole box or package of something to get my one serving then I immediately take out one serving and either freeze the rest in individual servings or give it to the neighbors.
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Take your oreos and put them in bags of 2 or 3 or whatever the serving size is. Save the bags and reuse so you don't go through a million baggies! Or get out your portion, put away the rest and walk away to eat.

    Honestly though I avoid anything that is "100 calorie" or "low fat", etc. It's full of junky chemicals that make you want to keep eating more. I've been slowly eating more and more healthy snacks and I no longer crave the junk food. It also doesn't satisfy me like it used to and will make me feel sick if I eat too much.

    At some point it is a good idea to teach yourself portion control because you will not always have the luxury of a scale, pre-portioned food, etc. Think work trips, vacations with tempting food, eating out, blah blah blah.

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    I try to save up calories for some ice cream or gelato every night, weighed out. If I don't have enough, then it's 1-2 pieces of chocolate. Afternoon, I'm not always home for a snack, but I try to go healthier (string cheese and a clementine today).
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    edited December 2014
    Plan it. Log it.
    Buy smaller containers.
    Put it out of sight.
    Spend the money on better food instead.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    at first I bought those 100 calorie packs of oatmeal and almonds... but later on when I learned more self control, and got a cheap from walmart food scale, I started doing my own portioning.

    These days I just like to eat big meals, and skip snack altogether most days. Like today, I am going to eat like, 300g of baked potatoes(which is like 3 medium sized ones) and a full cup of vegetarian chili for dinner.

    I'll be pretty full after that.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    strategy: Eat properly, so I don't need to snack.
  • sdps745
    sdps745 Posts: 33 Member
    The Kitchen Safe!!!!! Saw this on a show called "I Want That!" It's GREAT! Store whatever you overeat in it and lock it for a set amount of time and you can not get to it until the time is up!! Have a measured portion and LOCK the rest up!!
  • erialcelyob
    erialcelyob Posts: 341 Member
    I tried buying a multi pack bag of popcorn which is relatively low calorie snacking but of course because my mind says its not that high in calories I have one bag and another later on in that day.. I'm just one of those people who can't keep treat foods in the house except the odd box of cereal bars
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    sdps745 wrote: »
    The Kitchen Safe!!!!! Saw this on a show called "I Want That!" It's GREAT! Store whatever you overeat in it and lock it for a set amount of time and you can not get to it until the time is up!! Have a measured portion and LOCK the rest up!!

    that's silly.
  • abetterluke
    abetterluke Posts: 625 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    sdps745 wrote: »
    The Kitchen Safe!!!!! Saw this on a show called "I Want That!" It's GREAT! Store whatever you overeat in it and lock it for a set amount of time and you can not get to it until the time is up!! Have a measured portion and LOCK the rest up!!

    that's silly.

    Silly? I find it genius. For some of us this may very well be the answer.
  • IamMCM
    IamMCM Posts: 122
    Thanks so much for all the great strategies! I do hope to get to the point where I lose the taste for processed snack foods. I got to that point in the past, so I know I can do it. Sadly, I'm back at square one now, but small steps will lead to success again.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited December 2014
    I don't keep it in the house. If I want something sweet, I go to a cafe and buy one cookie (or piece of cake or whatever), or I buy one single serving at a store. No big packages.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I don't snack. I plan meals and if I have enough calories I have dessert, usually ice cream, as part of my dinner. Since I don't eat other than at meal times, I have little problem not being tempted at other times, most of the time.

    If I have something perishable that I like (like homemade pie) I may think too much about when I can eat it, so I also generally limit that temptation. I don't have that excuse with ice cream (worrying that it will go bad) which makes it a perfect option.
  • amunet07
    amunet07 Posts: 1,245 Member
    I figure out what 100 calories(or close to it) on my favorite snack is and put that amount in ziplock snack bags and keep the preportioned snack bags in a plastic basket that can go in the fridge or sit on my counter.

    http://greatist.com/health/100-calorie-snacks
  • Swiftlet66
    Swiftlet66 Posts: 729 Member
    Copious amounts of fruits when I'm not home; fruit smoothies when I am home. I try not to snack though; only when I'm hungry between meals.
  • IamMCM
    IamMCM Posts: 122
    Hmmmm, smoothies sound like a good idea. I generally have them for breakfast, but I'm not much of a breakfast person anyway so I may try shifting that and having one when I get a snack craving in the evening. My favorite is banana with almond milk or yogurt, just a teeny dab of organic honey, and some fresh grated ginger root. Better than processed snacks any day!
  • Marianna93637
    Marianna93637 Posts: 230 Member
    Only buy snacks that you are ok eating, and buy a very small amount of those that you try to stay away from. Once you get those (like cookies), separate them into snack-size ziplock bags and store them like that. Either choose 1 serving, or half a serving, etc, and this way you will have one snack, already prepared, (easy to log) and easy to stop, because you're not reaching into a full bag of cookies.

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    lukestoofat wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    sdps745 wrote: »
    The Kitchen Safe!!!!! Saw this on a show called "I Want That!" It's GREAT! Store whatever you overeat in it and lock it for a set amount of time and you can not get to it until the time is up!! Have a measured portion and LOCK the rest up!!

    that's silly.

    Silly? I find it genius. For some of us this may very well be the answer.

    Not sure if serious, or just being a light troll.
  • FASTFUELXXX
    FASTFUELXXX Posts: 89 Member
    WHEN IM CRAVING SUMTHN SWEET I PUT IT N MY MOUTH CHEW IT UP & THEN SPIT IT OUT. SOUNDS CRAZY BT IT WORKS FA ME. I JUX ENJOY THE TASTE ON MY TONGUE. I ACTUALLY GET MY SUGAR FIX WITHOUT INGESTING IT
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    That's totally normal.
  • sheepotato
    sheepotato Posts: 600 Member
    I have my healthier snacks during the day to keep my energy/mood levels up. Then I save my calorie dense easier to over-indulge snacks at the end of the day (like a piece of chocolate or a serving of chips.) I'm usually too full from dinner to eat more than a reasonable amount.

  • Jpat0
    Jpat0 Posts: 201 Member
    edited December 2014
    I love snacking. It's one of my favourite things. I have divided my snacks into two categories:

    Healthy snacks
    1. Apple with peanut butter
    2. Mini carrots with hummus
    3. Mini cucumbers
    4. Any type of fruits
    5. Low fat yogurts
    6. Crackers with guacamole
    7. Nuts (almonds, walnuts etc.)... and many more

    Guilt free Unhealthy snacks (I only have these if my cravings become overwhelming)
    1. 100 calorie cookie packets (oreos, chips ahoy)
    2. Brookside chocolates
    3. Any snack type food - 100 calories or less (granola bars, thin chocolate bars)
  • pinkshoelaces
    pinkshoelaces Posts: 111 Member
    edited December 2014
    FASTFUELXXX wrote: »
    WHEN IM CRAVING SUMTHN SWEET I PUT IT N MY MOUTH CHEW IT UP & THEN SPIT IT OUT. SOUNDS CRAZY BT IT WORKS FA ME. I JUX ENJOY THE TASTE ON MY TONGUE. I ACTUALLY GET MY SUGAR FIX WITHOUT INGESTING IT

    Not trying to be rude or anything but this is actually an eating disorder (I used to be anorexic and this was one of the 'tricks' very popular among us). I wouldn't encourage stuff like this, as it's actually potentially harmful to your stomach and not a good thing to get into doing period.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    TallyToes wrote: »
    FASTFUELXXX wrote: »
    WHEN IM CRAVING SUMTHN SWEET I PUT IT N MY MOUTH CHEW IT UP & THEN SPIT IT OUT. SOUNDS CRAZY BT IT WORKS FA ME. I JUX ENJOY THE TASTE ON MY TONGUE. I ACTUALLY GET MY SUGAR FIX WITHOUT INGESTING IT

    Not trying to be rude or anything but this is actually an eating disorder (I used to be anorexic and this was one of the 'tricks' very popular among us). I wouldn't encourage stuff like this, as it's actually potentially harmful to your stomach and not a good thing to get into doing period.
    Yup.

    Totally healthy approach to food. >_<
  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
    I'll often do half a portion, like if the portion size on crackers is 30 grams, I'll go for 15 grams of crackers. Just about every snack is less than 100 calories for me that way, lol. And I create room in my calorie budget for more variety.
  • FASTFUELXXX
    FASTFUELXXX Posts: 89 Member
    I DDNT SAY I SWALLOW IT SO HOW KAN IT B HARMFUL 2 MY STOMACH. I DO NT HV AN EATN DISORDER. I SAID I LIKE THE TASTE OF IT ON MY TONGUE BT I DNT SWALLOW IT. I DNT GO THROW UP
  • pinkshoelaces
    pinkshoelaces Posts: 111 Member
    edited December 2014
    FASTFUELXXX wrote: »
    I DDNT SAY I SWALLOW IT SO HOW KAN IT B HARMFUL 2 MY STOMACH. I DO NT HV AN EATN DISORDER. I SAID I LIKE THE TASTE OF IT ON MY TONGUE BT I DNT SWALLOW IT. I DNT GO THROW UP

    Because when you are chewing food, it is sending a signal to your stomach that it is about to get food. Therefore, your stomach starts building up acid in order to digest it. But when you do not swallow it, you are leaving your stomach empty and only with acid in it, which can be harmful to the lining of your stomach. Also, digestion starts in the mouth. Even if you do not swallow your food, you are still taking in some calories regardless.

    It's an eating disorder because it's an unhealthy, obsessive approach to food. Instead of learning how to moderate, you are just trying to find ways to avoid eating food. It's not healthy mentally or physically, so please do try to stop.
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