New research has revealed three different types of behaviour when it comes to eating between meals, based on what triggers your snack attack.
Snack Amnesiacs are mindless munchers who nibble subconsciously, opening something without much thought and eating far more than they intended. More often than not, these snackers have no concept of what or how much they are eating. Throughout her day, the Snack-Amnesiac will graze on the foods closest to hand, without even realising she’s doing it. Munching through a share-size bag of crisps while watching the telly when she only meant to eat a handful, reaching for the plate of biscuits during a lull in the board meeting and even waking up in the middle of the night and sleepwalking to the kitchen to nibble on some leftovers from the fridge are just a few examples of the mindless snacking habit in action. Do you find yourself opening a packet of biscuits only meaning to eat one, but suddenly the packet is empty? If you were asked to remember everything you’d nibbled on throughout the day, would you remember every mouthful? If you find yourself snacking on food without even realising, you could well be a Snack-Amnesiac.
Situational Snacker is a very busy bee and often doesn’t have the time to prepare and eat a full meal during her day. To fill up, the situational snacker will grab snacks throughout the day, whilst she can. Nibbling on the children’s packed lunch leftovers for breakfast whilst she chops up the carrots, snacking in the car for lunch after doing the food shop, or quickly scoffing half a sandwich before the company meeting is common for this type of snacker. If you’re a ‘Situational Snacker’ you might find that emotional pressures, stress and a particularly busy day can cause you to snack, even if not hungry, and you may be particularly prone to pick at food as a comfort mechanism.
The key is to snack sensibly and make sure you have something nutritious to nibble on at your desk, in the kitchen, in the car, or wherever the hunger pangs strike.
Super Snackers are the savvy crunchers who recognise energy lows and tummy grumbles and plan ahead. This tribe only nibble sensibly, as and when their body tells them to. The Super Snacker is a woman who is well aware of her snacking habits and despite a busy day, or the odd sweet craving, she’ll do what she can to stay strong and find the foods she needs to help get her through – no matter what the day might bring. Busy day of meetings and no time for lunch – the super snacker will ensure she’s got a steady supply of her favourite nutritional snacks pre-packed and close to hand to see her through. Prone to an afternoon lull – the Super Snacker will have a nutritious pick-me up ready to go. Craving an evening treat after a long day – the Super Snacker will reach for a snack from the well-stocked healthy snack jar. Do you pack a snack in your handbag each day? Are you familiar with the times of day that you need an extra boost? If so, you could be a Super Snacker.
According to dietitians, snacking is important to help control hunger and provide essential nutrients. We all lead such busy lives and juggle a variety of tasks and commitments every day, often resulting in long gaps between meals. Twenty-one days is the approximate length of time it takes to form a habit, or swap a bad habit for a good one. Planning ahead and arming yourself with a handful of almonds will really help to get you through the day. Well-balanced snacking is a great way to stay on top of your hunger pangs and ensure a daily dose of the nutrients that your body needs. But healthy and happy snacking needn’t be difficult or dull. As most Super Snackers know, there are some simple tricks to help adopt happy snacking habits. Almonds, for example, are a great choice with 15 essential nutrients and numerous proven health benefits. Not only that, they are really convenient to keep to hand because they are easily transportable. Mixing up different textures and flavours adds variety to your daily food intake. Pack a punch with a nutritiously crunchy handful of almonds added to some mango for sweetness, or even dark chocolate for a more indulgent snack.