We have become a nation of over-snackers!

You are probably nibbling on something as you read this, aren’t you? On any given day, 90% of us eat between meals, and on average, we eat twice the number of daily snacks that Americans ate 30 years ago, according to a report by the USDA agriculture Research Service. We have become a nation of grazers!


It is often advocated to have a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack to prevent impulse eating and energy slumps that result from dips in blood sugar. Well-planned, healthful snacks can help you stay properly fueled and on even keel throughout the day. However, in spite of our best intentions, snacks may be sabotaging, not helping our efforts to eat healthy and manage our weight. Another study found that dieters who had midmorning snacks lost less weight than those who didn’t have a snack. What’s more, the USDA says that snacks provide over 1/3 of the empty calories we eat in a day.


With this perceived approval to snack, we seem to take every occasion to do so without regard for whether we are truly hungry. We eat after a 20-minute walk, munch through midday mood fluctuations and eat to beat evening boredom. What’s worse, we are training our children for more of the same.


The answer to the snacking problem isn’t so much whether to snack, but rather how to snack. The trick is to approach it strategically rather than mindlessly.


Following these guidelines should help you stay on the right snack track:


• Snack in response to true hunger
Before grabbing a bite, consider whether you are truly hungry, and if your next meal is within an hour or so, try to hold out. Avoid snacking out of habit, boredom, or other emotional reasons.


• Plan ahead
Don’t nibble on impulse or pick throughout the day. Plan a healthful snack, toting food with you if necessary, when you know there will be more than 4 or 5 hours between meals.


• Make snacks count
Snacks account for up to ¼ of our calorie intake, so choose nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy, nuts, beans, fish and lean meats.


• Watch your calories and sugar
Snack calories can add up easily, so aim to keep snacks at less than 200 calories, especially if you are trying to lose weight. Sometimes, a piece of fruit is all you need to tide you over. Stay completely away from added sugar on your snacks. This can spike you blood sugar throughout the day.


• Eat regular, balanced meals
Establishing a steady daily pattern of meals that include vegetables and fruit, grains and protein will set the stage to prevent you from munching throughout the day.

Bobby Bland PWCA, CIC
Vice President
Commercial Risk Service