7 Tips to Avoid Unnecessary Snacking

Our Health Coaches want to support your nutritional goals, and uncessary snacking can hinder that.  Here are a few tips to help you avoid mindless snacking and maintain your healthy eating habits.  Whether an essential worker, in the office or working from home a few feet away from your cabinet, these 7 tips are sure to help.    

1. Understand why you're snacking.  Decide if you're hungry, bored, stressed, etc.  Ask yourself if you could eat a full meal right now.  If the answer is no, you're more than likely not hungry.  If the answer is yes, grab a healthy snack to tie you over until your next meal.  Learn how to choose healthier options from the Swap It: Healthy Substitutions Webinar. 
2. Set your environment for success and avoid keeping tempting snacks and treats in plain sight. Keep them away in a drawer or pantry or take it one step further and avoid bringing temptations into your home.  Keep your eating space confined to a kitchen table or island.  If this is a habit you're trying to break, check out this Breaking Bad Habits Webinar.
3. Opt for fresh fruits and vegetables.  Prep ahead of time so they are cleaned, cut, and ready to eat.  Add dips like hummus, guacamole, and peanut butter for extra flavor.  Try this easy guacamole recipe.  
4. Stay hydrated and keep water on hand when you have the urge to munch!  Sometimes bodies confuse thirst with hunger.  Add fresh citrus, berries, or vegetables like cucumbers to mix it up.  This is a great alternative to juice or soda.  This citrus bliss water recipe is a refreshing summer drink!
5. Portion your snacks by serving size.  For example, enjoy five crackers with with half a cup of grapes and put on a plate to avoid overeating from the entire bag.  There are more healthy snack ideas found on this blog.  
6. Plan and enjoy a weekly treat!  This way, you're able to enjoy a few cookies while avoiding a week full of sugar.  If you have extras, feel free to freeze and enjoy in the weeks to come.  For a healthy twist, try this banana ice cream recipe.
7. Create a list of what healthy snacking looks like to you.  Write down good, better, and best options and add a few to your shopping list.  Check out our webinar Processed Foods: the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly to get started.

Plus! Check out these other free resources that you'll LOVE:

• Coaching Webinar: Improving Your Health: a Step-By-Step Guide. Our monthly webinars are free to you and cover a variety of topics!  This month Coach Shelby is talking about how to make small lifestyle changes..  Check out the upcoming webinars here.
• A new way to track your health. If you haven't downloaded our myHealthCheck360 app,  you're missing out on some great benefits. Check it out now.