10 Ways To Master The Art of Snacking

Quicos (Giant Crunchy Corn Nuts): These are mighty addictive. And salty. Discovered them at the nuts counter at a Whole Foods Market in New York City. Last time I checked, they’d disappeared. You can (surprisingly) order them from Amazon. Price: Around $7 for a one-pound bag. Seller: Caviar Line ForeverCheese.com

Thumbnails

Photo 1 of 10

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

With the right choices, snacks in between meals or shared among friends make life more bearable

Snacks. Picking the right one is an art. And I should know given my unabashed, excessive desire for a good one.

Snacks are an icebreaker. Set a bowl of stove popped popcorn on the coffee table and suddenly a dry conversation turns into a debate about the best kernels, flavoring techniques and the perfect beverages to wash it down. Keep the right snack in your cubicle and your desk becomes the new water cooler. Offer up the right snack during an at-home movie date and you might go from picking snack tray items to picking a wedding reception menu.

How is it that 3 ounces of salted giant corn nuts and a chilled beer in the evenings can take some of the sting out of even my worst days? I haven’t yet figured that out.

And by the time I’m finished writing this, I might have eaten all 855 calories in the 5-ounce bag of El Sabroso pork cracklins sitting on my desk. I’ll try to exercise some restraint.

I have been told a time or two (or seven) that I’m greedy. But I am not one who is ignorant of the potential dietary benefits -- and pitfalls -- of a reasonable amount of daily snacking.

We all know how miserable the day can begin if all we’ve consumed until our 1 p.m. break is a cup of Greek yogurt. And then we’re feeling slightly guilty when we have to ask for a doggy bag after lunch! Appetite control is one of the main reasons we should snack. In a guide to healthy snacking for Livestrong.com, Eliza Martinez writes that adults who snack in the afternoon get “through their tasks more quickly and efficiently.”

Health Alert: No Excuses, Small Snacks as Effective as Big Ones

You can curb your appetite with a bite

Before you try to convince yourself or others that only a big snack will suppress your supposed starvation between meals, a new report has found that small snacks are just as effective at curbing appetite. Over 100 people were recruited and each was offered a mid-afternoon snack of potato chips, pie or chocolate that varied in size (i.e. one bite vs. two slices of pie). While the large-portion group consumed 77 percent more food and roughly 103 more calories, hunger satisfaction was essentially even among all participants 15 minutes after eating. Ellen van Kleef, an assistant professor of consumer behavior, says that, contrary to what we believe, our hunger is "weakly associated" with how much we eat; it's really our mind that dictates how hungry we feel. So, in the middle of the day after we've gone a few hours without eating, our mind starts to urge an appetite even if we don't. Brian Wansink of Cornell University, who worked on the study, says that popping a small snack and giving your brain 15 minutes to chill out is often enough to satisfy your hunger pangs. And try cutting your snack size in half, you'll likely feel just as full 15 minutes later. (Today)

[SUBSCRIBE TO LOOP 21 RSS FEED]

Obama Administration Releases New Rules for School Snacks

Greasy chips out; trail mix in

The Agriculture Department proposed new nutritional rules Friday that would apply to most snack foods sold in schools. Current standards already regulate the nutritional content of school breakfasts and lunches, but food sold through in other ways outside the lunchroom has never before been federally regulated. The new rule would apply to “a la carte” lines in school cafeterias, vending machines, snack bars and any other food sold regularly on campus. It wouldn’t apply to fundraisers, after-school concession stands, class parties or foods brought from home. Almost every food would be subject to fat, calorie, sugar and sodium limits, and snacks would have to be under 200 calories. Out are candy, snack cakes, pretzels, chips, nachos, mozzarella sitcks and most ice cream; in are granola bars, trail mix, yogurt and whole grain muffins. (Salon)

[SUBSCRIBE TO LOOP 21 RSS FEED]