Low Fat Snacks Close to Mealtime

For some of us, the run-up to dinner time is when we're most vulnerable to over-eating. All those delicious smells of something cooking, or, if you eat later than the kids, the temptation of leftover kid food can lead us to pick and nibble our way through more fat and calories than we think (a cube of cheese here, a chunk of chicken there ...). If this is something you're prone to, then be prepared.

Each night as I prepare dinner, I put out a bowl of baby carrots and sliced apple on the counter top. Some nights I might vary it by putting out some sweet, juicy grapes or some chopped broccoli. As I prepare dinner and the smells of cooking food make my stomach growl, I pick at my bowl of fruit and veggies.

The good thing about this strategy is that it usually means I don't overeat: I sit down to my meal having filled up a little on good and healthy stuff.

If you think that's not enough to curb those near-mealtime munchies, you can always chew gum while you cook. This makes it rather harder to pick and nibble.