This post is sponsored by The Laughing Cow® and features a fun giveaway that I assembled myself that I hope you guys will love! I am an official brand advocate for The Laughing Cow® in 2014 and while I receive compensation for participation, opinions are my own. I hope you enjoy this post and thanks so much for your support!
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you likely already know that I consider myself a very fast eater. (Remember this blog post when I talked about some of the methods Ryan and I use to try to prolong our dinner dates!?) Slowing down and savoring my food takes effort on my part. I’ve always been a really fast eater and for as long as I can remember, I’ve been one of the first people to clear my plate in almost any social setting.
When The Laughing Cow® reached out to me about their new initiative that centers around savoring snack time, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I know I personally could stand to slow down and enjoy my food a little more and this seemed like a good push to brainstorm ways to make myself take a moment and enjoy what I’m eating.
Below you will find some tips and tricks I’ve been trying to practice during snack and meal times to help me appreciate what I’m eating and actually experience food rather than just inhaling it all the time. I’ve also featured some food pairings with The Laughing Cow Cheeses to give you some snack time inspiration!
Simple Tips for Savoring Snack Time
- Step Away from Electronic Distractions
All too often I’ll eat when I’m working at the computer and look up and think to myself, “I don’t even remember tasting that meal!” What a shame! I never watch TV during the day, but I am on the computer all the time. I also check my phone a lot since I use it to respond to emails, blog comments and other work-related tasks. By stepping away from electronic distractions, I feel much more in the moment and this makes me concentrate on tasting and savoring my snacks and meals.
Crisp Apple Slices + Roasted Almonds + The Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese Wedges
- Place My Fork Down In Between Bites
This is a tip I read in a magazine years ago that really does work. I tend to shovel food in my mouth a little too quickly, and taking the time to put down my fork or spoon in between bites extends mealtime a little bit and allows me to think more about what I’m eating and enjoy it.
Cucumber Slices + The Laughing Cow Creamy Swiss Garlic & Herb Cheese Wedges + Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Enjoy A Snack with a Mug of Hot Tea
This is something I tend to do at breakfast time that makes my morning meal last a little longer, so I tried extending it to snack time and it really does help! If I fix myself an afternoon snack and a hot cup of tea, I’m much more likely to sit down and enjoy my snack rather than grabbing it and stuffing it into my mouth while I’m on the go. Which leads me to my next bullet point…
Gluten-Free Almond Crackers + Ham Pinwheels + The Laughing Cow Creamy White Cheddar Cheese Wedges + Cracked Pepper
- Sit Down
I am the queen of eating at the kitchen counter. When I make myself grab a plate or a bowl and take my snack to the table, it seems to send a message to my brain that this is a time I need to chill out and enjoy what I’m eating rather than eat something as fast as possible before it’s onto the next thing.
Fresh Strawberries + Pretzel Crisps + The Laughing Cow Creamy Light Swiss Cheese Wedges
- Break the Routine
I tend to eat the same snacks over and over again until I get sick of them and discover something new. When I take the time to get a little creative in the kitchen and try something new, I find that I’m a lot more likely to notice and enjoy what I am eating.
And now it’s giveaway time!
I have personally assembled a giveaway worth $300 for one PBF reader to win! I tried to select items to help you kick back and relax a bit so you can thoroughly savor your meals and snacks!
This giveaway includes:
- $100 lululemon gift card – For you to pick up some super cute, comfy lounge-worthy apparel that you can also wear in public
- Cable knit throw from Pottery Barn – To curl up with while you enjoy a delicious snack this winter
- Le Creuset tea kettle (color of your choice) – To brew a hot beverage to sip while you eat
- Anthropologie mug with your initial – So you can sip your tea in style
- Snack Time Kit from The Laughing Cow
To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment below telling me about one of the tricks you use to encourage yourself to slow down and savor your food or tell me about your favorite snack!
I will randomly select a winner on Friday.
Good luck!
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I have been drinking hot tea (except in the boiling summer temperatures!) with my snacks for a few years now!! I definitely eat less when I am drinking more. I really enjoy snacks like apples and carrots that require more chewing — and that I can’t gobble down! 😉 I also enjoy a york peppermint pattie or two from the freezer too. It is the perfect amount and is incredibly satisfying.
I am a fast eater too! I try to remember to drink lots of water so I have to put down my fork or spoon haha!
I use the hot tea trick to help savor snack time. My favorites at the moment are yogurt with almonds and chocolate chips mixed in and pretzel crisps with hummus.
I love the Laughing Cow Light Swiss on apples! Great snack. I am definitely going to try making tea to help slow down snack time. Great idea! Thanks.
I love apple slices and peanut butter, plus a few chocolate chips!
Eating with someone else is the only way that I am able to slow down and enjoy the food. Otherwise, I tend to eat mindlessly; when I am aware of the meal as an “event” and self-aware of someone else’s eating, it reminds me to focus on eating as a ritual, not as just fuel or habit. I try to eat as many meals with other people as possible!
This is a constant struggle for me too! I find that I have trouble when I wait too long between having a snack/meal. I get distracted at work and before I know it, I’m starving and have scarfed my food down while walking back to my desk. So my trick to check in with myself and make sure I don’t need a snack, some water, etc. is to walk around my entire floor each time I get up to go to the bathroom. I find that since I already choose to get up, I’m likely at a good stopping point anyway and then all I can really do while walking around is think about how I’m feeling and touch base with myself. It helps me not get soo stiff from sitting all day too!
I find snacking on shelled things like pistachios or soybeans slows me down because I have to shell them and makes me more mindful because I have a visual cue of how much I’ve eaten! Also eating with friends helps, the more you chat the less you munch!
My favorite snack is something salty and crunchy…I usually go for pretzels or popcorn.
Lately, stovetop popcorn with butter and seasoned salt. Peanut butter puffins are awesome too.
I, too, am a shoveler 🙂 The tea thing has worked wonders for me. I’ve also tried to make sure I’m chewing my food at least 14 times and really check in with my senses (making sure I’m smelling the food, what’s the food feel like in my mouth, what does it really taste like).
I make sure to sit down and eat so I’m not rushing myself. One if my favorite snacks is a pitted date stuffed with cashew butter and sprinkled with a litttttlleee pinch of salt! So delish!
Mt favorite snack is apples with peanut butter…or anything with peanut butter!
(I think you know what I mean!)
One of my favorite snacks is 1 banana, with honey and sprinkled with chia seeds. (or you could use peanut butter in place of the honey…. or both!! Yummmm!!)
I make sure to continue to drink water throughout my meal…that definitely helps slow me down!
My husband and I sit down at the table to eat and do not sit in front of the tv.
I personally LOVE a toasted English muffin with avocado slices and sprinkle of salt…delicious and very filling! To slow down I’ll eat with my left/non-dominant hand. Works every time AND I feel like I’m giving my brain a workout too because it has to attempt to be coordinated with a different hand!
I try to make sure I’m not multi-tasking while I snack. It’s hard to not do other things, but it definitely pays off!
I too am a fast eater…I mean, the faster we eat, the faster we get to our next snack, right? I find that by talking or reading, I will often eat slower. Whether it be talking to a friend or loved one over dinner, or reading through some of my favorite blogs over lunch. 😉
I am also a very fast eater and I am always the first one done during family dinner. If I’m with someone I try to engage in conversation and put my fork down while I’m talking. If I’m by myself… yikes! I’m going to have to try some of your tips! 🙂
I make sure not to eat in front of the tv, and to save some topics of conversation for the dinner table… Also, a glass of wine never hurts!
My tip is to not only put my fork down beteween bites, but also have a large glass of water at dinner and take a sip after each bite.
Even if o end up eating dinner alone, I always sit at the table.
I like to shot down from my electronics and enjoy my snacks instead of rushing. I’m always rushing.
These are great tips! I’ve also noticed that grabbing a snack with a friend always helps me to slow down as I eat- usually because I’ll find myself chatting more than eating! 🙂
I find that if I’m eating with utensils, rather than my hands, I will savor the food more.
(yay Lululemon!)
I like to assemble a plate and sit down at my dining room table to prolong snack time!
My favorite snack is almonds, cashews, and chocolate chips! I love drinking a cup of green tea while I snack also.
My favorite snack is berries with yogurt and a little bit of maple syrup.
I totally understand the whole eating fast thing. I always blamed the fact that I was always in a rush so I just started to eat fast. Sometimes I try to read and eat. I know that may not be savoring my food much, but sometimes I get wrapped up in a blog or a book and forget that I am eating so that can slow me down lol. It also helps to set out a portion on a plate instead of grabbing the box of crackers, because then I don’t realize how many I am eating.
eat with my sister because she makes fun of me for eating food too fast so i have to slow down when im with her 😉
I’ve recently discovered hummus. Oh my gawd!
I’m don’t often have a sweet-tooth when it comes to snacking – I have a salt tooth? – and have a borderline obsession with cheese. I love wheat thins with laughing cow wedges or the cheddar nut-thins by blue diamond. Yum!
What an amazing giveaway!! My two girls make it hard for me to sit and enjoy a snack but when I get a chance, I enjoy a cup of coffee and read a book or magazine while snacking. My favorite snack is either a Lara Bar or peppers and carrots with hummus.
My favorite snack is rice cakes topped with crunchy peanut butter and banana slices 🙂
I try to drink water between every bite or every other bite – it makes me put the fork down and take a moment.
Man, this posting made me remember how much I love Laughing Cow! When I eat a snack, particularly in the afternoon, I like to try to think about what I might not have gotten enough of or eaten yet that day. So if I had a vegetarian lunch, I might try to make some turkey and hummus roll-ups for snack. If I had a salad with protein for lunch, I might eat some crackers or rice cakes. Hope that makes sense!
My favorite snack right now is a rice cake with mashed avocado and salsa on top!
This is the best giveaway! My favorite snack is an apple with almond butter.
I think this article was aimed at me! I am the same sometimes I look down at my empty plate and I don’t remember eating it!
I am trying to chew my food more, taste each bite, and focus on what I am doing.
I love a big plate of colorful vegetables with guacamole but at the moment my fave is a square of dark chocolate and a tbspn of coconut butter. It’s delicious and can slowly melt in your mouth! Yum !
I love eating hot oatmeal with apples for a snack! You can’t help but savor it when it’s piping hot!
I like to step away from my iPad, computer, tv, etc. to really enjoy what I’m eating! It definitely helps you pay attention to hunger cues.
I am definitely a turbo eater! Oddly, I find that when I am eating in a more formal restaurant with close friends or family (especially when a good glass of wine is involved), I am more inclined to slow down and enjoy the experience of the meal. Too bad that doesn’t happen often!
I try to take small sips of water in between bites, which probably gives the same effect as setting down the fork. Love your blog!
I eat in front of the computer or tv a lot, and scarf down food so I can get on to my next thing I need to do. If I take the time to make it look nice on the plate, and cut up things to make lots of little bites, I find it takes me more time to eat my meal.
My all time favorite snacks remind me of my childhood: apples with peanut butter, or graham crackers in milk. Yum!
What a great give away!
For snacks, I step away from distraction and also try and include some filling protein. And don’t let yourself get too hungry… This always backfires on me.
What a great giveaway! I love hummus with pita chips 🙂
Sitting down is a big one…and also really hard to do for some reason! My biggest tip would be to not snack WHILE making your meal. I have yet to master it, but it is nice to be hungry for the meal you just made!
I also working on sitting done and putting down electronics. I end up eating lunch while running around my classroom trying to accomplish as much as I can in 30 minutes. Such a bad habit!
My favorite snack is chopping up a banana and serving it with a big dollop of peanut butter. Extra yummy if you drizzle honey and sprinkle cinnamon on top!