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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My favorite snack is a Fuji Apple with sharp cheddar cheese.
As tempting as it is to chow down on my toddler sons leftovers, I try to take the time to prepare myself a meal and sit and enjoy’! Easier said than done…. 🙂
My favorite snack is pita bread and hummus.
My absolute favorite snack is red pepper slices with hummus.
I plan for my snacks! It helps me slow down because it prevents me from getting too hungry and inhaling my food. If I’m looking forward to my snack the anticipation can also make it taste better!
I savor every bite by taking time to really look at my food!
I was eating supper as I read this…yikes, I think I need to follow tip #1!! I really like the idea of drinking hot tea while snacking, I think that would help me slow down! My favorite snack is definitely a quest bar currently, yummmm!
I eat lunch w coworkers so we can talk and step away from the computer
I talk a lot so when my husband gets home and we’re eating dinner together it takes me a while because of my yapping 😉 My favorite snack right now is yogurt with some cereal thrown in
If I eat anything with a lot of veggies it takes me longer to chew, which really slows me down!
Putting my fork down between bites helps a lot! Also,drinking water in between bites. My current favorite snack obsession is cottage cheese!
I eat with someone else and focus on the conversation in addition to the food. Sharing the experience makes me slow down!
I don’t slow down to enjoy snack time.. My snacks are shoved down whenever the heck I have time while I work 12-13 hour days lol.
I’m a breastfeeding Mom, so pumping has definitely prolonged my lunchtime, since the whole thing take at least 35-40 minutes!
I try to eat lunch before I feed my little girls, so that I can pay attention to my food and I am not interrupted and sidetracked with their needs.
My evenings are usually my slow down time. We put our little one to bed about 7 pm and sit down with the hubby and enjoy our dinner in peace and ask each other out the day. With a little one, a job and a house it’s easy to get caught up the go go go but it is so nice to take a few minutes in the evening to sit down & enjoy a meal.
My favorite snack right now is pretzels with sharp cheddar cheese.
My “trick”: drink water. Lots and lots of water. I heard once that we don’t always correctly interpret thirst and hunger. Now, when I’d like a snack, I grab a glass of water. It usually hits the spot. If it doesn’t, no harm, no foul. Then I go for a spoonful of maple almond butter. …i have a problem with that stuff…is there a 12-step program for it?
I always have a glass of water whenever I’m eating- slows me down and keeps me hydrated!
I always try and plan the snacks that I eat at my 8-5 job and take time out of the day to sit and eat them. I look forward to that 5 minute break where I can sit and enjoy my Quest bar or yogurt. It’s always a good break in the day. Drinking water and not being on my phone helps too 🙂
I love making snack plates with a lot of variety (crackers, cheese, fruit, veggies) so that I can enjoy each bite without it getting too monotonous!
I try to actually TASTE what I’m eating.
I am in love with rice cakes a peanut butter right now! Sometimes I get a little crazy and put some sort of fruit on them! I am in school studying Dietetics, so I really trying to implement healthier choices into my life. I try to drink a full glass of water before I even think about snacking, and then I’ll prepare my snack and eat it outside or in a comfy spot so there are no distractions between me and my pb!
my favorite snack right now is homemade energy bites!
What an amazing giveaway! I’m an extremely fast eater so this right up my alley! To slow down I sit at the dining room table. I also take sips of water throughout my meal. I’ll have to try hot tea next time.
One of my favorite snacks is apple slices with peanut butter.
I try to take a long pause between each bite. Or eat with friends! Talking while eating always slows me down.
My trick is lots and lots of water, drinking between each bite.
I enjoy an apple with a nut butter. It makes me take my time just due to the crispness and time needed to chew
To help me slow down while I eat, I read a magazine. it makes me eat super slow!! I eat in between reading articles. My favorite go to snack is banana peanut butter ice cream, just made with bananas and peanut butter in my yonana machine.
It is so hard for me NOT to eat fast!! However, I notice that eating with others really makes me slow down and enjoy both the conversation AND my food! 🙂
I like to fix a snack on a plate and sit down at the table to eat it. It seems to help!
Putting my food on a real plate, instead of on a paper towel or in tupperware makes me appreciate it more!
Favorite snack is apple with chocolate peanut butter.
My favorite snack right now is simply greek yogurt mixed with a little bit of my homemade granola. It is the perfect afternoon snack that holds me over until dinner.
I like to put everything on a plate and make it look pretty so I really enjoy what I’m eating! And drinking water along with my snack helps me slow down too!
Making sure I chew each bite several times.
Fritos and pimento cheese!
To slow myself down I always try to have meals with several different components (textures, flavors, hot vs. cold). I find the variety keeps my interested in the meal and enjoying what I am eating.
Favorite snack is popcorn.
I love a piece of toast with peanut butter for a snack, but let’s be real, I would eat peanut butter all day and night if I could!
I try to use smaller utensils so that I cannot take as big of bites. Otherwise, I make myself take large sips of water to slow down!
I love love love mini cucumbers with Peanut Butter and Laughing cow cheese !!!
Don’t knock it til ya try it!!!
Delicious!!!
Similar to yourself I enjoy eating snacks that require some assembly. They seem to take longer to eat and enjoy. Some of my favourites include apple and cheese, veggies and dip or humus, and cereal with sliced banana.
My favorite snack is vanilla greek yogurt with a little pudding packet mixed it. My favorite’s are pumpkin spice, chocolate, butterscotch, cheesecake, or pistachio pudding mixed into the vanilla greek yogurt.
I try to remember to taste what I’m eating, not just go through the motions. I love dried pea pods dipped in avocado, yogurt with peanut butter, or Nutrigrain bars 🙂
I try to sit down and eat with friends between classes to make sure I eat mindfully because with my class schedule It can be easy to find myself eating way too quickly so I can fit more things in.
I try to sit down at the table and savor each bite! Hard to do when you have a toddler- but worth it!
Lil red wine in between bites
I love laughing cow cheese! I love to have it on half an everything bagel for a lighter taste of cream cheese!
For date night, my husband & I will order drinks first, then an appy/salad when we’re ready, and then our entrees following that. Otherwise when we order it all at once, date night is over way too fast as everything comes so quickly! We have the same eating fast problem as you & Ryan haha.