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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Putting the fork down in between bites is the one tip that has always worked for me. Otherwise, I end up inhaling my food 🙂
My favorite snacks are KIND bars, fresh fruit, and string cheese. All easy, delicious, and nutritious!
My favorite snack is chips and salsa. So much so, that I had mini jars of salsa and mini bags of tortilla chips in our wedding welcome bags!
I’ve tried so many tricks to slow down my eating as well! The one I find works really well at the moment is making sure to take sips of water in between bites. This forces you to put down the fork, swallow and pause before moving on to the next bite.
I’m such a fast eater! Cutting food into smaller bites always helps me slow down a bit
I find that if I make sure and plate up my snack nice and pretty, I slow down and enjoy it more. And my fave snack is grapes and cheese!
To slow down my snacking, I try to focus on chewing more, instead of just chomping and swallowing. That itself helps me think more about what I’m eating and helps keep my snacks to more correct serving sizes. Favorite snack–apple slices with nutella! Or peanut butter, when I’m being healthier.
Sitting at the table rather than in front of a screen helps me.
I’m a dietitian and I love to encourage my clients to eat intuitively and be mindful while eating & snacking. We always discuss tips to slow down…such as putting the fork down, taking sips of water between bites, or even counting chews before swallowing (which I personally find annoying but it helps some people!). I love Anne from Fannetastic Food’s tips on intuitive eating, especially about treating meal/snack times like a wine, cheese, or dessert tasting. Slow down & savor your food! 🙂
mmm… I love laughing cow wedges! Especially the garlic & herb. I have an everything bagel thin topped with garlic & herb laughing cow and sliced tomoato ALMOST everyday! ((Awesome giveaway by the way! Great job with the selections 😉 ))
Favourite snack = plain greek yogurt + honey + raspberries! Nom nom nom
Tip to slow down = put away whatever container/bag you got your snack out of. This really makes it seem like your snack is more stand-alone, and should be savoured, rather than eaten quickly and then refilled!
Eat with my left hand! (non dominate)
I love crisp Pink Lady apples with Justin’s almond butter. YUM!
I make sure to try to take smaller bites. I also notice that when I’m more conversational over meals, it takes more time for me to eat my food. My favorite snack right now is a homemade trail mix I make of raw almonds, walnuts, raisins and coconut chips from Trader Joes. So yummy!!
i make a small plate and make sure i do work in between bites so it takes me longer. i love anything with peanut butter!!
such a great giveaway! my favorite snacks are almonds, cheese and crackers, and greek yogurt.
My favorite snack this week is coconut cashews from Trader Joes. I definitely have to measure out a small portion because they are very addictive!
I try to talk more (if I am with my kids and hubby) or distract myself so I dont eat so fast because I eat fast too! I blame grade school, which I think trains you to eat in 10 minutes, lol.
What a wonderful giveaway! I try to practice conscious eating no matter what space I’m enjoying a meal or snack. I want to remember tasting my food!
My trick is to drink a big gulp of water between every one or two bites! It really makes me slow down!
White cheddar popcorn is definitely my favorite snack!!
i am SO bad at eating too quickly! lately ive been giving myself a time — like, it should take you 20 minutes to eat this salad (instead of 4.5!). Sounds nuts, but it forces me to slow down!
most of my snack time is during work hours. i make myself read a news or blog piece between bites.
My favorite snack is anything with peanut butter!
That is so funny because I am always the first to clear my plate at any social gathering too! My husband and I are both fast eaters. I think I need to put down electronic devises more when I snack, I feel like I get so caught up in my phone that I inhale my snacks without even noticing!
When snack time rolls around at work, i lock my computer, and move to the opposite side of my desk so i can truly take 5 or 10 mins to regroup, it’s always a nice little mental break!
I’m definitely guilty of not eating snacks more mindfully, since I eat pretty much all of them at my desk at work. I love greek yogurt with a little bit of cereal as a snack.
I make a conscious effort to thoroughly chew my food instead of shoveling it all in!
I like to have a hot drink (coffee or tea) with a snack – helps me to relax for a few minutes and enjoy! My current snack obsession is using mini pretzles to scoop up fresh avocado (with s&p).
I have to eat at the dining room table in order to get myself to slow down
My favorite snack these days would have to be a honeycrisp apple – yum!
I try and make sure to always have a glass of water that i pace through a snack with… fav current snack: TJ cashew almond chocolate mix 🙂
My favorite snack is Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies and an apple.
I’ve been a Laughing Cow fan for many years! My favorite way to eat a wedge is with steamed vegetables! I don’t think I have a problem savoring my food, but I have a problem with eating too much of it – haha! One of my tricks to eating less is to engage more with the person I’m sitting down to eat with. I try to focus more on the conversation than the food.
Getting away from the TV and all electronics, sitting at a table, putting the fork down have all worked for me. I have always been one of the first done with my plate due to my father always being on the go when I was younger. It was always a contest to see if my brother and I could eat faster than him, apparently I just stuck with that habit. These little tricks have helped!
I will also mention my favorite snack ever! Take either pretzel crisps or wheat thins (tomato basil are my favorite) and spread either cream cheese or laughing cow cheese (any variety flavor works) on it. So Yummy!!!
To slow down, I try not to eat at my desk and not look at my phone/computer while I’m eating.
My favorite snack is a tropical fruit like mango, pineapple or cantelope! Since they’re all sweet, I feel like it’s a splurge! Plus the already chopped up ones from Trader Joe’s make it super easy to snack on! Guess I’ll be eating that til my super power of being able to eat whatever I want and not gain weight happens! I need me a genie lamp to rub!
My favorite snack is definitely popcorn. Though all those pictures of Laughing Cow cheese definitely makes me crave a cheesy snack!
My worst habit is definitely watching tv or reading on my Kindle while eating – unfortunately, I eat as fast as I read. Turning everything off is definitely helpful.
My favorite snack – almonds!
I’m guilty of quick eating since I grab larabars or clif bars usually for snacks. Apples and bananas are another favorite snack, too.
My favorite go-to snacks are either pretzel crisps and hummus (or peanut butter) and greek yogurt with granola! So delicious!
I love hummus. On carrots, pita chips, or straight from the bowl into my mouth.
My favorite snack is graham crackers and organic peanut butter!
I love English muffins with smashed avocado and a sprinkle of sea salt! The Laughing Cow cheese would be sooo good to add to this too!
My tip is really chewing and hiding my phone. I find that playing on my phone while eating is as distracting as watching tv!
My favorite snack is air popped popcorn and I wish I could figure out a way to eat it slower!!!
I’m not very good at slowing down when I eat, but recently I found Wasabi almonds from Blue Diamond. I was addicted for a while even though they’re crazy spicy.
I like sitting on the floor and eating apples and peanut butter with my little girl! Relaxing, fun, and yummy!
I try to eat at the same pace as my husband. He eats slower than me so I’ll take bites of my food as he does which helps me slow down!