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 try to finish big glass of water along with my snacks. It helps my tummy to feel more satisfied when I’m hungry and its not quite mealtime yet. Lately my favorite snacks are carrots dipped in hummus and raw almonds. Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
I try to eat with people and have conversations so that I’m talking some of the time rather than just shoveling food into my mouth. The best meals are when I leave a restaurant with a huge leftover portion, satisfied that I ate enough, and had some great social interactions!
When my husband and I eat dinner at home, we eat in courses, so we have a salad first, then our main dish, then sneak in a dessert a little later… this way, we aren’t rushing through everything at once at the table but can enjoy what we cooked and each others company!
My favorite snack would have to be pretzel thins (garlic Parmesan) with spinach artichoke hummus!
If a snack requires assembly, I will usually put it together while I am eating. This slows me down, because I am spending time “playing” with my food. Another trick is to take a small sip of water in between bites! 🙂
My new favorite snack is a ww tortilla with a wedge of the Laughing cow cinnamon cream spread on and sliced strawberries. Roll it up and enjoy. I actually cut it in half and eat half in the morning and the other half in the afternoon 🙂 So good.
I LOVE to eat cucumbers with Roasted Garlic Hummus. It’s extremely light but has a kick of flavor 🙂 It’s delicious!
I think putting things on a plate/in a bowl — rather than eating straight out of a container — definitely helps! It also helps with portion control. “Oh wait… I ate that entire bag of chips?!”
Turning off the TV, stepping away from the TV and not looking at my phone.
I have found that putting your fork down between bites helps a ton!
When I start checking my phone during meal- or snacktime, I’m in big trouble. I’m making an effort now to put my phone away.
My favorite go to snacks are an apple and peanut butter or an apple and a slice of cheese.
I definitely practice putting my silverware down in between bites so that I can savor my meal and practice mindfulness while I eat. I also sip a cup of tea usually during or after a meal to extend the experience and settle my stomach. Great tips! Oh, and my snack of choice lately has been frozen fruit, oddly enough (hey, I’m in FL – It’s still in the 80’s and 90’s outside lol).
My favorite snack right now is hummus with carrots, hummus with crackers, or hummus with a spoon. Definitely an obsession going on!
I try to put my fork down between each bite and not eating in front of the TV!
I am absolutely horrible at savoring any meal I eat! Thankfully it’s the season for Honey Crisp apples. I’ve been buying them by the dozen at Costco. I can’t get enough of them for snack time. So darn good!
I eat so fast!! Something that helps me is drinking a big glass of water first. It’s like my stomach then tells my brain “hey, I’m not starving anymore. You don’t have to shovel that food in your mouth at rapid speed!!”
My favourite snack has got to be fruit! Any type of fruit will do – whether it be persimmons, pears, grapes or dragonfruit, I’ll slice it up and enjoy it as a delicious refresher.
I LOVE Laughing Cow cheese… my favorite is the Creamy Garlic. To slow down, I eat at our dining room table. It’s away from the TV and computer and I leave my phone in the living room, so I can ENJOY the snack.
Putting my food down after each bite and then having a sip of something to drink helps me extend meal times. It also fills me faster so I won’t eat too much!
Slowing down for me usually means sitting at the table (instead of in front of the tv watching Scandal- ha!), setting a place so that my brain knows that it’s time to eat, and a big cup of water or tea to go along with my meals. I need to work on putting my phone away during meals, though!
i am always one of the first ones done eating when I’m out with friends or co-workers. one of my tips for slowing down is to put down my utensil between bites. it does seem to help a bit. .
One thing I do to slow down is to drink water in between bites. I find that this helps me to savor my food more and also help me feel fuller. At the moment my favorite snacks consist of popcorn with cinnamon and a teaspoon of coconut oil, turkey cucumber roll-ups, and anything that includes peanut butter
I have to really mentally think about slowing down especially at dinner. If I don’t then I seem to be hungry a little while later. I tell myself to chew the food well and put my fork down in between bites.
Favorite snack at the moment: sliced apples with Jif’s whipped pumpkin spice peanut butter and some cinnamon sprinkled on top!
My favorite snack is either popcorn or Danon’s greek blends yogurt with something crunch thrown in. What a great giveaway!
I’ve just started adding afternoon tea to my everyday routine. It surprisingly takes away a craving to eat more when I’m sitting at my desk and helps me focus!
I’ll read my Kindle while I sit at my kitchen table. Getting engrossed in a book while I’m munching helps because I’m so caught up reading it really slows down the snack shovel. I’ll take periodic breaks every few pages to grab another bite. I love all greek yogurt with something crunchy mixed in, and anything involving cheese! Toast is a big winner too (obviously picking one is hard).
My absolute favorite snack is raisins with peanut butter!
I try to put a lot of time into my snack’s presentation so I appreciate it while I eat!
I try to drink a glass of water before I eat my snack to make sure I’m not just thirsty instead of hungry!
Take your first bite with your eyes closed. Getting you set for mindful eating.
My favorite snack is a fresh piece of fruit – especially apples right now!
We like to cook together and have multiple courses with wine so we try to enjoy every step of the proccess. We alwasy start with a homemade cheeseplate! I am a fast eater normally though and i think it comes from those short 18 min. lunches in school!
I have a terrible habit of shoveling food in my mouth as if it’s my last meal ever so these tips are helpful! Setting my fork down is probably one I’ll try immediately, haha! My favorite snack is usually a couple spoonfuls of peanut butter. 🙂
I love the laughing cow cheeses on toast and fruit too. To make my snacks last, I usually make sure to drink sips of water between bites.
I savor my snacks by taking little bites and really chewing, not just gulping down the food so I can actually taste it, putting down spoon/fork also helps between bites.
I like to sit in our dining room at our nice table to eat sometimes instead of sitting in our kitchen which has a view of the TV. The dining room is mainly used for nice meals or with big groups so it somehow always feels special even when it’s just me sitting in there eating!
If I’m eating almonds or something while at my desk at work, I will lay them out in an evenly spaced row and try to eat one a minute instead of eating a whole handful at once. 🙂
My favorite snack is dried mangos! I buy them from Whole Foods in the bulk section. Expensive, but so worth it.
I’m not a huge snacker but lately I’ve been obsessed with almond butter and apple slices. One thing I try to do is chew my food thoroughly. I tend to eat very fast also and I find chewing my food longer than usual forces me to slow down and savor what I’m eating.
My favorite snack lately has been roasted sweet potatoes with coconut butter or almond butter (or both!!)
I love dates with a little peanut butter smeared on top! Perfect way to satisfy my sweet tooth and get a little extra protein in a snack. I’m also a really fast eater….still trying to learn how to slow down!
I love rice cakes with PB&J – or some Nutella. Thanks for offering the giveaway = )
My favorite snack is mixed nuts!!! The biggest thing I’ve found to help prolong snack time is to never just grab out of the bag! I make it a point to actually but it into a bowl or plate and that has helped tremendously!
favorite snack- greek yogurt mixed with pb and blueberries sprinkled with cinnamon and topped with some cereal for crunch.
fork down between bites and chew slower– and try to pause when half of the plate is finished, but sometimes I can’t do that at all!
My favorite snack is rice cake topped with anything. You can make it savory, sweet, the possibilities are endless. Lately I’m loving brown rice cakes with cream cheese and cucumbers!
I make sure to have a glass of water – which must be finished by the time I am done with my meal. That way, every time I stop to sip my water it makes me take a breath and not inhale my food.
Reading works really well to help me slow down. It is a distraction, but I love to read so I end up stretching out my snack so that I can read longer!