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 fall into the same trap of being distracted by electronics during snacks/meals. I’ve started leaving the smart phone in another room and leaving the tv off during meals to really focus on food and family.
I definitely need to slow down more but my current favorite snack is dates/almond or peanut butter/chocolate chips. I think of it as a deconstructed Lara Bar.
Eat something that requires a lot of chewing like apples or celery + peanut butter!
I keep track of what I am eating in the mynetdiary app, which makes me more mindful about what I eat and taking the time to enjoy it.
I have found that drinking coffee or tea with my snacks helps me to slow down. Great tips!!! 🙂
I’m guilty of rushing through my meals/snacks when I’m at work. I keep my snack in my desk or the small fridge in our conference room and go sit in there and enjoy the view (we are on the 22nd floor). Lately I’ve been a big fan of Chobani’s Pumpkin yogurt and adding Fiber One cereal. Doctor says I need more fiber so I call it a win
My favorite snack is plantains with guac! I try to drink lots of water with meals to eat a little slower.
Either eating with my left hand or putting down the fork after each bite. Just inhaled my lunch while reading this post!
I, too, can be a fast eater. I feel like it has only gotten faster once I became a mom because there really is little time to ‘slow down and enjoy.’ My favorite snack is white popcorn made with coconut oil in the Whirly Pop. So good with raisins, almonds and a little chocolate. 😉
I’m guilty of rushing through my dinner when I get home from work. I often find myself standing up and eating at the kitchen counter instead of sitting at my table. I’ve been forcing myself to step away from the counter and sit down with a magazine to pause between bites and enjoy dinner – instead of scarfing it all down. My favorite snack this time of year has to be a honey crisp apple with almond butter.
My favorite snack has to be chips and guacamole or salsa! I could eat it EVERY.SINGLE.DAY 🙂
My favorite snack right now is a Granny Smith apple with Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Butter—soooo addicting! I have to leave my phone in another room while eating/snacking or I tend to eat very quickly and more than I really want or need to!
My favorite snack is a bowl of cereal with almond milk!
With a toddler running (crawling) around it’s hard sometimes to even sit down and eat a meal but I always make sure to drink a big glass of water before a snack. My go to snack is usually fruit and laughing cow or string cheese, almonds and chocolate chips, or a rice cake with cheese or peanut butter.
I find just making myself sit at the table with the TV off helps a lot. So does putting my fork down between bites, rather than shoveling the food in!
My favorite snack is carrots and hummus.
My favorite snack would definitely have to be smudgies! 1 smashed banana with PB2 in between 2 graham crackers and then I freeze them! Taste like an ice cream sandwich 🙂
What an amazing giveaway!!
I always sit down to eat! Always. I also try to set down my fork between bites.
I like to portion out my snack (like almonds, etc.). That way I know how much I’m going to eat and can make a conscious effort to enjoy it!
My favorite snack is a cold, crisp apple and come crunchy peanut butter! Hits the spot every time 🙂
To help encourage myself to slow down, I remind myself that to be fully satisfied with my food, I must satisfy all five of my senses. This helps me to be more mindful when I eat. My amazing health coach taught my about this and it has truly transformed how I eat and jump started my intuitive eating lifestyle!
My husband and I make a point to sit down together at the table every night for dinner, and neither of us can get up until the other is finished. He always eats faster than I do, but he sits and talks with me until I’m done. No TV or electronics allowed. It definitely helps us savor our food!
My favorite snack is a mixture of green grapes and raspberries! So good together! 🙂
I am trying to teach my 2 and 4 year old boys the value of healthy eating. At snack time we fix a snack and all sit down at the table or have a short picnic together. It helps us pause and enjoy the time together as well as a healthy snack 🙂
I love snacks I can eat with my fingers – we call them “nibbles” in our house – and the tactile aspect makes me enjoy them more. Creating a plate of nibbles beforehand also helps me with portion control and more likely enter calories in my tracker app before I eat them. And is there anything more enticing than a color plate of a variety of finger foods – yum!
By the way, we use the light Laughing Cow (you have to say “moo” afterwards) all the time on sandwiches, crackers, and lettuce wraps instead of sliced cheese. I’ve added it to sauces and soups to add creaminess, too.
My favorite snack foods are fruit and almonds. I even keep almonds in car just in case I get stuck in traffic on my drive home from work.
I try set my fork down in between bites and to chew each bite to savor the flavor so that I can enjoy the meal or snack. This helps me realize what I am eating and that it is more than just food but fuel for my body.
Honestly, CHOKING is the thing that slowed my eating down. I was 11 and it was traumatizing. Now I am an incredibly slow eater because I’m always fearful of choking. One time my friend counted my chews and said that I chewed a piece of sandwich 54 times before I swallowed it. I guess she was sick of waiting for me to finish eating. I like being a slow eater, though, because I don’t eat as much and I usually have leftovers!
I am always the first to finish my meal too! To try to slow down while eating a snack I like to close my eyes as I take a bite, so I can concentrate on the experience of the food.
I can eat really fast or really slow, it just depends on my time frame. When I get to sit down and really eat I like to savor my food and I actually eat less. My favorite snack lately has been hummus and pita chips. There is something about that combo that does it for me.
Sadly even though my boys are grown and out of the house I still find myself in the bad habit of rushing through meals. Now I use my grandson’s to help remind me to slow things down. My 4yr old grandson loves to help in the kitchen and my 9month old grandson loves to eat. I beg for the chance to take my boys and enjoy “kid” time. Time to slow down and enjoy childhood innocense! 🙂
Such an amazing giveaway! I always try to make a point to have water with a meal and sip it in between bites so I can appreciate what I’m eating!
I have to honestly say that I’m never JUST eating. It’s always eating/watching TV or playing on my phone or reading blogs. The closest I come is if my fiance and I actually sit down at the table for dinner, but this doesn’t happen all the time. I DO always enjoy my food though, it doesn’t matter if I’m distracted 😉
My favorite snack right now is Nut Thins with EVERYTHING.. cheese, guacamole, whatever. Obsessed with Nut Thins.
I like to eat meals with my daughter (14 months) because we chatter (baby babble from her!) back and forth, I help her eat and share my food too, which all prolongs our meal and lets me enjoy the meal time more!
WOW, that is my ideal giveaway, especially now that the weather is getting cooler. In regards to snacking, I try to always eat out of a bowl (NOT the bag or box) and it’s really put into perspective how much and how quickly I can shovel food into my face. 🙂
I try not to eat while watching TV.
favorite snack PB2. make sure to add extra water and then add chia seeds, let it sit and thicken. Yum. OR take your favorite protein powder, add water, vanilla extract and cocoa. ( I use vanilla protein powder) until the batter is smooth and resembles runny brownie batter, pour into silicone cupcake molds and freeze.
I always shovel my food in my mouth. I have an 18 month old and find that I eat really fast to make sure I get to eat before we go on to something else. I really like apples with the low fat swiss Laughing Cow cheese. Its probably my favorite snack!
My favorite snack lately is a bowl of cereal. But something with peanut butter is always great too!
Right now I’m super into greek yogurt with a little granola. Super easy to take to work or to just enjoy at home!
Imagining that I have to describe the meal to someone else or write a blog post about it. That forces me to slow down and really taste what I’m eating.
My favorite snack is a crisp apple sliced with almond butter, mmmmm so good!
I typically eat super fast when I’m really hungry. So to prevent me from doing that I’ll drink an ice cold glass of water before I start eating. I don’t know why but it makes me feel more full and helps me from shoving all of the food into my mouth at once!
I’m a fan of The Laughing Cow! Eating it with celery is one of my favorite snacks and probably the only way I will eat raw celery. I also enjoy apples with various nut butters.
The best way for me to savor a snack is to have a hot beverage with it. Have a bite, take a sip. I guess I should have read this post though before I just inhaled my Chocolate Chip Luna Protein Bar. Whoops.
My favorite snack is anything with cheese! My current favorite is half of a whole-wheat english muffin, a Laughing Cow cheese wedge (love every flavor), and an egg on top.
I ALWAYS rush through my meals, I think it stems from my childhood and growing up in a large family…. When eating with others I try to start eating last and put my utensils down between bites. When eating solo or while working I make an intention to have a glass of water before I eat and then with my meal to slow down and listen to my body’s signals better.
I’m awful about eating too fast! I don’t have any tips, b/c I am guilty.
So, my favorite snack is an apple with peanut butter. Salty, sweet and satisfying!
I love apples and peanut butter as a snack! Isn’t there a new pepperjack Laughing Cow? I NEED to try that!
My favorite snack has to be apple and peanut butter. It’s super simple and it’s delicious and I can eat it anytime without feeling too guilty! 🙂