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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It helps me to eat with a friend! I tend to focus more on the content of the conversation rather than the content of my meal! Plus, what better way to spend time with a good friend than over a good meal 🙂
I try to remember to carefully chew and taste my food!
I try to share when I snack, it definitely helps me not want to shovel it in my mouth!! Haha
My favorite snack lately is Key Lime greek yogurt with chopped walnuts sprinkled on it. My all-time favorite snack is cottage cheese with chopped cucumber, tomato, avocado and black pepper.
Anything with peanut butter! Apples, celery!
I definitely try to put my fork down in between bites to slow down!
My favorite snack is cucumbers and hummus. I find it light, yet satisfying and filling.
I try not to eat while standing, and assemble the whole thing and sit down with it.
My favorite snack option is a piece of fruit paired with string cheese or nut butter.
My latest silly technique is painting my nails while I snack so I have to pause & savor bites in between waiting for coats to dry – reach for that handful of popcorn too soon & you’ve smudged everything everywhere!
I go through phases with snacks, but one of my absolute favorites is almond butter toast with bananas. Or hummus. Hummus is also wonderful.
I also try to make myself a mug of tea, and invested in some tea I’d really savor so that I stop and enjoy both the food and hot drink.
I try to sit at the kitchen table to eat rather than stand.
Definitely putting my fork down and playing food! I’m like you, a really fast eater! But I’m also a volume eater hah!
I wait to have my evening snack until after my baby goes to bed. It’s a little later than I’d like, but that way I can actually enjoy my food and not feel rushed or distracted. Simple but makes a world of difference! Also, if I try to make my food look pretty, I tend to eat a little slower and enjoy it more.
I find That if I sit at the kitchen table I enjoy my food more.
Take water breaks! It helps to put your fork down between bites and slow down to make sure you are still hungry to keep going!
I absolutely love SkinnyPop!
Putting down my fork between bites definitely helps me slow down!
I try to slow down my chewing and focus on different sensations — how the texture of food feels, how it smells, temperature. I also remind myself that eating is not just about fueling your body but also about enjoying what you are eating!
I also try to turn off all electronic distractions. I rarely actually get a break during my day, so any excuse to just sit and be quiet and focus on something as simple as food can be a real relief!
I love Granny Smith apples with peanut butter, granola and dried cherries. Yum!!
I’m lucky enough to live right on the water. When I fix myself a snack and the sun is out, I bring it outside and eat on the dock by the water. I always seem to enjoy my food more when I remove myself from technologies such as my laptop and cell phone! It becomes such a bad habit to mindlessly shove food in my mouth while I am typing up emails or browsing the web.
I always make sure to set my alarm early enough before my morning college classes to make sure I have time to sit down and eat! As opposed to grabbing a PopTart on the way out of the door and eating it on the drive to class…
My favorite snack is an apple with sunflower butter!
I eat at the table and make sure the tv is off!
When I go home to TN, my four year old niece always has me make her “cheesy” grits and she pulls out the Laughing Cow swiss wedges. She giggles and tells me that the cheese is from funny, happy cows. Anytime I pull out a Laughing Cow wedge for a snack, I think of her and it brightens my day. It makes for an awesome pick-me-up snack. =)
One of my favorite snacks is plain yogurt mixed with some preserves and some type of cereal/granola. Mmm.
Favorite snack: honey crisp apple slices, smothered in peanut butter 🙂 i’m a peanut butter lover myself!
My biggest trick for slowing down is to actually put my snacks on a plate. For example, slicing an apple instead of eating it whole. This is especially important for things like pretzels or almonds where I forget to stop if I’m eating out of the bag!
apple with almond butter- oldie but goodie!
I always stand while eating! Such a bad habit!
My go to snack is a spoonful of peanut butter with just a little bit of honey.
I try to gather everything and sit down at the dining table to eat, rather than standing at the kitchen counter. (As I stand at the counter eating a snack…)
My favorite snack is almond butter with banana! I almost always go back for seconds…
I make sure to sit down while I eat too! I find this helps to prevent overeating and allows for more time to relax and enjoy the snack or meal.
My favorite snack is popcorn of any type! Satisfies the need for something crunchy and salty! And you can have a lot of handfuls 🙂
Almond butter and pretzel thins my favorite snack!
I try to put my snack down between bites to help me slow down my eatin . Different textures help too, such as apple slices with peanut butter or carrots with hummus.
Lately I’ve been on a major zucchini slices and hummus kick. In fact, thinking about it is giving me a craving!
My favorite snack is cut up gala apples with peanut butter 🙂 In the fall, my favorite snack is a small (okay, i’ll be honest) a large bowl of butternut squash. I’ve never owned anything lululemon, so this is a great giveaway, keeping my fingers crossed!!
I love an apple with peanut butter!!
I’m notorious for having the first empty plate too! If I’m with people I try to pace myself by drinking in between bites (water, or wine or whatever) and if I’m by myself I’m usually writing a “to do list” or going through one in my head 🙂 which helps me slow down and enjoy/distracts me from eating so fast.
What an awesome giveaway, Julie! Another idea is to take your snack outside! Get rid of the distractions you talked about and sit on your porch or stoop and eat.
Congrats on the big move to Charlotte! I’m a NC native (Winston-Salem) living in Maryland and I miss the South all the time.
Laughing cow, Yum! I love all their flavors 🙂 I love having tea with my afternoon snack!
My favorite snack is plain yogurt with frozen fruit and cereal for a little crunch!
I personally like to have snacks that have multiple items to them, such as cheese crackers and cut up fruit, or banana with peanut butter topped with crushed pecans. I find if my snack is more labor intense, I take more time to enjoy it and eat it. I love your idea with the cup if hot tea. Mid afternoon at work, I have been doing Harney and sons hot cinnamon spice. I love it!!!!
My favorite snacks are apples with almond butter and frozen grapes-yum,
An apple and peanut butter is my go-to snack in the evenings. It helps me stay away from the ice cream in the freezer!
My favorite snack is greek yogurt with berries and granola. And if that isn’t enough, a handful of almonds!