Mindless Snacking: What It Is And How To Prevent It

If you've ever eaten a full bag of potato chips or a full tub of ice cream without even noticing - or when you're not even hungry - you're not alone. Millions of people across the U.S. are victims of mindless eating or mindless snacking, a psychological term coined by Brian Wansick, PhD food psychologist at Cornell University. Mindless eating is simply eating without thinking about it.

What Causes Mindless Snacking?

Mindless snacking and mindless eating are caused by a huge range of things. Whether you're watching TV, reading the newspaper with breakfast or chatting with your friends over lunch, distraction while eating causes distracted, mindless eating. Another common cause of mindless eating is eating off of large plates, drinking out of short, fat glasses, eating out of large bowls and even eating off of plates that are the same color as your food.

• In one study, Wansick found that people poured approximately 37% more liquid into short, fat glasses, than tall, skinny glasses that hold the same volume of liquid;

• In another study, he found that those eating popcorn at the movies ate up to 45 more popcorn when it was in a super-size container than if it were served in a large container - even if the popcorn was stale!

• Another study on children's eating habits found that they poured 50% more cereal into a 16-ounce cereal bowl than an 8-ounce cereal bowl;

• In one rather clever experiment, Wansick and his team adapted 30 bowls so that they were "bottomless" - being constantly refilled very slowly through the bottom so that the participants didn't notice. 30 participants ate food from normal bowls. Those with the bottomless bowls ate a whopping 73% more than those with normal bowls - and they didn't rate being any fuller at the end of the experiment, either.

• If people ate off of 12 inch dinner plates, they ate between 25-50% more than those eating off of 10 inch dinner plates;

• Perhaps most tellingly, Wansink and his team asked 150 Parisians how they knew that they were done with dinner. They said "When we're full". They repeated the question to 150 Chicagoans and the reply was "When the plate is empty".

Read More: Nine Alarmingly Unhealthy Snacks To Avoid - Read And Weep

This tells us that America has massively different views and feelings around food and that if we want to become a slimmer, trimmer nation, we need to adopt some European eating habits.

The Solution to Mindless Snacking: Mindful Snacking

Wansick and his team say that we make over 200 food decisions everyday - but when they asked people how many food decisions they made over the course of a day, they said that they only made around 30. But when you're eating with friends, deciding whether to take that last bite, watching the television, eating a little bit of cheese whilst you're preparing the dinner - you're subconsciously making food decisions over and over and over again that could either help or hinder your weight loss efforts.

Shut Off the TV

Turn off the television, put down the book, put down the newspaper and just try your hardest to just concentrate on the food that you're eating. Enjoy the sensation of the food in your mouth, the flavors of the food, and the sensation of feeling full up. Think about what you're doing instead of letting everything pass you by.

Change Your Plates

And if you switch your white plates for multi-colored plates or patterned plates, the food on the plate will stand out more - which means that you'll find it easier to tell when you're full up. Eating white food, like chicken or rice, off of a white plate, means that you'll be less able to tell how much food is left on the plate and therefore how full you are.

It's also a good idea to choose snack packs or smaller packs of food - this sounds simple, but the number of people that keep buying large packets of chips and extra-large family size chocolate bars with promises to themselves to "save a bit for later" means that mindless snacking is incredibly easy! Smaller packs of food makes it much, much easier to keep an eye on your portion sizes.

One more idea is to incorporate different spices and seasonings into your snacks. It will add a burst of flavor and make them more exciting. Try sprinkling some cinnamon on your apple slices or adding a pinch of cayenne pepper to your popcorn. Experimenting with various spices not only tantalizes your taste buds but also introduces variety, preventing boredom from driving you towards mindless snacking.

Slow Down

Eating more slowly allows your body to acknowledge the food that you're eating and gives you chance to feel full. Slow down, chew all of your food slowly and if it helps, put your knife and fork down between bites. Mindful chewing is a practice that encourages you to slow down and fully experience the act of eating. When you take the time to chew your snacks slowly and deliberately, you engage all your senses, enhancing the sensory pleasure of eating. Moreover, chewing mindfully allows your body to properly process and digest the food, leading to a greater sense of satiety and reducing the likelihood of overeating.

Read More: Make your snacking healthy

Wait For The Pause

Many people put down their knives and forks towards the end of their meal for a "pause". During this pause, they tend to stop eating for a few minutes. When most people reach this pause, it is because they're full - but when they look down at their plate and notice the food left over, they keep eating.

Distraction also can be an effective strategy to break the cycle of mindless snacking. Instead of giving in to the urge, engage in an alternative activity that captures your attention and redirects your focus away from food. Go for a walk outdoors, dive into an engrossing book, tackle a household chore, or call a friend for a chat. By engaging in a different pursuit, you create space to assess whether you genuinely need a snack or if it's just a passing craving.

You can combat mindless snacking - you just need a little bit of willpower and a new set of plates!