4 Ways to Curb Boredom Snacking

Picture it: you grab a bag of potato chips from the pantry, flop down on the sofa and flick through the TV channels trying to find something to watch. After munching through too many servings of chips, you begin to wonder if you’re even hungry, or if you’re only eating because you’re bored. Sound familiar?  I used to do it constantly. Like every night and sometimes in the afternoon, too.

Snacking when we’re bored is common, but it may contribute to a slew of health issues. It can seem like an impossible habit to break, but it's not. If I can beat it, pretty much anyone can. Here are some ideas I used.

1. Perform an Emotional “Check-In”

Before grabbing that snack, when the idea first comes up to do so, ask yourself if you're actually hungry and check in with your body. Asking ourselves if we’re actually hungry may help us determine whether or not we need to eat. It might be that we’re experiencing psychological hunger, which isn’t the same thing as needing to fuel our physical bodies. Instead, it’s “being hungry in the head,” and eating isn’t required to satisfy that kind of hunger. 

By sitting with our emotions, we may get a better idea of whether it’s our metabolic system or our brains that want to eat. Many emotions may lead to overeating, including stress and worry, but also joy and happiness. From comfort eating to celebratory eating, we're using food as a coping mechanism. Boredom, though, is one of the biggest drivers for eating when we don’t need the food. So the first step is to align with our hunger and to eat only when we're actually physically hungry.

2. Drink Water and Wait

So what about when you can't tell? Try drinking a big glass of water and then wait 20 to 30 minutes. That fills up the stomach and helps remove the doubt about whether or not we're hungry because sometimes thirst feels like hunger. If we’re still hungry after the water and waiting, and if we're willing to eat something healthy like fruit or cauliflower then we’re probably actually experiencing hunger and can go ahead and eat something. Don't ignore a growling stomach.

Sipping water, and adding something non-caloric to it, can also help. Making mineral water flavored with berries, for example, not only tastes good but gives us something to do. Preparing the water gives us something to do and the flavors keep our mouths entertained so it's a win-win without the calories. 

3. Keep Your Hands Busy

Sometimes, boredom snacking happens when we’re watching TV or doing something where we’re just sitting in one spot. We don’t feel like we’re doing anything, so we munch as a way to compensate for that. With busy hands, there’s no chance to snack. That may help our health and we may learn a new skill or improve our mental health.

Try journaling, for example. The act of writing can be cathartic, and we can’t snack if our hands are busy writing. IT may also help to learn to knit, crochet, or embroider. Or maybe you can do a puzzle, use weights or work on some hand exercises, fold clothes, or give a partner a back rub. Just keep those hands too busy to reach for the snacks to help reduce the opportunity to snack and also keep the mind occupied.

4. Try Brushing Your Teeth

One of the most suggested ways to curb boredom snacking in the evening is to brush your teeth immediately after dinner. If we tend to snack at night, brushing our teeth after our last meal of the day can create a signal that the last meal of the day has been eaten. Most people want to keep that minty fresh feeling, so they avoid eating anything after brushing their teeth.

This may also reduce food cravings. While it’s not always feasible, brushing our teeth to avoid snacking often works very well when we can accomplish it. It’s worth trying, and over time it may become a habit that improves dental health, as well.

Willpower and determination only carry us so far when it comes to avoiding boredom snacking. Following some tips and tricks might make it much easier to keep random munching at bay in the evening which is when most of us struggle but these can be used to stop unneeded snacking throughout the day, too. Both our physical and mental health may benefit as a result.

Copyright 2021, Wellness.com