Mindful Strategies for More Healthful

Mindless Snacking

Mary Meck Higgins,Ph.D., R.D., L.D.

2011

What is Healthful Eating? A Summary of 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans:

Eat within calorie needsEat more fruits, vegetablesEat more whole grains, less refined grains Get more fat-free or low-fat milk products Eat a variety of protein foodsEat more seafoods, less meat and poultryEat protein foods with fewer solid fats, caloriesUse oils instead of solid fatsDon’t eat foods with partially hydrogenated oilsReduce calories from solid fats, added sugars Especially eat less food containing refined

grains, solid fats, added sugars and sodium

Mindful Strategies for More Healthful Mindless …

Snacking Beverage consumption

It’s easier, more convenient to get food– Less time elapses between urges to

eat and eating– Less food prep time: buy more

prepared / restaurant / take out foodsIncreased eating occasions when we eat

– Alone (such as while driving, at the office, in front of a locker, in front of the TV or another screen)

– In the presence of others who are not sharing our meal/snack

Compared to 30 years ago…

Increased snacking – Snack calories up by over 100%– Snacks often don’t cue us to be able

to realize or monitor how much we have eaten

– Snacks often eaten in situations easily leading to uncontrolled consumption

– Snacks often eaten without regard to our hunger / thirst levels

Compared to 30 years ago…

Mindful Strategies for More Healthful Mindless Eating

Many aspects of our diets and living environments strongly influence our eating behaviors.

Usually we’re not aware of them, yet they lead us to “mindlessly” eat.

We can “mindfully” re-organize many aspects of our diets and environments.

Select some “non-nutrition” strategies that will encourage you & your family to mindlessly drink and snack more healthfully every day.

Mindful Strategies for More Healthful Mindless Snacking and Beverage

Consumption

The handout offers sample strategies that can get you started towards a lifetime journey of more healthful mindless eating.