We should eat five meals a day: besides breakfast, lunch and dinner, it is healthy to eat a snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
Splitting up food intake throughout the day helps the metabolism to function better; it adds that extra bit of energy useful before lunch or dinner, reducing the feeling of hunger before main meals, giving us the possibility to eat the right quantity without putting on weight. This is what makes mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks a meal not only for children and adolescents, but also for adults.
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What is the mid-afternoon snack?
The mid-afternoon snack is the meal that we do in the afternoon, usually between 4 and 5. British people call it “teatime”.
What is the mid-afternoon snack for?
This is a supplement to lunch. It will give us additional energy to play, walk, run, read, study or work until dinner comes . It is necessary to have it to avoid being too much hungry at dinner time.
Late-Afternoon Snack Attack Tips
- Wait five minutes and see if the urge passes.
- Avoid temptation: Don’t food shop at this time; don’t go near the vending machine; cut out mid-afternoon television. (Being bombarded with junk food ads will just put you in the mood).
- Make a list of alternative activities: writing an email, go on a walk.
- Eat a good breakfast and lunch. Favor foods that are slowly digested and will keep you full longer, such as wholegrain bread and high-fiber cereals, beans and vegetables.
It’s OK to Sneak In Snacks
There is nothing wrong with snacking: It’s WHAT you eat that matters. If you find yourself craving potato chips or chocolate bars, substitute nutritious low-calorie options such as:
Really Hungry
- Vegetable/Bean soup
- Slice of whole-grain bread with peanut butter
- Unsweetened high-fiber cereal with skim milk
- Vegetable sticks and tomato salsa
Need a Snack
- Slice of whole-grain bread with jam
- Sweetened, high-fiber cereal with skim milk
- Low-fat granola bar
Just Want to Munch
- Fresh or dried fruit
- Low-fat, artificially-sweetened yogurt
- Fruit smoothie made with skim milk
- Pretzels, breadsticks or rice cakes
- Plain, air-popped popcorn
- Fat-free hot cocoa made with skim milk
