Alternate snack to chocolate

[Anonymous]

I work from home and have gotten in the bad habit of eating a handful of chocolate chips after lunch, and then several times again throughout the afternoon. I want to stop, and tell myself every day I won't do it, and yet 12:30 rolls around and I do it again. It's not so much a weight issue as it is a "I want to be healthier and have better self-control" issue (though if I lost 10 lbs I would not complain). What I think I need is a good substitute that will be healthier but also satisfy that mid-day craving. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Stick a spoonful of peanut butter in the chocolate chip bag. You can eat as many as stuck to the spoon.

Or you could try chewing gum. Not as tasty as peanut butter spoon.

[Anonymous]

Buy 85% dark chocolate. It's healthy.

[Anonymous]

I drink sugarless hot cocoa now that hits my chocolate craving and also adds dairy and calcium to my day. 1 cup lowfat milk, one TB cocoa powder and a sprinkle of espresso powder.

[Anonymous]

hot cocoa poster again--i am not cutting calories, tho

[Anonymous]

There’s no substitute. Just have less cc.

[Anonymous]

Don't buy chocolate chips.
Is your craving for something sweet? Try a bowl of berries - I like frozen blueberries, they're like candy.
I usually crave salty snacks and like roasted seaweed snacks - low calorie and take a long time to eat, so it is satisfying.

[Anonymous]

Try a chocolate chip cookie dough quest bar. They have mini bars that are 80 calorie and have some protein. I like to keep a few in the car or in my purse.

[Anonymous]

Chocolate addict here. I prefer quality dark chocolate. I try not to have it everyday, so as break my habit. Habits are so hard to undo! If yours is tied to a specific time, try to get out of the house at that time, and "treat" yourself with something different when you come back.

[Anonymous]

Try individually wrapped dark chocolate squares (just have one) or the mini Lara bars, which have a few chocolate chips but only 2g of added sugar.

I feel you though, I have been known to have "a few" chocolate chips 10x in one day if there's an open bag in the house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try individually wrapped dark chocolate squares (just have one) or the mini Lara bars, which have a few chocolate chips but only 2g of added sugar.

I feel you though, I have been known to have "a few" chocolate chips 10x in one day if there's an open bag in the house.

I agree with this. The problem with chocolate chips is you have no idea how much you are eating. There is nothing wrong with a couple squares of chocolate. The issue seems to be that you are picking a form a snack that you eat mindlessly not the snack itself.

[Anonymous]

Do you have a partner who can hand you 10 chips a day? I could not have an open bag in the house myself.

[Anonymous]

I get in this habit occasionally and the only thing that works is cold turkey. Try to shake up your schedule somehow so you're busy during the times you'd usually snack on the chocolate chips.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I drink sugarless hot cocoa now that hits my chocolate craving and also adds dairy and calcium to my day. 1 cup lowfat milk, one TB cocoa powder and a sprinkle of espresso powder.

I like this, too. There's also chocolate tea. Or buy the Lindt bars 85 or 90% chocolate and just have one square. Sometimes I just do half a square.

[Anonymous]

Believe it nor not, dates are a good sub for chocolate. Dense, sweet, yet fructose not sucrose.