…until you are done indulging.

I just finished a box of crackers that I kept proclaiming to be, not very good.  Yet, as the box stared me in the face on the counter each day (not having quite made it to the bin), I reached in, for just one, to take away a small growing hunger.  Once I had one cracker, inevitably, another handful ensued.  These were not delicious, but I could not stop from having them, one after another as if I was willing them to taste great; subliminally they were great.  Until I stopped eating them.  Then they were not (great).  At that point, I finally realized, for the tenth time, how mediocre they were.

This is where I proclaim never to buy cracker products again (ha).  Well, I certainly won’t buy that product again… until I do; amnesia sets in at some point during trips to the market (why? I don’t know).  What I do know is never say never.  Although, I really do mean it at the time.  Indulgence is tricky.  Sometimes it is for good things and sometimes for bad.  Willpower is not my strong suit since making excuses (justifications) is something I do particularly well (at least in my head).

Once when I was young, say 10 or 12, I was canoeing on the lake behind our house and consumed an entire box of Ritz crackers.  I just  c o u l d  n o t  stop.  I kept telling myself it was okay to keep eating them because, now opened they would just go bad, or, more likely, get soggy.  I told myself that I was skinny and these were wafer thin.  I had already indulged in half the pack so I might as well finish the rest.  So I did.  Later I became sick.

I don’t deny myself food when I feel it is needed (whatever that need might be), but I wish I had willpower to say no to those things that I know will not agree with me later.

So, today, right here, right now, rather than give you the anti-cracker (because I don’t really know what the anti-cracker would be – thoughts?), instead, I vow never to eat a full box of crackers again (at least not mediocre ones) and I give you my top 10 list of things (better for you than crackers) that I should (and do) eat when hungry for a snack (not in any particular order).

Cottage cheese (one or two spoonfuls usually does the trick, otherwise a slice of Swiss cheese will do).  What am I saying?  Cheese, just cheese.
Toast!  With great butter and jam, or almond butter (see below).
Beans of any legume variety (I am addicted to black, pinto and white beans, lentils, chickpeas, cranberry beans, or the like, and of course – hummus!).  I am literally, full of beans.
Leftover steak (yes, I usually have a little piece of tenderloin in our ‘fridge cooked from our “Friday steak night”).  If not, roast chicken, roast pork or turkey cutlets are usually afoot.  The stand-in deli meat makes an occasional appearance.  Just need a little meat please (Buddy-approved statement).
Avocado, scooped straight from the shell.  Morning, noon or night.
Granola (I usually have homemade or good-quality granola hanging about).  This is a good substitute for dessert, one handful would (should) be sufficient.
Nuts of any kind, but best of all are sprouted almonds or sprouted pumpkin seeds (no added salt).
Almond butter, in substitute of PB (best scooped finger to mouth, Ginger-approved).
Goat’s milk ice cream (with La Loo, why would you even eat cow’s milk?).
Mini tacos.  Don’t ask, on the “bad” list.
Figs (when in season), smushed onto a crostini slathered with chèvre.  Sometimes also drizzled with honey.

Hmmm… I think that was eleven (but one does go on the bad list).

Cottage cheese works well for Buddy.  He prefers a fork to a spoon.

Ginger enjoys this diversion from licking paws (sort of).

Me…well, I had a little bit of each.

The “nibbler” strikes again.

What is your go to snack?