How I stopped overeating before dinner...

I don't know about you, but I love cooking dinner. I know many parents dread this time of day, but it's one of my favorites. It gives me a little me time to unwind, to listen to one of my favorite podcasts or The Beatles, and I love to create new, healthy recipes for my family to try.

The only issue is that when I'm chopping and stirring, I'm so hungry! I would nibble, taste, and eat the entire time I cooked. I not only reached for handfuls of food from the snack pantry, like premeasured containers of almonds, but I also taste-tested dinner along the way as it cooked.

I ended up completely full by the time I sat down with my family to the delicious meal I'd prepared. And I ate that too! Oh, the discomfort and bloating I felt from overeating! I was so stuffed, I just wanted to lie on the couch and didn't have the energy to do the dishes or play with my kids. I went to bed feeling so puffy, and sometimes I'd wake up still feeling that way, which would affect my ability to work out, and sometimes would make me skip it altogether. 

I knew this couldn't continue, so I brainstormed a strategy. Now, on Sundays, I meal prep chopped veggies. This serves two purposes. When my boys come off the bus starving, I put the veggies on the counter with some hummus, or guacamole, or Greek yogurt dip. It satisfies their hunger while also getting my boys to eat more veggies. It also serves as my pre-dinner "snack."

I cut up carrots, peppers, and cucumbers and stored them in separate containers. Each afternoon, I arranged them on a platter with the dips for the boys. Each night while cooking dinner, I grab some off the platter and crunch while I cook. The veggies satisfy my hunger, but they are light enough that I don't feel stuffed when I sit down to enjoy the balsamic chicken and green beans, cheesesteak zucchini boats, chicken pesto stuffed spaghetti squash, or whatever healthy dinner I made. 

This little Sunday snack hack, which takes under 10 minutes to prep, has been the key to preventing overeating at dinnertime. Now, my boys and I crunch together, and in addition to helping to satisfy predinner hunger and prevent overeating, I feel good knowing we're all getting some extra fiber and nutrients.

I hope if you're like me, this little snack can work for you too!