Can you Relate? Overeating Processed Foods
The following article was written by Heinen’s Chief Dietitian, Melanie Jatsek RD, LD.
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No one sets out with a goal to devour a bag of potato chips in one sitting, and yet it happens to the best of us.
Maybe chips aren’t your nemesis, but chocolate chip cookies really test your willpower. Whatever the food, I want you to know that I hear you and we are all in this boat together.
Mastering food cravings can feel impossible, like you are under the spell of food. In a way, you are! Ultra-processed foods full of sugar, salt, and fat depend on these very ingredients to make them palatable and in many cases, hyperpalatable. Translation: they make you want to eat more. It’s no accident, they were designed that way!
So, if you know it’s impossible for you to stop eating chips once you open the bag, don’t open the bag! Better yet, don’t buy them in the first place. Instead, replace them with Fx™-approved alternatives that have the flavor and texture you are after.
For example, when you’re craving:
- Crunch: Munch on a bag of Brad’s veggie chips or a handful of Biena chickpea snacks.
- Chocolate: Enjoy two squares of Alter Eco 70% cacao sea salt dark chocolate.
- Sweet: Fill a pitted medjool date with Heinen’s fresh ground peanut butter and a sprinkle of Heinen’s cacao nibs. My favorite sweet treat!
- Savory: Spread a tablespoon of Dare vegan balsamic fig cheese or Cypress Grove purple haze goat cheese on a Sushi Chef nori wrap. Arrange a few slices of Sweet Snaps peppers in the center, roll up, and enjoy!
The perfection of this strategy is twofold: You take care of the craving and the urge to continue eating vanishes. Unlike the hyperpalatable foods, these better-for-you swaps are packed with the nutrients your body prefers.
Key Takeaway
We’ve all experienced regret at the hands of our food choices. Keep these three tips in mind and you will win every time:
- Understand the foods that trigger you to overeat.
- Don’t buy those foods!
- Spend your money on healthy swaps that naturally satisfy your cravings and nourish your body. If you need help finding the best options look for green Fx™-approved buttons on products across your local Heinen’s!
