To ask how often you have treats?

[Purditnin]

I have always considered myself a reasonably healthy eater. Balanced diet, not overdoing the treats, etc.

I’m currently staying with a friend’s family (DF, her DH and 15 yo DD). They’re all gorgeous and slim and sporty - and the way they eat has been pretty eye opening. Everything cooked from scratch, whole foods, lots of fish and seafood, lots of vegetables in interesting preparations, herbs and spices I’ve never even heard of.

And they don’t snack. Possibly the occasional piece of fruit and she’s baked a cake once this week, which we had after dinner a couple of times. But, that’s it. No little treats. Just three (admittedly large and delicious) meals a day.

I commented on this and DF shrugged and said “I don’t think things are treats if I have them every day. An occasional treat, for me, is once a week or something.”

I feel a bit stupid, but this blew my mind. I have ALWAYS had a little daily treat (sometimes several) and have always just assumed this was the case for everyone. A bar of chocolate or a packet of crisps or something. AIBU? If you consider yourself reasonably healthy, how often do you snack/have a little treat?

A couple times a week

Once a week or so. Is your friend British? I am not, and I also cook lots of veggies with a lot of spices you have never heard of, which somehow reduces the need for treats. Chocolate maybe once every two weeks.

Are they putting on a front cause you're there?

Waiting for you to bugger off so they can go chippy and open up the secret chocolate drawer? 🤪 (Probably not)

We have Way too many treats if I'm honest. But I can't afford big holidays and loads of days out and such so a few biscuits after tea or a bar of chocolate or a bottle of crusha etc. It eases my parental guilt that I'm poverty stricken.

If I eat crisps or chocolate every day I'm obese.

Every day

I eat treats every day and I'm slim and healthy. I enjoy them and have a balanced diet so I don't think it matters.

I don't agree with either of you - I don't see crisps, chocolates, cakes etc as 'treats' mostly because I'm not 5yrs old......

I see it as 'eating crap' - which I do daily I should add - but I never think 'ah I'm going to treat myself to a cupcake' - I think 'ah that's some highly processed, fattening crap that will taste amazing' and then I eat it.

How is any of this sort of food a 'treat'?

But as I say - I still eat it. For me food like that is kinda like smoking, I know it's not good for me, it's definitely not a treat, but I'm going to do it anyway and then regret it later, haha.

Never! If I never have it I named crave it and I treat my body to stuff that’s good for it instead

I’ll have some junk food every day but eat fairly healthily the rest of the time.

I think 'ah that's some highly processed, fattening crap that will taste amazing' and then I eat it.

That’s how most people would describe a treat, I think. You can call it something else if you like, though!

No, she’s Nigerian and French. Her DH isn’t British, either. Maybe it’s a cultural difference. Excellent point!

chocolate bar or crisps once a week and cake or a biscuit once in a blue moon. I’m British btw, just not a biscuit fan.

I have treats whenever I want it. Sometimes that's 3 times in a day sometimes it's a couple of weeks between.

I try not to have the same thing every time though, as when something becomes routine for me I stop getting enjoyment out of it and eat it just out of habit. What's the point of a treat without the pleasure!

Daily chocolate and ice cream. They're not treats though, as I have them whenever I like.

Too often since I fell off the wagon on an all inclusive holiday at the start of the summer. Busy week (various celebrations/meals etc) this week, then there won't be a "treat" in sight.

Same for kids, we do tend to do home cooking, fresh veg etc but in the school hols it's been almost a daily "treat" too....thank goodness the structure of school returns this week! Treats return to once a week or thereabouts.

I guess. But I never think I'm treating myself by eating it. I feel like it's something wrong. If I go to a shop and think, you know what I'm going to treat myself to that jumper - then I have a sort of little inner flush of excitement, happiness - a bit of a happy buzz.

If I eat a snickers - I just think I'm hungry and can't be bothered to choose better and then feel disappointed in myself. It doesn't feel like a treat. It's more like 'ah now let me eat my daily fail' and then I just feel bloated, lol.

I used to be a multiple times a day kind of treat eater. Lost five stone over the last year (one to go!) and now have only one or two a week. It does feel more like a treat if it's actually a rarity.

My diet is similar to your friends'...... except I only it 2 meals a day. Pre-menopause I could eat anything without gaining weight, but these days...... However, I found it really easy to get used to just eating brunch and an earlier dinner, with some fruit and/ or nuts in between.

I could never eat a whole chocolate bar or Snickers etc - far too rich. But I have an unfortunate icecream addiction, so I've just stopped buying icecream. About once a weak I treat myself to a Magnum from the corner shop, but that - plus 1 or 2 glasses a wine per week - is just about it.

The one thing that has helped me stick to (mostly) healthy eating is cutting out UPF, refined carbs and, most importantly, sugar. Sugar is in almost all packaged foods and it is soooo addictive. Which is why you crave that daily chocolate bar,@Purditnin ...

I think the Aussie healthy eating guidelines suggest discretionary foods once or twice a week. I try to do that. I don't always.
I snack but on things like crackers, with cheese and tomato, yoghurt with some untoasted muesli, fruit with peanut butter dip. I do treat myself pretty regularly but it's things like "oh I can't be arsed cooking let's get the ready made yummy salad and pre marinated chicken" it's a treat as it doesn't require much cooking. Or will have coffee out rather than make one at home and take with me. Or I get smoothie for fun
I did have cake for breakfast today as it's my birthday.

I very rarely eat chocolate, but would happily munch crisps all day long! I don’t find it useful (for me personally) to think on food as good/bad or I end up obsessive, and just try to eat mindfully and with a bit of balance.

I have treats whenever I want really.... but I love all food. so for me a nice freshly cooked meal from scratch is a treat... especially if its a new recipe.

I never ignore cravings... but usually fill them with more nutritious stuff eg. nuts when I want something salty/crispy; a decent portion of dark chocolate, hot choc made with organic cacao and salt+cinnamon (no sugar or sweetener) for those choc cravings. home made yoghurt cakes with less sugar/butter, yoghurt mixed with honey/rose syrup/spices/citrus etc. as sweet treats... etc. etc.
also find if I eat a good amount of protein at the start of the day + good amounts of fibre - I stay full.

sometimes, I fancy a mcds...Once in a blue moon... and I just eat it.

Daily

Sadly, I'm in a terrible habit of eating crap. When we were growing up the cupboards were stocked with biscuits, crisps and chocolate and we'd all eat whatever we wanted.

If I have a day without something highly processed and sugary it's very rare indeed.

I'd easily have a pastry at breakfast, crisps with lunch and a chocolate bar or two after dinner.

I'd love to be able to stop but it's such an addiction :(

I'm slim and I don't have any health issues but I know I'm just putting crap in my body for no good reason and it will likely catch up on me one day.

I have one piece of chocolate a day.
Cake or biscuits at the weekend.

'Treat' means different things to people, though. My treat would be some fresh seafood, preferably crab. That's my 'treat' that goes on the supermarket order, because I love it, and it's a bit indulgent.

I don't like sweet stuff, but we have some snack bowls of crisps at the weekend I guess. Maybe a glass of wine is my treat, actually!