What can I continuously munch on without getting fat or bloated?

[EatsFartsAndLeaves]

I feel like I want to eat ALL THE TIME at the moment. I know what you're all thinking, no I'm not pregnant! It's because I've recently given up smoking and have got my appetite back.

But I think it's just something kind of fidgetty to do instead of smoking too.

Anyway I'm just munching away all the time and I need some more ideas of healthy snacks to munch on so I don't put a lot of weight on as well.

I've been eating pots and pots of hummous with broccoli, green beans, carrots, breadsticks etc dunked in it.

I've been really uncomfortably bloated and it's been getting me down, which I realise is normal with eating all this veg but I don't know what to replace it with which is less bloating but won't make me get fat instead. I've already put on a bit of weight since stopping and I don't want any more! But it's better to be fat than to smoke, so I really need to just keep on with the munching as long as I don't start smoking again. What should I munch?

put a cinammon sugar/sweetener on your popcorn

Kale tossed in olive oil, bit of salt, dry in oven to make crisps.

Ooh whispering that reminds me, you can do exactly the same with sprout peelings. They are divine & feels very thrifty to use a waste product, as it were. Must get some sprouts!

Similarly shredded savoy works very nicely.

If you buy the "posh" salt grinders at supermarkets they make good flavours - garlic and chilli salt for example.

I think I know what you mean though and it's not about hunger, it's just about having something in your mouth. Freud would call it oral fixation

I still chew pen lids and the little I shaped bits of plastic that hold clothes tags on whenever I buy new clothes. Try not to bite my nails but if I do a bit of nail will last me a while You could chew toothpicks or lolly sticks at home. Or I find if I do something with my mouth like talking or singing then I don't feel the need for it - try phoning friends in the evening?

Drinking water is a nice healthy one and isn't quite so joyless if you add something like mint leaves and a slice of lemon or there are other things you can add - google for it maybe?

I second raita with cucumber/carrot/celery dipped in.

Sparkling water YES, if you put a lemon quarter in there you can almost pretend it's a g&t

A friend of mine at work snacks continuously on peas from pods. I thought this was genius as you have to unpod them as well which is good for fidgetters. The work bins are constantly overflowing with old pods though!

I really need to take my own advice!!

(I thought I was the only one who chewed the little plastic tags from clothes )

granny smith and coxes apples, have a v satisfying crunch

Sometimes when you cannot stop eating, your body is craving something that your diet is not supplying. It could be something salty or fatty, especially since you are eating healthily.

Salted peanuts dipped in chilli sauce? I eat them with chopsticks to slow me down and make me savour the taste, rather than race through a whole bag.

For fatty food, a bit of cake and cream is nice.

Just a little bit will help to seal your appetite.

Sometimes you nibble but you're really thirsty. You could add cucumber slices to sill water and pretend you're at a spa...

Pomegranates are good to snack on too, they take bloody ages to eat.

Weird one but fresh basil, parsley or coriander give you the flavour hit you need and reduces your appetite - works for me!