We're all guilty of snacking. It's difficult not to when you're on the run.

But something we can change is what we snack on, and how often we do it.

That quick bite to tide you over doesn't need to be unhealthy. 

Dietician Susie Burrell explains that we eat too much because there is food around us all the time. 

"Wherever we go people are eating, there is a huge amount of snack food on the market and even our fast food chains have snack options."

"We know when we have a lot of food around us, If you have a biscuit jar that is glass rather than ceramic you double the amount because you can see them."

“People think they are bad when they snack”

Many people choose to snack because we don't eat enough at meal times.

As Susie says, "we are on the run all the time and don't have substantial meals." We are prone to overeating for the rest of the day.

"Not enough protein and we get hungry and graze on the quick options such as biscuits."

Tips for avoiding unhealthy snacking

Some good examples of snacks to eat include

• whole grain crackers with reduced fat cheese,
• thick style yogurts,
• nut and wholegrain based muesli bars,
• corn crackers with topping,
• protein bars,
• skim milk drinks
• low fat ice creams for kids. 

It's also a really good idea to buy things that are portion controlled - which means that each snack comes in a set amount. 

A packet of biscuits is unlimited, but if they're individually packaged then there is a limit on what you will have. 

If it's for kids it should have less than 400 kilojoule, and less than 600 kilojoules for adults per individual snack. 

A snack should have no more than 20 grams of carbohydrate, less than 10 grams of fat, and 5 to 10 grams of protein.

As a guide, a snack should keep you full for 2-3 hours.

If you have a biscuit that won't keep you satisfied, try eating something more substantial.

More info

Susie Burrell's website