Time To Stop Picking Food While Cooking?

You shouldn't be nibbling for nibbling's sake, but you have to taste your food as you cook it. Otherwise you'll end up with under- or over-seasoned food.

To offset all that constant tasting, the cook should serve him/herself a smaller portion.

Simple!

"A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips!"

Are you kidding? This is actually a problem for people? I never nibble the food I'm cooking. It's never even occurred to me.

I never use recipes so it is necessary to taste what you are cooking to make sure you are not poisoning the people you are serving. However, once I am done cooking, I am usually not hungry. It has something to do with the smell of the food tricking your body into believing you already ate. Hasn't anyone every experienced this while baking cookies?

I pick quite a bit, but I cook only for myself, so anything I eat just means less I'm going to get in the meal, and I count everything in my calories for the day (whether or not it goes into my mouth during preparation or as part of the finished product).

These are all great suggestions on snacking before mealtime. However, chewing gum can sometimes have the opposite affect as far as nipping the munchies in the bud. Chewing gum increases saliva production and signals the brain that it is time to eat by thinking that it is going to have to digest food. When you chew gum and constantly increase saliva production you increase hunger as well. A better option in my opinion is to brush your teeth before you eat because this can eliminate hunger or cravings. Also, I agree with snacking on veggies if you have too they are the least offensive calorie wise and healthy for you too. I think these same principles should apply before you grocery shop too. Eat a healthy snack before you go and you won't end up buying all the wrong things or indulge while you shop. I've also found that for uncontrollable hunger throughout the day supplementing a natural appetite suppressant can reduce calorie consumption and hunger.

Cook healthy food = Problem solved

the key for me is to not be hungry when i cook...otherwise i am munching away as i cook. good tips!

I don't really have this problem...when I'm cooking/baking/etc., I focus on the cooking and not the eating. I usually drink a glass of water or something while I cook and that usually helps prevent me from eating stuff.

I put a toothpick between my teeth and hold it there. That reminds me not to snack while I'm cooking.
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Ahhh... you are going to take the fun out of cooking. I personally love to barbeque so I can 'sample' the food as I am cooking :)

I guess it is good I don't cook much. I like suggestion number 5!

I do have this problem. I am often preparing dinner at a time when I am feeling hungry and tired and a little out of control. My best bet is to take a little "me" time first, sit down, maybe have a snack and/or a cup of tea, and catch my breath between a busy day and plunging into dinner.

That number three sounds like a good way. I always take a.. little sample of my food when cooking.

"Little pickers wear bigger knickers."
THat was pretty funny. :D

I must confess that sadly when I cook I rarely taste. And it is for the reasons stated above. Not that anything I've ever made as come out particularly bad taste-wise, but it's something a good cook is supposed to do.

As far the article, the advice makes enough sense I suppose, particularly if you are a heavy picker, though ideally you'd like to be able to compensate in other areas to offset the picking.

Tasting can add up to a lot of calories. I think that people who constantly taste while they are cooking, are probably nibblers through out the day - which can pack on calories and pounds!

See my post "Just One Bite" at http://blog.honestdietreviews.com/just-one-bite

I find the first one works the best for me. Cooking on a completely empty stomach makes me want to eat the food I am cooking more.

Saying that though I don't really see any harm in picking at what you are cooking. You should be cooking healthy food anyways so eating it at a slower pace can't be that bad :)

This is a huge problem for me. Not so much the actual food I'm cooking (unless it's baking) but just snacking because I'm in the kitchen. Sometimes I serve a smaller portion for myself to counter-act it but usually that doesn't happen. The gum thing sounds like a good trick, I may have to try that.

A good way to curb your appetite while preparing a meal is to drink a glass of water. It makes you feel full and takes the edge of your hunger. Water also helps to raise the metabolism.

I've always sampled my food while cooking to make sure it taste right. However, when it's time to sit down and eat I'm not hungry. LOL

This reminds me of my all time favourite quote - "little pickers wear bigger knickers!" .