Thread: Nibbling (or worse) while cooking

Hi Everyone,
I was just hoping to get some input about how you handle keeping away from the little tastes (or big tastes) while cooking. I have always been a taster rather than a recipe follower and I munch a lot while cooking. I also really enjoy cooking. Well, what really made me write this post is last night instead of going out to eat (we got home about 6 pm from a 4 hour road trip), I decided we could just eat at home and I had a plan of what I would cook. Well, as I was cooking, what started out as a taste or two of chips turned into a whole lot of chips and scraping all of the pudding that I had cooked for dessert off of the edge of the pan after I poured the pudding into the bowl. I know a lot of what I could do differently. . .Don't cook when I am hungry, Don't take the first bite, drink a huge glass of water, don't tempt yourself after a long weekend that was stressful, etc. I was just wondering if anyone had any other ideas. Not eating while cooking is just HARD for me. (Remember my chocolate chip cookie fiasco last week??)

Thanks for any input and discussion about this.

Amy

Yup those BLTs really can add up. (Bites, licks, tastes)
I do keep a glass of water on the counter, I sometimes ration out either cheese, salami or nuts while I am cooking. Lets face it it is normal to be hungry while preparing dinner , and after not eating for 5 or 6 hours. I have been cooking for 30 years, so I just say to myself I don't need to keep tasting, I already know what it tastes like. In other words don't start.



Victors are really just temporary quitters who then regroup with a vengeance.

I love to cook, and I'm a chronic taster - nothing ever comes out the same way twice, and I'm always tweaking recipes - can never follow one to the letter (yet I'm a cookbook queen, and have over 400 of them, plus recipe cards, plus magazines, plus...).

The only way I've found to deal with it is to adjust my portion sizes accordingly, when it comes time to eat.

Part of the joy of cooking is in the tasting, and tweaking to get something just that much "better".. Take that away, and it just becomes another mundane "must do to survive" job.

I won't even try to curb the tasting.

(296/226.5/135) 04/01/03
The Downward Spiral Begins

Amy,

One way might be to make crockpot recipes. I know that I won't be tasting any of that in the morning. I just love my crockpot. It's so much easier to get it on in the morning and then not have to worry about it in the evening (especially since it's easier on/with my 20-month old daughter in the morning).

I usually have a washrag or paper towel on the counter so that it's easy to get the goo (or whatever) off my hands so I won't put it in my mouth.

Also, if it's something that I know I will want to taste, I try to finagle (sp?) it so that it's within my one hour RM. Doesn't always work, but I try.

Hope this helps,

Debby

206.5/164.5/140?
CAD/CALP since 1/12/13

P.S. Also, just in case you were unaware, the two posts above mine came from people on the Atkins program who have different rules than we do (no one hour RM) so their suggestions may not fit in with CAD/CALP

There have been times I have found myself putting a carb item in my mouth while cooking. I spit it right back out, unless I am really close to meal time and I am almost ready to eat anyway.

I think I am lucky that I don't feel obligated to cook desserts for my family, as it's just the two of us. But, even when I had my DD living at home, I didn't usually make desserts. I figured that if I was that overweight, I didn't need the temptation. I think my DD is glad she didn't grow up expecting a dessert to be a part of a daily meal. We saved desserts for special occassions for the most part. (except fot ice cream during the summer)

So, don't eat it, spit it out!

Ilse

380/304.6(WW)/154
5'7"
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible"
Walt Disney

Thanks for the input, everyone.
Debbie, the crock pot is definitely my friend!
And Ilse, I'm the one that wanted to have pudding that night! We do try not to have desserts all the time.

I'm still just taking one day at a time!!!
Amy

Debby's suggestion of having a handy spot at the ready to wipe your fingers is a good one. You might also try brushing your teeth just before you start to cook, using white strips, or chewing a piece of gum.

Best wishes,
Sky
186/144/under 150

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