• RSS
  • About
  • User Avatar
  • Share

Hi everyone,
 
Although I'm very careful about keeping my kids' sweet treats to a minimum, we bake cookies together from time to time. And when we do, we always make them from scratch. The actual process of assembling the ingredients is our favorite part—well, that, and of course Ben likes tasting the dough.
 
I love doing baking cookies, but I do not want to consume nine million in the process. Between spoonfuls of batter and the actual fresh baked cookies, it wouldn't be tough to overindulge in a big way. Avoiding that isn't easy, because I am ridiculously tempted by cookie dough. Full disclosure? It's one of my all time favorites.
 
So I needed to learn some self-defense against the dangerous chocolate chip cookie, and I developed the simplest trick ever: I chew gum while I'm baking. It's actually a great tip in general to minimize snacking in the form of "tasting" as you go along. Real chefs always say you need to taste your food (I watch Top Chef—contestants have been eliminated because they didn't taste), but when you're cooking meals you're familiar with, chewing gum instead of taking bites might keep you from filling up before dinner, and as long as you taste it once before serving, you should be fine. And with something as technical as baking, which is really about following a recipe by the numbers, I think not tasting is just fine—especially when it's a recipe you know well. Popping a little stick of gum in my mouth saves me from sneaking bites every time.

Do you have any tips to avoid snacking while you're making something in the kitchen? Please share!
 
xo

Ali

The actual process of baking from scratch always keeps me from snacking.......don't know why.......it always has.  maybe I should bake daily!  smiley-wink.gif

That's a great idea!  I usually chew gum when I am hungry for something sweet.  It helps a lot!  I'm gonna try that.  I often put my gum on the counter if I want to eat or tast something.....so, now I will be conscious and not do this!  Thanks, Ali

I chew gum often.  Another thing I ALWAYS do in the kitchen is have a HUGE glass of ice water and burn cinnamon type candles.  I dont' know why, but they smell so good, but for some reason don't make me feel hungry like some other candles I burn.  Any berry scented ones (which I DO love) make me want to snack while I am baking, but cinnamon doesn't.  And I bake everything from scratch also, cakes, cupcakes, cookies, meals....I am the crockpot queen so there are quite often wonderful smells in my home. 

I am with you Amy, I never taste when baking, I think I get a little sick to my stomach when I do, so that is a deterrent. I love to cook and bake and I always take as much off the spoon , whisk, or whatever b4 the kids are aloud to taste. I don't chew gum often but that is a good idea for when i am getting the kids stuff and I feel like a snack

My BEST way to avoid tasting the food is I HAVE MY HUSBAND COOK IT FOR ME!!  LOL smiley-laughing.gif I'm not a fan of cooking at all...takes too long and the food gets eaten too fast and then there is all that cleanup (I usually do that)!  LOL  (I do have to note that I made all 3 of my babies (and 1 on the way) all their baby food from scratch with the best ingredients...no jar food here!)  My husband is a great cook and the BEST baker!  He teaches Wilton Cake Decorating (in the evenings)!! He has a page on facebook called Gentleman Baker showing the majority of the cakes he has made for friends..check it out!  smiley-smile.gifHe is not big on tasting the food when he cooks though! smiley-smile.gif

 

Try it, you'll like it. 

Dear Alsion:

Your letter made me log into my account! 

Some signal to our brain that we're satisfied, are:

sensation of a full stomach,

rising blood sugar level,

and,

jaw muscle fatigue.  Chewing gum is a great way to amplify this last signal. 

I focus 100% effort into everything I do.. so, when I'm cooking, it's full-on paying attention to the details of the ingredients and the energy that go into making whatever.  I don't usually think of eating while I'm cooking. 

My best suggestion in that vein is to make sure my body has what it needs; that way it rarely will allow me to eat anything it dOEsn't need.. even if that thing is right there wagging it's smell in my face, I'm just not tempted. 

I can't believe I ate the whole thing. 

 

I don't have any tips, but I think that's a really good one thank you!

What do you think? Click here to join the discussion
  • Read earlier discussion
  • View all
  • 7 Responses