Snacking between meals: why it happens and what you can do about it

Snacking between meals means eating food outside of your main meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It often involves reaching for convenient, processed foods like crisps, biscuits, or chocolate.

While snacking in moderation isn’t inherently bad, it becomes problematic when it’s driven by emotional triggers, blood sugar crashes, or habit, especially when it contributes to overeating, weight gain, or guilt.

You might relate to this if:

• You eat snacks even when you’re not physically hungry
  
• You feel compelled to snack when bored, stressed, or tired
  
• You often snack late at night or while doing other things (like watching TV)
  
• Your snacks are usually high in sugar, salt, or fat
  
• You feel guilty, frustrated, or out of control after snacking
  
• You’re noticing weight gain or stalled weight loss despite “eating healthy” at meals
• Others, usually loved ones have brought it to your attention

Snacking is often driven by a combination of physical, emotional, and environmental factors.

Biological Causes

• Blood sugar crashes from high-carb or low-protein meals
  
• Ghrelin (hunger hormone) spikes between meals
  
• Inadequate meals that don’t keep you full
  

Genetic Causes

• Genetic variations that affect appetite regulation
  
• Inherited tendencies toward lower satiety or higher cravings
  
• Genetic predisposition to insulin resistance or blood sugar imbalances
• Evolutionary need to take in as many calories as possible for survival

Psychological Causes

• Stress, anxiety, or low mood
  
• Habitual cues (e.g. snacking while watching TV)
  
• Reward-seeking behaviour after a long day
  

Lifestyle and Environmental Causes

• Easy access to food
  
• Lack of structured mealtimes
• High exposure to food marketing and triggers

While occasional snacks aren’t a problem, regular unplanned snacking can:

• Lead to excess calorie intake and weight gain
  
• Disrupt your appetite regulation, making it harder to feel full after meals
  
• Cause blood sugar highs and crashes, leaving you feeling tired or irritable
  
• Create a cycle of guilt or loss of control around food
  

Over time, these patterns can undermine your confidence and make weight management feel harder than it needs to be.

Practical strategies include:

• Eat balanced meals with protein, fibre, and healthy fats to stay fuller longer
• There are meta-analyses that show moderate increases in protein in your meals can make you satiated for longer.
• Pause and assess hunger: ask, “Am I really hungry, or bored, tired, or stressed?”
• Plan intentional snacks like fruit, nuts, or yoghurt if you need something between meals.
• Remove trigger foods from visible areas at home or work.
• Build new habits: replace snacking cues with alternatives, a short walk, a glass of water, or a stretch.

Small, consistent changes are more effective than trying to eliminate snacks overnight.

If you’ve tried changing your snacking habits and still feel stuck, it may be time to seek additional support. Sometimes, underlying appetite dysregulation, emotional eating patterns, or hormonal imbalances can make change feel harder than it should.

For some people, medications like GLP-1 receptor agonists can help reduce hunger, curb cravings, and support healthier eating patterns when used alongside lifestyle changes.

Medicspot offers a free 15-minute 1-2-1 call with a member of our weight loss support team. You can ask questions, discuss any concerns, and find out whether we might be able to support you.

Snacking between meals isn’t a moral failure, it’s a common behaviour with real, understandable causes. By understanding what’s behind your urge to snack, you can start to build healthier eating habits without guilt or restriction.

And remember: you don’t have to do it alone.

Medicspot offers a free 15-minute call with a member of our weight loss support team. We’re here to help you make sustainable, supported progress — no pressure, just a conversation.

Book your free call now.