Preventing pre-dinner nibbling

Can't resist picking from the fridge or cupboard before dinner? A little cheese, some biscuits, an apple; it never seems like much, yet by the time dinner comes around, you're full. If this is you, here are two strategies for dealing with temptation :

1. Think about what you're eating earlier in the day. If you're having a light lunch then trying to last until dinner, you may be doing yourself a disservice. By leaving it too long between food  stops, you're getting too hungry and are then over-eating to compensate. Instead, try having slice of toast or a piece of fruit and a tub of yoghurt at about 3.30pm. This should keep you going until dinner, so you can resist the pre-dinner nibbles.

2. If you do have a snack before dinner, put it on the plate. Instead of picking and not paying attention to what you're eating, arrange some food, properly on a small plate, then sit down to eat your snack. Simply by doing this, you'll eat a lot less and still be ready for the main event.