Same Time, Same Snack

I've mentioned this before, but my diet is extremely regimented in order to keep my blood sugar in strict control. I get to eat six times a day: the normal three meals plus a mid-morning, a mid-afternoon, and a bedtime snack. For my snacks, I'm supposed to aim for somewhere between 15 and 30 grams of carbohydrates.

This has led to me developing certain habits that I can't seem to shake. Nick makes fun of me for it, but I basically eat the same snacks at the same time every day. Between breakfast and lunch, I eat a granola-ish bar. I typically choose a Special K bar, a Fiber One 90 calorie bar, or a South Beach Diet bar, although sometimes I mix it up with peanut butter and crackers. At bedtime, I always have plain yogurt with fruit mixed in. My first choice is always fresh pineapple, but if we're out I'll grab some frozen fruit, most often blueberries or raspberries.

My favorite snack of the day, though, is my mid-afternoon snack. If I am home, I always eat the same thing and I never get tired of it. Meet my delicious friends:


I really love Jonagold apples, but I also often buy Galas or Braeburns too.


And some delicious sharp white cheddar.

I always use the same knife to core and slice my apple into twelve pieces. I always use our little cheese slicer to cut off four little pieces of cheddar. I always eat it off the cutting board. I have a whole system of when to eat the cheese slices in relation to the 12 apple slices.

I know some people probably like more variety than that, and I know I won't always stick with this snack pattern, but for now it works perfectly. This may be the worst part of returning to teaching in about a month, unless I go invest in a little lunchbox cooler. I may just do that since I'm so attached to my favorite snack.