5 Lifestyle Alterations to Curb your Chip Cravings:

The true resolve to a healthier lifestyle are ultimately habit corrections.

1. Use online pickup/delivery: Omitting chips in a virtual cart is also much easier than a physical one. Additionally, Deloitte's 2020 Future of Fresh report states in 2020, 54% of consumers feel stressed when visiting a store. By digitally ordering, you kill 2 birds with 1 stone as it is convenient, safe, and can help you curb your chip order.

2. Track your progress daily: Draw a visual to help track this new habit (example here). Measuring progress and housing it somewhere visible will motivate you to continue. For each day that I abstain chips, I earn a check in my notebook. (It is very satisfying).

3. Verbally tell someone your ‘no chip commitment’ each time you enter a grocery store: Set your boundaries from the start so that you are aligned and accountable! Rob doesn’t like this one, but it works.

4. Visit the store on a full stomach: When you’re hungry, your self-control is at its weakest. You’ll likely succumb to chips and other impulse items.

5. Substitute chips with a healthy alternative: Try out one of my recipes and update your unconscious routine. For example, if you watch TV at 8:00pm every night and start looking for a snack the moment your first show ends at 8:30pm. Consider:

• • • Setting a daily alarm that is titled: "No Chips" at 8:28pm.

    • Have a bottle of water constantly at the couch: many confuse dehydration for hunger.

    • House healthy snacks where you previously stored chips.

    • If you were successful in abstaining that evening, update the tracker, and repeat the entire cycle again the following day.

It is normal to experience minor symptoms of withdrawal the first 3 weeks. Keep persevering! Day 21 is a big milestone, and at Day 60, it should transition to feel routine.

Recipe Inspiration & Behind-the-Scenes Development

Inspiration: Why coconut oil? As we were gifted a Cuisinart professional popcorn maker by close friends a couple years ago, one time we ran out of vegetable oil and subbed with coconut oil and thought it was delicious. As many do not own popcorn makers, I wanted to develop a recipe that was more accessible to the masses. Watching this video was helpful in writing the base recipe. It might serve as a helpful reference for you before popping.

Behind-the-Scenes:

• A special thank you to Sadaf for test trying, and providing valuable feedback to elevate & simplify the recipe. The DIY flavours were listed by popularity based on the feedback of us and our respective spouses.

• In total, 5 trials were completed. During attempt 5, an interesting discovery was made. Applying newfound Lazy Genius podcast knowledge that fats transfer spice flavours in dishes, I tried adding the spices at the beginning with the oil & unpopped kernels. While the paprika & cayenne flavours were in fact intensified and even created a byproduct of tinting the popcorn golden yellow, the spices were on the edge of burning (see photo at the bottom). When this method is refined, the recipe will be updated.

A Note from Donna

While a handful of crunchy carbs never hurt anyone, at what point does one cross the line of a treat to an overindulgence? Bag(s) have magically vanished like a mindblowing David Coperfield trick when my self-control is particularly weak. One moment it’s unopened and the next moment it’s gone into oblivion. How on earth did it disappear so quickly??

Health nuts are probably cringing, and I don’t blame you. However, this post is not for you, but for the community of closet chip eaters out there. Fellow ‘chipper’, find solace knowing that you are not alone. In fact, we are the majority. 45% of Post Idea Poll participants elected “What I Am Eating to Curb Chip Craving” the popular vote.

Upon reflection, my personal vices with chips are linked with boredom, procrastination and stress. Nothing to do? Let’s have a chip. Don’t want to work on that lackluster task? Whip out a chip! Stressed? Where are my chips?! Does this sound like you too?

While these tips have worked for me, know that I am not prescribing you to adopt anything from this post. Instead, I hope this article can inspire you to curate something that works for you to crave your cravings. Junk food also always been one of my personal vices, so know that I am virtually cheering you on.

With the assumption that many are embarking on health related 2021 resolutions, I plan to share my personal meal planning routine, a playlist to motivate you to dine-in more, and take-out less, along with a bonus chip curbing recipe! Here’s to following through with your goals this year! Stay tuned!