Cooking & EatingAs it gets colder and darker outside, the appetite for casseroles, chocolate milk and sweets grows. Does the winter cold really stimulate our hunger or do we imagine it? Dietitian Michaël Sels explains how it works.
The lack of daylight seems to make us eat more in the winter months. In any case, is it not because of the colder outside temperatures that we have a greater need for extra energy? “Not quite,” says dietitian Michaël Sels. You don’t need it physically. But the lack of daylight to wake you up in the morning plays a role in how much you eat and how much you need it.”
Daylight and sunlight are natural awakeners. “If they are missing, our body will crave other alternatives to get that boost. During dark days it often goes wrong at breakfast. Either you skip that because you’re not (yet) hungry, or you’re going to have an extra long and lots of breakfast.”
You can remedy this by immediately taking a breath of fresh air when you get up, even if the sun has not risen yet. “Movement can also make your body active from the start of the day.”
More snacking in the evening
In the evening, too, that lack of light affects our body and our evening ritual. “In the dark hours we tend to eat more. Because it gets dark so quickly, people start their evening ritual earlier, so they end up on the couch faster than in the summer.”
“That means there is also a little more time to snack. Therefore, stick to your normal routine as much as possible. For example, don’t just put fish or vegetables on the menu because you already snacked more that day. Choose a full-fledged meal with sufficient carbohydrates and proteins as usual. Otherwise, the danger is even greater that you insert several snack moments.”
In autumn and winter there are many types of cabbage, which are traditionally often prepared with cheese sauce or lots of butter
Is it better to eat a little earlier in the winter or a little later in order not to end up in that vicious snack circle? “There is no ideal time to eat: not in winter and not in summer. So you don’t necessarily have to eat earlier or later. By poking yourself for an hour, you’ll only make it harder if you’re hungry sooner or later. Above all, listen to your hunger and satiety feeling.”
Less daylight, more comfort food
Yet it is not always that simple. Because in those dark hours we not only tend to eat more: we also crave more often comfort food. Steaming casseroles with a creamy layer of cheese and rich sauces sound just a little more tempting when the sun has set. “That in itself is normal,” says Sels. “But get creative with it. “In autumn and winter there are many types of cabbage, which are traditionally often prepared with cheese sauce or lots of butter.”
When it’s cold outside, you probably don’t feel like a fresh salad, Sels knows. “Yet you don’t have to serve that cauliflower in béchamel sauce. You can also roast it in the oven and finish with tahini or nut butter. This is also how you arrive at a warm and cozy dish. Roast or grill the vegetables and give them extra flavor by using warming spices such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. All flavors that we link to comfort food.”
Finally, what about nutritional deficiencies in winter, are there things that occur more often? “Not really, especially vitamin D is a problem, but that is not the result of what you eat, but of that lack of daylight. The biggest challenge for most people remains one that also applies during the summer: eating enough fruit and vegetables.”
7 tips to better deal with winter snack hunger
1. Try to catch as much daylight as possible: go outside as soon as it gets light.
2. Stick to your normal routine as much as possible and eat three meals a day at the time you are used to. Sooner or later, both are okay, depending on your own rhythm.
3. Exercise keeps you awake: try to exercise in the morning, afternoon or evening, even if it is cold and dark outside.
4. Go for full-fledged meals with sufficient proteins and carbohydrates, so you feel less like snacking in between.
5. If you need to relax, choose something other than food.
6. Craving comfort food? Give in, but give vegetables the leading role in your dish.
7. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, even in winter: exotic fruit is now at its best.
Helping children eat better: many parents find it difficult that their child does not eat everything or may not eat at all at the table. Parents of Nu gives tips to get children to eat and drink better. And to reduce the mess, such as a plate that you stick to the table with a suction cup.
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