I try to bake cakes from "diet" cookbooks (GI has been good for cutting down sugar...) Plus kneading, mixing, and rolling are good for taking frustrations out on and in my mind count as exercise too!!

Do you work at UNi or at home? I find it helps not to snack if I simply do not have food by my desk (at uni). Not so easy if at home however. Other than Fruit is a good snack. PLus I find having things I don't really like by my computer reduces snacking. Crisps were a big problem for me. Now I get bombay mix. It still is salty (what I tend to want when snakcing) but isn't as nice so I don't eat the whole packet at once!

Another thought is cereal bars. I was quite hooked for a while on the Go Ahead yoghurt slices but I warn you against eating them every day - they can get a bit sickening!

ooh - all these tips are amazing! Part of the problem is that I am in Limbo between houses and having to live my other half's parent. So we have nowhere to store any food - as she insists on making all our meals. SO if I get hungry before/after meal times I tend to scoff the stash of chocs I have stored away in my small desk drawer. :$ Think I will try and fill it up with chewing gum and ryevita instead!

I think I will go for the low fat hot choc ideas and try to get my exercise bike brought up from my previous home as that was what always kept me in check!

Have you tried just drinking water (or flavoured water/squash). I used to do this a lot - end up needing a wee every 15 mins but it stopped me snacking.

well - I do drink tea about every half an hour! and then ending up needing the loo all the time and then getting that uncomfortable - swishy full feeling in my stomach when you have drunk too much liquid.

Sneaks!! I totally agree, snacks should be an enjoyable thing, as they are the only way of getting through a tough day in phd life! However you don't want to end up like a beast either! Yesterday after reading your post I went on a snack finding mission, and have discovered that a nice cup of options hot choc (with a little dash of milk so its a bit creamier..) and a fig roll does the trick!! and less calories than a bar of choc! Super tasty and sunggly when it's all crappy weather outside! hope that helps!:-)

I can't do fig rolls - no I just can't, they conjure up images of OAP homes! Its 11am I have trouble with, everyday on the dot, 11am comes and I am absolutely starving. I get up at 6 so by 11 the toast has worn off. But my mother in law makes me lunch for 12 (whether I like the timing/content or not). So I feel that I shouldn't eat, and then waste the hour, orI feel that I should eat and I then have to do the 'sneaky eating' so she doesn't notice, which always ends up in naughty choc stashes :$

When I was working from my own home I was a lot more healthy!

I always end up eating lunch at 12 or 12.30 and I usually won't have eaten breakfast until about 9! This strikes me as really early but I get so hungry. Getting through the afternoon is fine though - I don't eat again until at least 7. Very odd. I think what you have proved here though is that elevenses is a necessary meal which should be given the appropriate status...

Oh! I also meant to say that I have porridge soaked over-night in apple juice - no need for heating as the acidity in the apples cooks the oats -  with apples chopped into it for breakfast, and chopped walnuts on top if I'm feeling flush; that stops me being properly, chew your own hand off, hungry, and lets me concentrate. Not as thrilling as hot chocolate, but it works much better than toast for me.

Might I suggest buying a thermos? You can have loads of good nutritional (winter) food kept warm in a thermos for when you want it.

I totally agree with Megara - I'm always hungry by about 11am, despite having muesli, fruit and sometimes toast for breakfast! I get a little unnerved by my rumbling stomach :) I find that tea helps, and often have oatcakes, maybe with houmous (!) or philly cream cheese - you can buy little individual tubs now. I kid myself by eating homemade cake thinking that it's healthier than shop-bought, but at least I know exactly what's in it!!

I agree with the porridge thing. It's my morning staple, and quite low in calories. I use the microwave versions M&S is good- it comes with a little scoop as well - or Irish porridge oats for the microwave. It keeps me going for at least an hour or three. I also have some snack-a-jacks to hand. Choc is banned from the worktable otherwise I would just scoff it, and it doesn't last long either and a couple of squares are never enough. I know you said no seeds, but freshly toasted sunflower seeds are nice especially if they are still warm - much better than the pallid plain ones and because they are more difficult to eat, being harder to pick up by the handful, I tend to eat less of them. Actually I find anything that is a bit more difficult to eat is best because sometimes I just can't be bothered to make the effort. - my goodness that sounds lazy :$

First of all, I must say I love this forum. This is an absolute moment of "everything you wanted to ask... but couldn't" for me. I personally love Carr's table water biscuits with honey, cheese, anything you can think of. They are weirdly filling and low in calories. Also, corn flakes with natural or Greek yoghurt plus diet coke is the best meal I can think of. Though I know nobody else that likes it except myself.
Go ahead's apple & sultana biscuits and low fat tea biscuits with tea are great for snacks. Weight watchers' tiny chocolate muffins are also awesome, the best mocklate that i can think of.