It’s Pancake Tuesday, or you may know it as Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. That means Lent starts tomorrow. As I do every year, I’ve been thinking about what to give up for Lent. This year, in keeping with my 2026 theme of health, I’m going big and tackling unhealthy snack foods.
Regular readers know that I’m a fairly disciplined person—with one big exception. Candy and chocolate are my weakness. Potato chips are a challenge, too, but to a lesser extent than the sweet stuff. So, challenging myself to give up the “Big 3” of unhealthy snack foods—candy, chocolate, and chips—is a big deal.
40 days should be enough for lasting change
Lent lasts for 40 days, so it should be enough to break bad habits. Every year, I hope my Lenten sacrifices will result in lasting change. I’ve had some success in the past.
Last year, I gave up personal social media. I found I didn’t miss it at all and wasn’t in a hurry to get back online when Easter came around. A year later, I’m averaging just 9 minutes a day on Facebook and I sometimes go days without looking at Instagram.
Going back a little further, in 2021 I did a buy nothing challenge. That challenge helped me to evaluate my spending habits and identify problem areas. Five years later, I buy very little other than necessities.
Kicking the junk food habit, on the other hand, has been more problematic.
This isn’t the first time I’ve targeted unhealthy snack foods by giving up candy for Lent. The last time was two years ago. I did well but I went back to my old habits as soon as Easter arrived. Unlike social media and shopping, Easter Sunday is synonymous with chocolate so perhaps that’s not surprising.
Setting myself up for success
Giving up bad habits is hard. I always find it much easier to develop a positive habit like exercise than to give up a bad habit.
Experts say removing the trigger is key to success. One of my biggest obstacles is that we always have chocolate, candy and chips in the house so removing the temptation isn’t really possible unless my husband joins me in the fast, which is highly unlikely.
Instead, I’m going to try reframing the challenge as a positive habit. Instead of giving up unhealthy snack foods, I’m telling myself I’m choosing healthy snacks. It might work.
I’ve got a few strategies to set myself up for success:
- Prepare healthy snacks in advance so they’re easy to grab. In Atomic Habits, James Clear says we’ll have better success building habits if they’re easy, obvious, attractive and satisfying. Focusing on easy and obvious, here are some ideas I’ve come up with so far:
- Cut-up vegetables
- Fruit
- Hummus
- Whole-grain crackers
- Nuts
- Rice cakes
- Hardboiled eggs
- Homemade granola bars and protein bites
- Drink lots of water.
- Increase protein intake at meals to reduce cravings.
- Keep a food journal to be more mindful about when and why I reach for junk food.
I’ve already made a start on cutting down on candy. One of my February goals is no candy before 5 p.m. That has been going pretty well so far, so I’m hoping to see real progress between now and Easter.
Wish me luck!
Do you have other tips for cutting out unhealthy snack foods or ideas for healthy snacks? Drop me a comment below and let me know.
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Good luck to you, Michelle. Once your gut’s microbiome starts to repopulate from healthier foods, your cravings will change, helping you stay on the right track. 🙂
Thanks Lisa. I hope so!
Sending you loads of luck. Doing the same thing around here…leaning into the “whole foods” ideology (again) and it works if you stick with it. Less inflammation and that’s a good thing on so many levels for me. I’m learning to like dates with peanut butter or almond butter instead of candy…it’s an acquired taste but it pretty good! 💝😉💝
Oh I like dates. I hadn’t thought of them as an alternative to candy. I will have to get some. Thanks Vicki! 🤗
I’ve never tried giving anything up for Lent, but my biggest success was no more sugar in tea or coffee, which was a New Year’s Resolution I started in 1993.
I love sweets, chocolate and crisps but seldom eat any before 5pm. I now only eat crisps at the weekend.
Good luck with achieving your goals for Lent, Michelle.
Thanks Hugh. My 93-year-old mother drinks her coffee and tea black with no sugar. She told me she started doing that for Lent when she was a teenager and has never gone back. I wish for the same level of success but I’m doubtful! 😂
I found that when I drink coffee three times a day (morning, noon, and around 3 p.m.), my cravings for snacking are almost nonexistent. I was drinking more before, so I’ve reduced it to three times a day, and I want to cut it down to two, so I’m adding tea to the mix. But thank you for the information. I’ll probably start adding a fruit smoothie to help cut down my coffee even more.
That’s interesting, Edward. I’m not a coffee drinker, but maybe I’ll try drinking a tea.
Not sure what it is, maybe it’s the caffeine, but it keeps me from eating cookies and other not-so-good snacks between meals.
Good luck, Michelle! I also have a sweet tooth, so understand the struggle. I’ve founding healthy snack readily accessible is helpful.
It is so difficult. I found giving up alcohol much easier than giving up candy and chocolate. 🍫
Good luck with your goals. I’m sure you’ll smash them.
Thanks Rachel. I’m hoping so.
I wish I had better tips. I just try not to buy, and have healthy snacks, as you recommend
Thanks! If it was up to me, I wouldn’t buy the stuff. Knowing it’s there makes it that much harder.
I’m currently trying to eat more snacks, but healthy snacks are obviously better – I’ve made some peanut butter oat bars which are delicious but don’t stay together very well!
I find that with my homemade granola bars too, Caroline. I have a recipe for peanut butter energy balls that I’m going to try.
Best of luck Michelle! No tips here, just understanding of the struggle when you find yourself never fully able to remove the bad stuff from your environment. That was really the only thing years ago that allowed me to round the corner and feel like I had a choice in, and success with giving up the crap. I have to walk through a wall of sugar and chips whenever I go upstairs.
It is so difficult when the temptation is right there. This will be a real test of my will. 😬
You will prevail!
This is an admirable goal for Lent, although I personally would have a very hard time with chips. Good luck, Michelle!
Thanks, Ab! I think I’ll need all the good vibes I can get. We’ll see how it goes.