How to Manage Food Cravings for Sweet or Salty Favorites

Whether you need pizza, chocolate or chips, these four hacks help you manage food cravings and keep YOU in control.


I hear what’s inside your head: some whining and yelling because you want pizza. Not one slice with a giant salad and an unsweetened tea, but three slices. At least. And no salad. And I see a scowl on your face and your shoulders tense.

You justify: But I worked out this morning. And I was so sweaty!

You bargain: I won’t have pizza or fast food for at least a week.

You justify some more: I’m too tired to cook and I had a lousy afternoon at work.

I see you and hear what’s inside your head because that tape plays inside my head too. Only my food cravings almost always revolve around chocolate. Fortunately, I’ve learned a few tricks about how to manage food cravings. Allow me to share.

craving chocolate: Godiva chocolate and Starbucks

One of my favorite treats a few times a year when I shop a couple towns over is a cup of Starbucks dark roast coffee and 1 or 2 Godiva chocolates.

Food cravings do not have to be the undoing of your healthy eating plan.

4 ways to manage food cravings

Cravings are not a bad thing. It’s normal to crave chocolate, chips or cheesecake. And cravings are not a sign of weakness. How you manage food cravings, however, can be either helpful or harmful.

I have several approaches to deal with food cravings.

Hack #1: Build in your treat

This is my favorite strategy because it’s the most positive and the most fun! Chocolate – which used to be my biggest craving and a taboo food – is now a daily treat. Yes, Every. Single. Day. It’s not a cheat. It’s a treat. Every night when I finish savoring my small, delicious dessert, I smile knowing I’ll eat it again tomorrow.

Permission. Managing food cravings is no big deal when you have permission to eat. Permitting yourself treats instead of depriving yourself is freeing and generally leads to less emotional eating too. Allowing yourself to eat foods that you regard as unhealthful or “bad,” requires a helpful mindset. Learn more in Your Brain’s Autopilot is Destroying Your Diet.

One of my favorite examples of embracing treating instead of cheating comes from a client of many years ago. She enjoyed lunching on 3 chili cheese dogs and chili cheese fries at a local hot dog place. She stayed clear of that lunch spot for a long time while learning to eat more healthfully and working to lose weight. But she confided thoughts of this meal much too often. We talked about what she really desired. Was it the company she keeps there, the chili cheese dogs, fries, or something else?

She realized she simply craved a chili cheese dog. And we finished our session with a plan. Later in the week, she’d takeout a single chili cheese dog – not the 3 she previously lunched on and no fries. She picked up the hot dog and drove home to eat it with her otherwise healthy lunch. The result? A satisfying meal! No guilt, no binging, no negative self-talk.

Allowing herself a treat, empowered her. Eventually, treating became the norm.

Imagine the relief. Foods that were once taboo lose their power over you.

little girl enjoying ice cream

Don’t you want to enjoy your treat guilt-free just like she does?  /  photo credit: @shalevcohen

Hack #2: Surf the crave wave

Mindfulness experts teach us to explore the urge to do something we feel we shouldn’t. I’ve heard it called surfing the urge. To diminish the power of a craving or another type of urge, try observing it without judgment. The “without judgment” part is key.

You’ll probably notice the craving doesn’t get stronger and stronger and more out of control –  even though it feels never ending. Most likely your craving will build, peak and drop off similar to an ocean’s wave. Next time you have a craving you don’t want to give into, take a few minutes to surf the crave wave. Sit quietly and watch it without battling it. What do you feel? Both physically and mentally? Be specific. Do you feel anxiety, guilt, desperation? Is your mouth watering, your chest thumping, or do you feel numb?

surfer approaching a wave

Cravings build, peak and wash away just like an ocean wave. / photo credit: @ilyuza

Don’t argue with your craving, and don’t try to beat it. Just observe it. Watch it eventually wash away. This is likely to feel awkward the first times you try it, so be patient as you practice.

Hack #3: Tell yourself what you DO want

The more you argue with yourself not to eat chips, cookies or chocolate, the more chips, cookies, or chocolate on your mind.

What would happen if right now, I told you not to think about French fries? Of course, you now have French fries on your mind. Yes?

Instead of thinking, “No, Jill. Don’t eat chocolate chip cookies. You don’t need them. They’re not good for you,” I can remind myself that I want to feel energetic, and I want to be comfortable in my clothes. I’ll have more success when I focus on my values and how they relate to my health than I will when I focus on what to avoid.

Hint: Be careful to frame this with positive language. “I want energy, and I want to feel comfortable in my clothes,” is positive. “I don’t want to feel sluggish or uncomfortable in my pants,” is negative or avoidant.

Hack #4: Trade up

Pick something else to satisfy you. Craving chocolate cake? Try a high-fiber chocolate snack cake instead. Ice cream sundae? How about light ice cream with berries and chocolate shavings? Mac and cheese? Try my Greek-Inspired Macaroni and Cheese recipe that’s lower in unhealthful fats and higher in veggies. But here’s the clincher; if these things don’t satisfy, forget it. Don’t eat something you don’t like only to keep on craving something else.

This is a sign that it’s time to learn to build in treats – like 1 chili cheese dog as part of your otherwise healthy lunch.

Healthy Comfort Food

Healthy Macaroni and Cheese

Hack #5: Double down on willpower

Just kidding. This never works for long. We need skills, strategies and a helpful mindset. Ignoring these three things in favor of willpower just leads to more frustration and less success.

I do have some tricks to build willpower and motivation. check out the video course Stick With It.

Jill-Weisenberger_about-image-2
Jill Weisenberger

I'm Jill, and I believe simple changes in your mindset and health habits can bring life-changing rewards. And I don't believe in willpower. It's waaaay overrated. As a food-loving registered dietitian nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist and certified health and wellness coach, I've helped thousands of people solve their food and nutrition problems. If you're looking for a better way to master this whole healthy eating/healthy living thing or if you're trying to prevent or manage diabetes or heart problems, you'll find plenty of resources right here.

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5 Comments

  1. Cindy Brison, RDN on July 23, 2019 at 11:14 pm

    Love your article! You are telling people they can instead of they can’t—and how empowering is that!!! Thank you for writing this!

    • Jill Weisenberger on July 24, 2019 at 8:19 am

      Thank you! Empowering is one of my favorite words. It shows we have choices.

  2. infotainmentbeats on November 6, 2020 at 4:23 am

    I really love this article it is very informative

  3. Carol Flott on April 17, 2022 at 2:14 pm

    Love the article. Very informative and helped us learn to keep on track. We all need encouragement to avoid the times when we get weak.

    • Jill Weisenberger on April 17, 2022 at 3:47 pm

      Yes! We all need a little help, a little encouragement and lots of creativity!

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Hi there! I'm Jill, a nutrition & diabetes expert and the author of 4 books.

Jill Weisenberger

I believe simple changes in health habits can bring you life-changing rewards.

And I believe willpower is way overrated.

Right here is where you can discover the mindset and habits to stick with healthy lifestyle choices most of the time - and drop the guilt when you don't.

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