If we're around food for long enough, we're more likely to end up eating it. "It doesn't matter if we're hungry or if the food even looks good, most of us will start nibbling out of habit," Ilana said try to position yourself away from the counter or table where food is to avoid the mindless picking before and after meals.
Stand up and help clear the plates, help put the food away, socialise on the couch, or play a family board game. Aside from avoiding mindless noshing, another bonus is that when you're less focussed on the food, you're able to focus more on your conversations and creating memories.