Once upon a time, I used to stock up on chocolate bars every week in the supermarket. I’d grab a week’s worth of 50 gram bars; typically whatever was on sale or available at a bulk discount (as long as it wasn’t Nestle). I’d then take one to work each day to snack on.

At one point I realised this wasn’t the healthiest, and switched to those mini versions. You know, the snack-sized little Picnic bar-lets and so on.

Then I tried meusli bars. At first the choc-chip ones, to wean myself off the chocolate.

Perhaps it’s a little like getting yourself off an addiction. One step at a time. Oh who am I kidding, chocolate IS an addiction.

Then I moved onto muesli bars with yoghurt, then to those that have more things like apricots and nuts. But while they’re healthier than chocolate, they’re not that much healthier, and they’re often quite expensive. In fact a Choice study showed in some cases a Mars Bar had less fat.

As the Choice article says: “A piece of real fruit is a much healthier snack.” And in fact now I’ve moved onto fruit. Typically with my lunch (which is usually a sandwich or roll) the snacks I’ll pack will be an apple, a banana (at last, affordable again) and a small box of sultanas (how could I resist the cheerful sultana faces on the packet?). I still need to graze on food throughout the day, but it might as well be a little healthier, as well as cheaper.

And chocolate? Keep it for special occasions. All part of the battle to stop my belly getting any bigger.

Hmm. I’m peckish.