I'm posting this here because eating potato chips has been one of my favourite hobbies. I know, it's a stretch.

I have had an addiction to potato chips for as long as I can remember. It became an obsession when Gary got sick...when I was sitting with him in the hospital, I could not get past 3pm without a bag of chips. And ever since, I've struggled with this obsession about having chips at 3pm. No matter where I am, what I'm doing, I get that craving. I've tried cutting down, replacing with something else, all to no avail...what would happen is that I would eat the alternative (fruit, peanut butter and crackers, nuts, yogurt) and would keep on eating other things until finally I would give up, eat my bowl of chips (I did at least manage to get myself down from a bag to a small bowl) and then the craving would finally go away.

But I was determined to beat this thing. I began while away in Quebec...no chips for the entire two weeks, but the craving gnawed at me like crazy...that hour, 3-4pm was the worst time, so we tried to either play cards with the family or go for walks down by the ocean during that hour. That sort of helped.

Anyway, when we got home, we went out to get groceries and I bought a box of Post Grape Nuts Trail Mix Crunch cereal, just to try it out (at the time, didn't think of it as a substitute for chips). The next day, at 3pm, I poured myself a small bowl, no milk, and ate it. To my surprise, it more than satisfied my craving for chips. I'm delighted to say that I've been chip-free for almost a month now! And ever since I've been eating that cereal in the afternoon (over a week now), I haven't even had the craving for chips.

And it's much healthier than chips, full of vitamins and essential nutrients (and raisins too). Okay, I'm sounding like an ad now. I know I'm rambling here. I just wanted to share, because I'm SURE I'm not the only one addicted to potato chips! This is the first thing I've ever tried as a substitute that's worked.

Eagle, congratulations on making the switch from potato chips to grape nuts. The salt and the crunchiness of the chips can be very addicting. But, becareful eating TOO much of the grape nuts.....consequences!

Ah, yes, Cookie, the, er, consequences...let's just say that a very small bowl goes a long way...

Can't stand grape nuts. Ew...now where did I put that bag of chips....

Honestly...I make my own trail mix. It has replaced my snacks, almost. I still have banana popsicles though.

I use dried pineapples, cranberries, walnuts, almonds, soy nuts, peanuts, raisins, and golden raisins, and the kitchen sink, if it's clean. LOL!

How about unbuttered popcorn?

If on sale, I stock up on the Swedish rye crackers, etc.
Raisins, like just now.
My problem is slicing off too many pieces of soy cheese. There are some good brands! :0
And lots of munchable fresh fruit in small bits --ie. plums, grapes, blackberries (Pacific Northwest coast gets huge ones), blueberries, raspberries and cherries.

Unbuttered popcorn is like kissing you sister...what's the point?

I LOVE those Rye crackers, though. Yum! And the fresh fruits.

I had to wean myself off chips as well. Trail mix was good but, "Happy trails..." became a theme song.

Marks and Spencers have good apple crisps (which is what they call chips here) and that's what I have been buying lately.