If I had a nickel for every time second-class snackage was to blame for "X" health consequence in one of my private consults...I'd be typing this from the rolling hills of Tuscany - with a cobblestone village view and a glistening vineyard in the distance, sending the sweet scents of summer rosé my way.

But listen here, fam. I'm not. Oh, no.

Instead, I reside in my cold, dark office space, with a glass of luke-warm water I poured 8 hours ago by my side, and the subtle screeches of my 2 year-old demanding to get naked in order to eat her toaster waffle.

As one does.

I'm not sure how one even stumbles upon such a lucrative contract as to receive five whole cents so often, but the fantasy alone has more than piqued my interest. Because the truth is, I get asked about healthy snacks more than any other single topic as a Dietitian. And for a good reason.

We live in a society that praises self-discipline and impulse control. After all, with vending machines down every hallway, fast food restaurants on every street corner, and candy at every check stand in the country, much of our ability to stay well depends on a healthy capacity for impulse rejection. But here's where all that black and white thinking gets us into trouble.

Snacks not only hold the power to tempt, frustrate and derail us, but also to satisfy, support our wellness goals, and even improve our relationship to food too.