Nutrition Hotline: this issue's Nutrition Hotline concerns whether it is better to eat more slowly or if it matters at all, and the importance of having healthy snacks on hand for hungry children who can't wait for dinner.

QUESTION: "It seems like I'm always in a hurry. I tend to eat very quickly, especially when I'm really hungry or I'm doing something else and not paying attention to my food. Is this a problem? Would it be better to try to eat more slowly, or does it matter at all?"

ANSWER: Your stomach may thank you for eating more slowly. Generally, when people eat quickly, they gulp air with each swallow. This swallowed air can increase your chances of getting gas and hiccups.

Another concern is the effect of consumption speed on the amount that you eat. Some studies have shown that people who are overweight tend to eat more quickly than those who are not overweight. Common advice for those trying to reduce weight is to eat more slowly. Not all studies support these recommendations, however. Some find no relation between eating speed and body weight. If you find that you eat more--perhaps too much more--when you eat quickly, trying to slow down and being more aware of what you're eating can help you to control your food intake.

Conversely, sometimes when people eat quickly while doing something else, they may be so distracted that they fail to notice that they really haven't eaten an adequate meal. If you feel that this describes your situation, then it may help to eat more slowly. In addition to gaining some tangible physical benefits, if you slow down a bit, you may find that you enjoy your food more, are more aware of what you are eating, and feel more relaxed when you are finished with your meal.

QUESTION: "When I pick up my children from day care, they're usually hungry. If I make them wait to eat until I can make dinner, they fall apart. If I give them some crackers, they don't want to eat any dinner. What can I do?"

ANSWER: The key to solving this dilemma is planning ahead. You know yourself that when you're hungry, it's hard to wait for food to be prepared. On the other hand, your children's nutrition may suffer if they eat crackers, and only crackers, for dinner every night. Think of quick and easy snacks that will provide some of the nutrients that you'd like your children to get at dinner.

How about cutting up an apple or a pear and spreading it with peanut butter or almond butter? Another quick idea is to roll some leftover canned beans into a warm tortilla. Some children love leftovers, whether heated or not. I've found that a couple of spoonfuls of leftover lasagna or a stir-fry can be enough to tide my children over until I can make dinner.

One more easy snack is a small bowl of cereal and soymilk. I've also found that my children will gobble the vegetables they usually pick at if I serve them as a pre-dinner snack. Quick-to-prepare vegetables include baby carrots or carrot sticks, red pepper slices, cucumber wedges, cherry tomatoes, celery sticks, and cold leftover corn on the cob. A prepared dip, like hummus or refried beans, can make this an even more substantial snack.