For what it's worth, i run a small food business, so 'just don't snack' is funny advice. The danger for me isn't a plated meal — it's the 20 tiny checks I do while prepping: a corner of focaccia, a swipe of aioli, half a meatball to test seasoning. By 2 p.m. I could be full without ever sitting down, then wonder why supper felt like a chore.
A few weeks ago I put a quarter-teaspoon measuring spoon by my station and made a deal with myself: if I taste, it goes on that spoon, and I say the bite out loud. Sounds ridiculous, but Tuesday I counted 11 tastes instead of the old endless picking. I still ate dinner with actual hunger, and I didn't feel deprived or saintly. Just more like a person than a human garbage disposal.
Anyone else have a small physical cue that helps when the food is right there all shift?