By Felice D. Kurtzman

You just walked in the door from a long day. You need to start preparing dinner, but instead you start eating the dinner preparations!

End-of-the-day stress eating is very common. Do any of the following apply to you?

You are genuinely hungry. Or thirsty.

Are you eating enough during the day? Are you drinking the recommended six glasses of water (8 ounces each)?

If so, eat a small snack on the way home. Carry nutritious snacks in the car, such as pretzels, apples or crackers. It may help you curb your appetite, so you can avoid eating during food preparation.

Or, sit down to a small snack before you prepare for dinner. Then wait about 20 minutes to see if you’re really hungry or just trying to comfort yourself with food.

You are tired. Eating could give you the extra energy you need to get through the evening, but there are other ways to boost your energy. Instead, go for a short walk or bike ride, or work out to an exercise tape.

You don’t want to prepare a meal. Sometimes coming home and cooking a meal at the end of the day can be a real chore. However, if you keep low-calorie, low-fat foods on hand, it will make food preparation easier. Or, try to prepare ready-made meals on the weekend, when you have more time.

You are frustrated about the day. If you acknowledge that you are frustrated, you can identify the cause and confront it. Keeping a journal or food diary can help you identify a pattern of eating in response to a frustration, and then you can modify the pattern. Remember, exercise is an ideal way to positively confront stress and burn calories!

You already “blew” your diet. You’ve already “cheated” earlier that day, so it doesn’t matter to you what you eat now. In striving for optimal nutrition habits, you need to stop thinking of yourself as “on” or “off” a diet. Instead, accept responsibility for your earlier lapse in good nutritional judgment, and move on with something healthy and nutritious.

If uncontrollable eating at dinnertime appears to be a compulsive behavior pattern, you should seek help from a nutritionist or eating disorder specialist.