Tiny tastes can total big calories over the holidays

The extra calories sometimes sneak up on us over the winter holidays. They don't always arrive in the form of large portions of calorie-laden food. Rather, they may tiptoe in through many tiny tastes throughout the day.

Here's how those bites can add up during the day. Calories are approximate.

Taste 1. OOPS! I broke that cookie removing it from the baking sheet. I'll just eat the half that didn't get all crumbled up. I deserve it for getting up early to bake these cookies before heading to work. Calories: 30.

Taste 2. Someone brought candy to work today! I'll just have one small piece of the peanut brittle. Calories: 80.

Taste 3. It's mid-afternoon and I still haven't eaten lunch. I need to pick up a few things at the grocery store before I swing through a fast food place for a quick bite. The grocery store is offering food samples--I'll just eat a little cracker with spread to tide me over until I get to lunch. Calories: 40.

Taste 4. The fast food place is giving out ? cup samples of it's special flavored holiday coffee. I can't pass that up! Calories: 20.

Taste 5. Still a couple of hours to go at work before I head to that holiday dinner tonight. I think I'll check out the break room to see if any more goodies have shown up. Some chocolate-covered cherries have appeared! Chocolate is good for you, right? I'll just have one. Calories: 60.

Taste 6. It's a great dinner party, but maybe I shouldn't stand near the snack table before the meal starts. I'm now dipping my third chip. Calories: 75.

Taste 7. Who can pass up old-fashioned eggnog? I'll just have a half cup. Calories: 200.

Taste 8. There are just a couple of tablespoons of candied sweet potatoes left. Someone should enjoy them--it might as well be me! Calories: 60.

Taste 9. The nice thing about helping dish up dessert is you can take a little "preview" taste--using a separate tasting spoon, of course! One heaping tablespoon of candy cane ice cream coming right up! Calories: 100.

Total tasting calories for the day: 665. If comparable types of "tiny tastes" are continued throughout the holidays, it might be possible to gain as much as a pound a week! On average, an additional 3,500 calories above your body's needs can lead to a weight gain of a pound.

Maybe that tiny taste isn't so small after all.

(Taken from "Food Reflections" by Alice Henneman, University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension, Lancaster County.)