Mid morning snack, second breakfast, or elevenses, all of them mean the same — eating a quick snack at around 11am right between breakfast and lunch. And no it’s not brunch, it is just a snack, a fruit, coffee, protein bar maybe. The wellness wave has had us focused on not letting too many hours lapse between lunch and dinner and we’ve in general always focused on a post lunch snack or a 4pm pick me up to get us out of our post lunch slump. But maybe it is time we bring our focus back on the elevenses. Popularised by Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, the idea of a small, satisfying mid-morning bite wasn’t just whimsical, it reflected a way of eating that honoured hunger cues instead of ignoring them. Long before calorie-counting apps and hyper-scheduled meals, people intuitively paused between breakfast and lunch for a light snack. And now, modern nutrition is circling back to the same idea.
Today, 11am to 12pm is increasingly emerging as an unofficial “snack hour,” sitting right between breakfast and lunch. Pair that with the well-established 4pm slump, and it’s clear: the meals in between are doing more heavy lifting than we give them credit for. While breakfast, lunch, and dinner remain the anchors of our diet, it’s these in-between moments—mid-morning and mid-evening snacks—that often determine our energy levels, focus, and even how much we end up eating later.
Snacking always has and still gets a bad rep because when you say snacks, people think of chips, chocolates, anything that is fried, loaded with sodium and spices. But those are not the real elevenses snack. According to research, snacks make for a significant portion of your daily calorie intake and hence it is a healthier choice to pick thoughtful, well-balanced snacks like fruits, nuts, whole grains, yoghurt that can stabilise blood sugar levels, prevent energy crashes, and reduce overeating at main meals.
When you go too long without eating, your blood glucose dips, leading to fatigue, irritability, and that all-too-familiar urge to grab the quickest, often least nourishing option. A small, intentional snack bridges that gap. It keeps your metabolism active and your brain fuelled, especially during long workdays or periods of high concentration.
Elevenses, traditionally eaten around 11am, were never meant to be indulgent, they were practical. Think a slice of bread, some fruit, maybe a cup of tea. It was just enough to tide you over until lunch. In many ways, today’s mid morning snack is a modern version of the same ritual, adapted to longer commutes, delayed lunches, and erratic schedules.
Reintroducing elevenses into your day is more about tuning back into your body and giving it the fuel to sustain between bigger meals. If you eat an early breakfast then by late morning, you are likely to see a change in your energy levels. A balanced snack at this point helps maintain focus, improves productivity, and prevents you from walking into lunch overly hungry which can lead to overeating.
A good mid-morning snack combines protein, fibre, and healthy fats, nutrients that digest slowly and keep you fuller for longer. Think along the lines of:
These options are simple but effective, offering sustained energy rather than a quick spike and crash.
Bringing back elevenses and embracing structured snacking doesn’t mean eating more for the sake of it, it means eating smarter. It’s about recognising that your body needs consistent fuel, not just at designated meal times but throughout the day.
The key point to remember here is that you must choose snacks that nourish rather than just fill a gap. Avoid overly fried, salty or sugary options, pick snacks with denser nutrition. Pay attention to hunger cues instead of the clock, and avoid turning snacks into distractions (like eating while scrolling or working).
Eating every two to three hours also ensures your body has enough fuel for sustenance which in turn will help you focus better and keep your energy levels up. So if you thought eating at 11am was a crime when you just had breakfast at 9am, it’s not, it is just the elevenses.
