Cooler temperatures, fewer daylight hours, and more time spent inside while Covid-19 is still a major concern can all have a significant effect on when, how much, and even what we are hungry for.
During this time, you may notice a change in your appetite and eating habits – a lot of people do.
However, while it is common, it is not always clear exactly why this happens.
Is it due purely to the change in weather? Or does it have more to do with what foods are on offer in autumn and winter.
Well, it is a combination of several things.
Cookbook author Chantal Lascaris has the answers to all of our burning questions.
Lascaris says the general belief is that we are genetically built to eat more during winter, to store extra fat to keep us alive during the colder months.
She says when it is colder we need to burn more calories to keep our bodies warm so our bodies send messages to the brain saying we need more calorie-laden food.
“We also tend to get the blues during winter so eating foods heavy with carbohydrates gives us a feeling of pleasure.
“This is particularly prevalent in places where there is not a lot of sun.
“We stay indoors a lot more which means we do not get as much exercise as we would in summer.
“It is also much harder to maintain the same exercise routine in winter, especially if your routine involves outdoor activities, and we also tend to watch more TV (think binge-watching on Netflix) which can result in mindless snacking,” says Lascaris.
She says even our culture associates winter with heavy rich foods.
Many of us have childhood memories of family meals enjoying curries, roasts, and stews during the cold winter months.