Cravings and Habits: What’s The Difference And Why It Matters

Habits and cravings can feel like invisible forcefields — quietly overriding our judgement and pulling us towards foods we didn’t plan to eat.

But they’re not the enemy; they’re information.

A craving is a signal.

A habit is a pattern.

And understanding this key difference determines how we can tackle them.

Cravings and habits can both lead to unwanted eating patterns. The key lies in understanding the driver behind them so that restrictive and miserable reactions become a thing of the past.

A craving is driven by an unmet need — physical, emotional, or neurological. It tends to feel specific and urgent, and it usually softens once the need is met (with food, rest, or support).

A habit is a learned behaviour. It’s driven by repetition and context — time, place, or routine — and often shows up whether you’re hungry or not.

Signal or pattern?

The problem is that habits and cravings are often used interchangeably. When we blur the difference, we act in the wrong place — stalling progress and increasing frustration.

For example:

2 biscuits at 10:30 because you’re hungry is likely a craving, driven by an insufficient breakfast.

A snack at 17:30, picked up as you pass the petrol station on the way home, is more likely a habit — triggered by a cue and reinforced by routine.

That distinction takes us to the root. And from there, the solution becomes clear.

Cravings: your body is talking to you

We all know this feeling! Cravings are intense biological signals that we're missing something. They're not character flaws. If we can fix what's happening up-stream, cravings soften and eventually dissolve...

A craving is an urge driven by an unmet need — physical, emotional, or neurological.

Cravings tend to be:

• specific (chocolate, crisps, bread)

• relatively intense and quick to emerge

• responsive once the need is met

  
  

They’re not a lack of discipline. They’re a response to information the brain is receiving.

Common drivers

• Under-eating or long gaps between meals

• Low, steady carbohydrate intake

• Blood sugar dips

• Stress or fatigue

• Restriction (“I shouldn’t have this”)

  
  

Real-life examples

• Afternoon chocolate after a light lunch

• An evening snack following a long, demanding day

• Mid-morning hunger after a light or carb-poor breakfast

Cravings aren’t always unhealthy.

Think of a time — often after a period of rich or heavy eating — when you’ve felt a genuine urge for a big bowl of salad. That’s a craving too.

It happens for the same reason sweet cravings do — just in reverse.Your body is responding to a need.

What cravings need

When a genuine need goes unmet, the brain looks for a fast, specific solution — often a highly rewarding food.

To soften that autopilot response, support usually needs to happen earlier in the day:

• Eating enough at mealtimes (especially protein for fullness, and carbohydrates to replenish energy after activity)

• Better spacing between meals

• Planned snacks before predictable energy dips

• Supporting sleep, hydration, and stress

When your body talks to you, listen — don’t override it. Trying to suppress a craving often makes it louder.

So why does the body reach specifically for sweet or salty foods?

Apple vs doughnut. We've all been given this simple 'just swap' advice, but there's a reason it doesn't work...

Because the body wants relief now.

Simple, rewarding foods deliver energy quickly and reliably. They’re the fastest route to meeting an unmet need — especially when energy is low, blood sugar is dipping, or stress is high.

It’s not poor judgement. It’s physiology doing its job, and it's why an apple won't cut it in these situations!

Habits: when behaviour runs on autopilot

A habit is a learned behaviour, not a signal of need.It’s driven by repetition and context — time, place, routine — rather than hunger.

(And yes, cravings can sometimes lead to habits over time. We’ll unpick that later.)

Habits tend to be:

• predictable

• tied to time, place, or activity

• present even when hunger isn’t

  
  

Common examples:

• Picking while cooking because the food is there

• Always wanting something sweet after dinner because “that’s what I do”

• Snacking whenever you pass the biscuit tin — a visual cue is enough

• Routine chocolate on the sofa as part of your evening wind-down

  
  

These are the moments you look back on and think, “I wasn’t even hungry.”

Habits are about association, not willpower

Habits form because the brain loves efficiency:

the same cue → the same behaviour → a familiar reward

This is where awareness becomes powerful — not body-bashing, just curiosity.

Instead of asking, “How do I stop this?” we ask:

• What’s the cue here? (time, place, activity)

• What does this behaviour give me? (pause, comfort, reward)

• Is this hunger — or habit?

  
  

Once you can see the pattern, you can change it.

The Takeaway

Cravings and habits aren’t failures — they’re signals.

Cravings point to unmet needs

Habits point to unexamined patterns

When we understand what’s driving a behaviour, the response becomes calmer, kinder, more intentional — and far more effective.

Cravings tend to respond to support earlier in the day: eating enough, spacing meals well, and meeting your body’s needs before they escalate.

Habits respond to awareness and disruption — breaking the bond between cue and action. Sometimes a small shift is enough. Even something as simple as brushing your teeth after dinner can interrupt the automatic chocolate-on-the-sofa routine.

Change doesn’t come from trying harder. It comes from knowing where to support.

In the next piece, we’ll look at some of the most common cravings and habits — and how to recognise what’s driving them, so you know how to respond.