We've all been there: 2 am in the library, and all of a sudden you're screaming at your friend for dropping her pencil too loudly. You should have had a snack, instead of having to snap.
You're not just hungry—you're hangry; taking the misery of hunger to a new level. Maybe you were so caught up in studying that you forgot to eat, and the hunger subsided underneath the pile of work, or you were so committed to eating a full, well-balanced meal that you avoided the trail mix sold in the library convenience store.
Here's the Deal
Your body doesn't know why it feels the way it does. It just knows that it's hungry and wants food. Whether you eat all your calories in snacks, or if you do manage to get those meals in, there is no discrimination.
What matters more than how often you eat is how much of WHAT you eat. Are you getting a good balance of proteins, carbs, and fats? Are you eating enough to support your mind and your physical activity?
Conflicting Advice
There have been suggestions that eating five or six small meals is better than eating three big meals. There also tends to be a stigma against snacking, due to additional calories it might bring. These statements are not necessarily wrong, but it's more important to focus on what you are actually eating. Don't pick the snack that is all sugar, because it won't make you feel full and you will be consuming calories inefficiently (more on this later).
So What Should You Do?
The only right answer is the answer that is right for you. If you are happy eating all your calories in three well-balanced meals, then go for it. If it speaks more to your soul to munch all your calories away through snacking on various forms of protein, fat, and carbohydrates throughout the day, then graze on.
Just be sure not to get trapped by the high caloric intake of certain snacks. Choose wisely, feed your soul, your mind, and your body and live to snack—or meal prep—on another day.