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.)