What is Kuchisabishii?

“People use this word a lot to mean ‘eating when bored’ or sometimes, stress eating,” said Kevin Marx, a language instructor in Japan and the author of Speak Japanese in 90 days.

Japanese snack foods are incredibly diverse. Kit Kat bars are available in hundreds of flavors, Pringles are available in fried chicken and squid varieties, and the list goes on. This is why a word like this is thrown around so frequently.  

"Eating out of boredom happens to the best of us, but kuchisabishii is about shaping it as a natural feeling and a forgiving experience, rather than to shove down those feelings. For once we recognize and confront it, we end up making better decisions after the fact than exacerbating self-sabotaging behavior on guilt-triggered impulses," writes Kaki Okumura.

Reports say that Japanese restaurants make excellent use of kuchisabishii by serving appetizers that can satisfy your appetite without filling you up.