It's true, there's evidence both for and against the many mini-meals practice, and, by extension, for and against "snacking." I once bought into the 4-6 small meals model, based on Barry Sears' rather compelling metaphor that the approach approximates a "drip system" thus minimizing sharp insulin spikes. Metaphors can be persuasive but that doesn't make them veridically true, nor should it immunize them from serious scrutiny.
As for myself: currently enjoying substantial success via IF (Berkhan 16/8, two meals between 1pm and 9pm). I experience hunger primarily in the 1-2 hour prior to breaking my daily 16-hour fast, yet that sense of "being hungry" lacks the urgency I used to experience. I think the food timing cycle partly explains this salutary change, but I think it's also mental/psychological, and I say that not to minimize that factor, the way we often do when we ask, "But are you sure it's not just psychological?" To the contrary, I sense I have learned, or more accurately, am still learning, a new relationship to the shifting polarity of satiated/hungry. Such that: I feel satiated most of the time these days. But not the "satiated" that was closer feeling filled up, gorged, after a meal, sometimes to the point of stupor.
I could almost say: "Eating doesn't matter much any more," to which I would quickly append: at least not in the way it used to. That is, I don't think about, look forward to, plan "eating" (beyond stopping at the store for provisions and making appropriate advance plans for the next meal I'll be preparing). It feels deliciously sane. Let me add this significant detail. I used to be a long-distance runner, and so got used to feeding/fueling pre- and post-event. I'd go on a training run, knowing I'd have some appropriate eating to do after the workout, to restore glycogen and all the rest. Looking back, I spent a lot of time thinking about that process. Also spent a lot of time snacking, though I tended to call it "grazing" and I was felt good about my food choices. These days on IF: I work out (lifting, sometimes followed by short run) in a fasted state, and then have my first of two meals after working out. So, yes, still eating post-workout. But there's something splendidly different about placing eating inside an 8-hour window, keeping it focused in that way — and very much enjoying all the tastes — yet knowing I'll be done with it when the 8-hour period is over, and I won't be "hungry" again for 14-16 hours.
So, anyhow. I suspect we will continue to discover that meal timing and meal frequency are two relevant factors among many, including caloric load and macronutrients, and all the other usual suspects under frequent discussion here at PH. It continues to appear to this observer that Life is unapologetically multifactorial. Not to say some factors arn't far more important than others, nor to argue for some blithe "let's not get too excited by any one dimension, because everything's connected" premise.
Still, kind of makes sense not get too excited by any one dimension, because eveything's connected...
