Several threads under the Winter Hiking topic include a suggestion to keep snacks, especially chocolate, nearby while sleeping, in case one wakes up cold and requiring energy.

Makes sense to me, but how does this jive with the whole concept of keeping food out of the tent to avoid attracting animals?

I understand that bears supposedly "hibernate" in the winter, but even assuming that a bear never wanders out of the den during this period, how do you chocolate stashers decide when the hibernation season starts and ends?

I'm guessing that a bear who wakes up cold and hungry might also be thinking about that handy snack. So how do you keep your own snacks handy without becoming bear chocolate yourself?