Bracha Achrona Before a Meal

If I want to start a meal (eat bread) after eating a snack, do I have to say a bracha achronal first?

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

As a general rule, a bracha achrona must indeed be recited after completing one eating session before beginning another eating session.

Nevertheless, there are situations where a bracha achrona will not be required on the snack one just ate, and instead, the Birkat Hamazon recited after the bread meal will exempt the foods eaten before the bread meal.

For example a bracha achronal will not be required before beginning a meal:

1. If the snack before the meal was eaten in order to whet one’s appetite for the upcoming meal.

2. If one ate the food or snack before the meal due to a doubt whether a blessing one be needed on such foods during the meal. For this reason, many people will recite a blessing on certain fruits or vegetables before a meal due to the doubt if a blessing is required on such foods when eaten during a meal.

3. When one will continue eating the food during the meal, and only the type of food which would need a bracha during the meal.

4. When one ate “Pat Haba B’kisnin” before a meal such as cake and cookies.

5. Be'dieved one who drinks before a meal one should not recite a bracha achronah if one is planning to drink during the meal. Lechatchilah one should not drink before the meal knowing he will drink during the meal. If one is not planning to drink during the meal then he should recite bracha achronah before the meal.

There are other examples, as well.

OC 174, 176 with commentaries.