More than half of U.S. employeesstruggle to bring healthy foodinto the office. Often, the lure of vending machines or fast food is just too tempting and may feel like the easiest option. Eating processed food, or going without food when you’re hungry at work, can lead to boredom, lack of concentration, low blood sugar, and headaches.
Healthy snacks are delicious, easy to prepare, and convenient. Keep reading to get inspired by our healthy picks for snacks to take to the office.
Mixed nuts
Nuts are crunchy, savory, sweet, and satisfying! They’re packed with plenty of vitamins, protein, and healthy fats. They fill you up and satisfy your cravings. Plus, they’re easy to stash in your office desk drawer. What’s not to love?
Choose unsalted almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, peanuts, hazelnuts, and brazil nuts, or a mixture.
Consider making your own flavored nuts by sprinkling herbs and spices on your nuts and roasting them in the oven.
Fresh or dried fruit
Whether you eat fresh or dried, fruit contains a wealth of vitamins and minerals, plus it’s delicious! A piece of fresh fruit, or a handful of dried fruit, is ideal for a pick-me-up during your day at the office as the natural sugars can help boost your energy. The fiber content helps release those sugars slowly so you avoid a sugar crash.
混合起来,尝试吃不同的块fruit each day. A handful of blueberries, a banana, and apple slices all have different textures and flavors to keep things interesting. Dried cranberries, figs, and raisins are sweet but far better for you than the candy inside the vending machine. Always check the label and buy dried fruit without added sugar.
DIY trail mix
Can’t decide between nuts and fruit? How about mixing them together and creating your own trail mix? Instead of buying a pre-packaged trail mix that may contain junk food, opt for making your own out of whole food ingredients and bringing it to the office to snack on.
Roasted nuts, dried fruit, toasted seeds, wholegrain preztels, and dark chocolate chips ensure you’ll fill up on plenty of fiber, protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats to keep your concentration levels high at work. Change up your trail mix recipe regularly to tackle boredom, and you’ll be less likely to reach for a bag of chips.
Fresh veggies and hummus
Cut-up veggies like sweet bell peppers, crunchy carrots, and refreshing cucumber are easy to store in a Ziploc bag in your office refrigerator. They boast high levels of vitamins, fiber, and are low in sugar, so you can confidently fill up on vegetables without worrying about a calorie overload.
Team them with a pot of hummus for a delicious afternoon snack to stave off hunger until dinner.
Instant oatmeal
Forego those packets of oatmeal that are jam-packed with sugar and additives. Pick up instant oatmeal pots or packets that include only plain oats, and add your own toppings!
Instant oatmeal is easy to prepare with water or non-dairy milk of your choice in the office microwave. Top with honey for sweetness and a handful of seeds or fruit for flavor. Oats are high-fiber and slowly release carbohydrates into your bloodstream for a steady energy source.
Vegetable chips
薯片是如此上瘾,有时hard to pick something healthier that hits the spot. Enter vegetable chips; they’re crunchy, savory, and oh so delicious. The difference is that they’re usually baked, not deep-fried. Plus, instead of processed potatoes, they can be made from beets, carrots, sweet potato slices, and other root vegetables that give you an extra dose of nutrients.
Lower in fat and higher in fiber, vegetable chips tackle your cravings and you won’t even miss the regular kind. You can buy vegetable chips at the supermarket, or make your own by thinly slicing vegetables, coating them in healthy oil like olive or coconut, and baking them in the oven until crisp.
Air-popped popcorn
Did you know popcorn is super healthy? It’s a high-volume, high-fiber food, meaning you can fill up on popcorn without too many calories. Using an air-popper machine, you can pop kernels yourself. Or, buy a package of plain microwave popcorn (not the kind with sugar or butter!) and pop it while you’re at the office for a tasty snack that keeps you full.
Dark chocolate
Yes, dark chocolate is a health food! A few squares of dark chocolate, aside from being delicious, contain powerful antioxidants calledflavonoidswhich are heart- and brain-healthy and have been shown to lower blood pressure. Chocolate with at least 70 percent cacao can boost your mood and top up your daily fiber, copper, magnesium, and potassium intake.
Rice or oat cakes with peanut butter
Rice and oat cakes are made with whole food ingredients and are perfect for topping with your favorite healthy spread. If you’re feeling hungry, why not try nut or seed butter?
Check the label, as some nut and seed butters have added oils and sugar. Ideally, you want as few ingredients as possible for a dose of healthy fats and protein. Spread on top of a high-fiber cracker like rice or oat cakes and keep hunger at bay until the end of the day.
Hardboiled eggs
Eggs are so easy to prepare at home and keep in the office fridge until you’re ready to eat them when hunger strikes. They’re a great protein source, helping you stay fuller for longer, plus they’re a natural source of vitamins D, B2, B12, and A. If you don’t fancy eating plain eggs, try sprinkling them with a touch of sea salt, black pepper, or cayenne pepper for a kick of flavor.
In summary
With a little imagination and forward planning, there are plenty of exciting healthy snacks to bring to the office. They keep you energized, full, and able to concentrate at work so you’re more productive and less at risk of the dreaded sugar crash!
