Whether your workday follows a rigid routine at the office or involves flexible freelancing, healthy office snacks are essential for helping you through your workday. You can easily fall into the dangerous habits of either binging on vending machine fare such as chips and cookies or going hungry throughout the day and overindulging at dinner. If your job takes place in a WeWork office, you have the benefit of fresh fruit water and other healthy amenities on-site. Complement these offerings with the right office snacks to stay healthy and energized throughout the day.
The keys to a great office snack are nutrition, portability, and simplicity. The best snacks are easy to assemble, store well at your desk or in the office fridge, and can be neatly eaten at your desk or in the break room. Consider the following nutritious options that are right for the office.
1. Protein-packed parfaits. With a Greek yogurt base, you can explore endless parfait options, all packed with healthy protein. Up the protein content and add a punch of flavor with a spoonful of whey protein powder in chocolate or vanilla. Top with your favorite fruit or fruit blend. Try kiwi and pomegranate, strawberry and banana, peach and blueberry, or mango and pineapple. You can also enhance the flavor with other additions, such as peanut butter with strawberries or almond butter with raspberries.
Add some crunch to your parfait with your favorite granola. For a sweeter touch, try crumbling graham crackers or cookies in a dessert parfait. A crunchy cereal will work as well. Try honey-coated cereal with nectarines and blackberries or fruit-flavored rings with kiwi and berries. You can indulge your sweet tooth, enjoy a healthy boost of vitamins from the fresh fruit, and get a dose of probiotics from the yogurt, all in one simple office snack.
2. A hearty oatmeal mug. Get a low-sugar packet of oatmeal and keep it in your desk drawer for an emergency snack when you need something filling. Mix the oatmeal in a mug with hot water for a fast preparation you can easily eat at your desk. Oatmeal offers carbs, fiber, and protein, so you get a boost of energy with lasting power. Oatmeal is known for a wealth of health benefits and can reduce your risk of coronary artery disease, colorectal cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity.
Many oatmeal packets contain sweeteners and other additions, so look for one that’s as natural as possible. Make your oatmeal snack more flavorful with a spoonful of your favorite nut butter, a handful of chopped nuts, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or some sliced fruit.
3. Nutritious fruits. Whole fruits are one of the simplest healthy office snacks for work. Toss an apple, banana, peach, orange, or bunch of grapes into your bag, and you’ll enjoy a satisfying afternoon snack that’s packed with nutrients. Folate, potassium, fiber, and vitamin C are all commonly found in fresh fruits. Getting enough fruit in your diet will reduce your risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.
If you have trouble keeping fresh fruit on hand, you can also stock up on dried fruits such as banana chips, raisins, prunes, figs, or dried apricots. These fruits are longer-lasting and easier to keep in your desk for a few days at a time.
4. Nuts and seeds. A handful of nuts is satisfying, healthy, and low-calorie. Just don’t overindulge in a large container. Almonds and pistachios contain the highest amounts of protein. All nuts are a good source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol levels; omega-3 fatty acids, which protect your heart; and fiber, which also lowers cholesterol. If you want to give your snack a sweet kick, pair your favorite nuts with dried fruits.
5. Crackers and cheese. A cracker and cheese plate maintains a feeling of elegance, but it’s simple enough to bring to work. Convenient prepacked cheeses and cheese wheels are available in white cheddar, mozzarella, Gouda, sharp cheddar, and original flavors. You can also grab easy individually-packaged cheese sticks, most commonly available in mozzarella and cheddar.
Pair your cheese with a healthy wheat or multigrain cracker, organic wheat squares, or multiseed crackers. You can keep the crackers on hand in a drawer at your desk, and stash your cheese in a lunchbox or work fridge for a filling snack when you’re feeling hungry.
6. Air-popped popcorn. Air-popped popcorn is low in fat and calories, yet satisfying. If you’re looking for something that you can enjoy a larger portion of without wrecking your diet, popcorn is a great alternative healthy office food to chips or a similar snack food. You can buy bagged popcorn if you don’t want to prepare your own, but making air-popped popcorn is easier than you might imagine.
You want to avoid the traditional bags of buttery microwave popcorn when you’re looking for a healthy snack. Pour popcorn kernels into a paper bag, fold or staple the top, and cook for about two minutes. Flavor your popcorn with Italian seasoning, lemon pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, or Old Bay seasoning for a tasty kick.
7. Dried seaweed. Dried seaweed is a Japanese favorite snack that’s sold in small, crisp squares. This item is a healthy choice when you want something simple yet original. You can find dried seaweed sold plain or in wasabi seaweed chips, a healthier alternative to potato chips.
Seaweed snacks contain antioxidants, iron, potassium, and B-6, making them a nutritional pick with plenty of benefits. They’re also low-calorie, making them a handy choice if you’re trying to satisfy the urge to snack without overindulging.
8. Dark chocolate. If you have a sweet tooth, dark chocolate is the healthiest option for your workplace snack. Keep a few squares of dark chocolate in your desk, and allow yourself one a day as an afternoon pick-me-up when you’re starting to fall into that post-lunch slump. Dark chocolate offers all the antioxidant benefits of cocoa beans without the fat and sugar that’s included in other types of chocolate.
In addition to soluble fiber, only 100 grams of dark chocolate with 70 to 85 percent cocoa offers over half of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of iron and magnesium. Dark chocolate has 89 percent of the RDA for copper and 98 percent of your RDA for manganese.
9. Vegetables and hummus. Hummus is a creamy dip made primarily from chickpeas. Traditional hummus also has olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and tahini. You’ll find several flavorful varieties with other ingredients as well, such as roasted red pepper, spinach and artichoke, and olive tapenade. Hummus is high in protein, which makes it a filling option that may halt your traditional afternoon chip-and-cookie routine. The chickpeas themselves are known to lower your cholesterol and may even reduce the risk of certain types of cancers.
Pair your hummus with a healthy assortment of fresh vegetables. If you’re not a fan of snacking on plain vegetables, hummus is a much healthier alternative to a ranch dip or other similar options. Try a cup of hummus with carrot sticks, celery, sliced bell peppers, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes. This combination will help perk up your afternoon and give you enough energy to get through the day.
10. No-bake protein bites. Are you looking for a nutritious snack that will help you stay away from cookies and pastries? With no-bake protein bites, you won’t have to spend hours of baking time to create healthy office food for yourself. The internet is overflowing with recipes for simple protein bites. These snacks are typically made from combinations of oats, honey, milk, and peanut butter. Ingredient additions such as chocolate chips, raisins, toasted coconut, or craisins help to fill out these bite-size snacks, while chia seeds, cinnamon, or protein powder can add more nutritional value.
All you need to do for most recipes is mix your ingredients together, form the mixture into balls, and place the prepared balls into the fridge. These no-bake treats contain plenty of protein for much energy, and flavor additions such as chocolate chips or a teaspoon of vanilla extract give these treats a dessert-like appeal to them. Plus, their convenient size makes them an easy choice for healthy office snacks.
If you’re looking for a fresh take on workday snacking, try the options above to add a much-needed boost of energy and nutrition to your day.
Photo: Katelyn Perry