Maintaining healthy eating habits between meals can be challenging, especially with the demands of a busy workday. Having a selection of nutritious snacks in your desk drawer can help you avoid less healthy options.
Here are eight no-fuss, healthy snacks to keep at work:
Nuts and seeds are perfect for satisfying cravings with their crunch, while providing protein and healthy fats to keep you full and focused. Opt for plain, unsalted varieties and mix different types to keep it interesting. Since nuts are calorie-dense, portion control is key. A great idea is to portion out small handfuls (~30 grams) into ziplock bags at the beginning of the week to manage your intake.
Air-popped popcorn is a crunchy, low-calorie snack that counts towards your daily wholegrain intake and provides a good dose of fibre. Look for snack-sized packets of air-popped popcorn at the supermarket, avoiding the butter-laden varieties found at the cinema.
Roasted chickpeas or fava beans are available in portion-controlled snack packs, making them easy to manage. They are high in protein and fibre, helping to keep you full. Although some brands can be high in salt, they are a tasty and convenient way to increase your legume intake.
Wholegrain crackers paired with a tablespoon of nut butter offer a mix of wholegrains, protein, and healthy fats, perfect for combating mid-morning or afternoon slumps. Be mindful of portion sizes with nut butter, aiming for no more than a tablespoon. Explore different nut butters like cashew or almond, and choose wholegrain crackers such as Vitaweats, multigrain rice cakes, or Ryvitas.
A small can of drained tuna on wholegrain crackers makes for a protein-rich snack. Opt for tuna packed in spring water or if in oil, drain most of the oil and, if possible, choose sustainable varieties.
Muesli bars get a pretty bad rap for being candy disguised as health food. While this is largely true for many brands on the supermarket shelves, choosing healthier varieties can be convenient occasional snacks. Choose ones low in sugar (less than 15g per 100g), like Food For Health bars. Uncle Toby’s and Carmen’s have some healthier options too. The Health Star Rating can also be a useful tool when comparing brands.
Baked beans are a fantastic source of protein and fibre, and a great way to boost your legume intake. Conveniently, they come in 130g tins, which are perfect for snacking. Opt for reduced-salt and low-sugar varieties.
Incorporate these snacks into your desk drawer to help you stay on track with your health goals. Say goodbye to workday snack stress and share your own healthy snack ideas with us!
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