8 Healthy Office Snacks

By Katherine Brooking, M.S., R.D. and Holley Grainger, M.S., R.D.

Working eight or more hours a day can make it difficult to eat healthfully unless you plan ahead. Research shows that eating every four hours helps to keep your metabolism charged and your energy level high. Before you dig in your drawer for spare change and head to the vending machine, plan ahead and stash low-calorie, nutritious snacks in a cabinet, drawer, or your briefcase.

Each of these snacks has less than 200 calories and are sure to satisfy when the 3 p.m. cravings hit.

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Photos: Lee Harrelson

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Comments

[nanaofmysky]

04:05 PM on 01/31/2012

I found out a couple months ago that my cholesterol was up. I started to use flax seed (ground) everyday. Have oatmeal daily and try ( I have a seed fobea) to eat more fruit and veggies. It has come down already. I do not want to take pills. I now drink 6/8 glasses of water a day Some of the things on their list are not for me As silly as it sounds, I am a cook and still do not get the time to actually sit and have a real break. So yogurt carrots,some fruit are now my daily meals. I have been in the grocery store and bought a chocolat bar. By the time I get home I no longer want it. LOL Wish it was always that easy..

[qsfoxx]

03:23 PM on 01/29/2012

Popcorn helps keep Preparation H in business.

[tnash26170]

02:31 PM on 01/29/2012

If you want really good popcorn, and I mean good and healthy, pop in an air popper, drizzle when done with heated canola or regular olive oil, toss with a fork to spread around. Then sprinkle with a little salt, brewers yeast and ground cumin. Stir up well, then a little more of the same ingredients. Stir again. Brewers yeast gives it its nutty taste and is very good for you. Been doing this for years and even the dogs like the toppings.

[nemo1967]

01:58 PM on 01/29/2012

PANEL 1 I HAD RIZTE CRACKER AND PEANUT BETTER MY HOME..BEFORE BED TIME....
PANEL 5. I HAD SUGAR FREE INSTANT OATMEAL FOR BEAKFAST FOR MY DIABETIC TYPE 2.
PANEL 7, I HAVE FIBER ONE SNACK BAR...GOOD FOE MY WORK......AFTER LUNCH...

[rjnod80]

01:41 PM on 01/29/2012

popcorn is healthy? an omega six festival then further oxidized by either microwave or high heat. a real plaque feast with just enough inflammation to keep your crp and triglycerides in the danger zone . not to mention hulls under your teeth/ bridge at work. there is nothing healthy about eating corn cooked in high heat, ever. take a bannana to work.

[tnash26170]

02:32 PM on 01/29/2012

Air pop the corn. Microwave popcorn is frankenfood.

[Baryl]

02:51 PM on 01/29/2012

Yep, in fact I just got a popcorn bowl for the micro wave using bagged popcorn. Just a little oil in the bottom of the bowl for a bit of flavor and helps the seasoning stick. Goooooood!!!
Super easy!!

[franplatt]

01:25 PM on 01/29/2012

Good suggestions in the main, although I would like to know how the author manages to scrape one tablespoon of peanut butter over a total of ten crackers, or two tablespoons of hummus over three mini-pitas. That sounds very dry and skimpy to me. Portion control is a wise thing, but you don't want to feel like you're on the food ration line in the refugee camp either. I would sooner go for fewer crackers or pitas with more moisture on them.

Also, as others have pointed out, very, very few workplaces offer the means to make the healthy kind of popcorn (meaning not microwaved). You'd have to pop it yourself in the morning while you're racing around trying to get ready to leave for work on time, and then eat it cold in the afternoon, which is not so appealing.

[jannas2cents]

01:08 PM on 01/29/2012

Unsalted and unbuttered pop corn are a very healthy snack -- BUT I do not think it's appropriate for employees to be making microwave pop corn in a professional office where clients visit because the smell permeates the entire office and can give an very unprofessional impression. If employees in professional offices want to have pop corn for their snack, it's better to have them bring it from home rather than pop it in the office microwave unless, of course they have no interest in making a favorable first impression on potential and present clients. By a professional office I'm talking about attorneys, accountants, financial advisors, banks, etc., or any office where the professional staff wear business suits to the office. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so if I were looking for an attorney to represent me and I walked into the reception area and the entire office smelled of pop corn, I'd have a negative first impression of that law firm which would affect which attorney(s) I chose to represent me.

[Chloe17]

01:27 PM on 01/29/2012

Loosen up!!

[Baryl]

02:52 PM on 01/29/2012

Totally agree!! and did ya notice that old popcorn in an office smells like you know what!!

[DavidMG]

01:03 PM on 01/29/2012

I would avoid lots of fryuit as it may raise blood sugar , inducing further snacking. Best snack - all the vegetables you like. Also cottage cheese and plain yogurt - with vegetables for variety.

[Jumpin Joe]

12:08 PM on 01/29/2012

I have a problem with the oatmeal snack. INSTANT oatmeal is loaded with sodium, REAL oatmeal, the kind you make on the stove in like 2 minutes, does not contain any salt. If you're going to eat oatmeal at least make sure you're not working against your blood pressure meds. You can fix oatmeal and reheat it in a microwave with a little milk.

[Pucker]

11:19 AM on 01/29/2012

Just bring a sweet potato or baked potato to work. Punch some holes, and use the 'bake potato' button most microwaves have, or bake it for ~8 minutes and you have a healthy snack.

Filling, real food, fast, but not many calories.

[DevonTexas]

09:59 AM on 01/29/2012

I get a small bag of baby carrots and munch on that through the day. Costs about the same as one candy bar.

[TheBaffler]

10:08 AM on 01/29/2012

It's a great snack any time of day.

[abbruzzo]

09:33 AM on 01/29/2012

I was a cement finisher all of my working life. We (NEVER) stopped for lunch. It just slowed you down. Myself and couple of men working for me would never eat. We worked right through lunch and most always quit a couple of hours early. We accomplished just as much is much less time. Lunch only proved to slow us all and we all preferred to work right through.

[360Dunk]

10:02 AM on 01/29/2012

I'm forwarding your comment to the state labor commissioner because of break violations against your employees. Not really....I agree that if you load up on a good breakfast, you can easily make it to late afternoon or early evening. It's a matter of programming your mind and body.

[Baryl]

02:55 PM on 01/29/2012

I like that kind of lunch schedule. I worked nights in a grocery store and we didn't stop for lunch either. Just worked on through and left early. I realize not all places of employment can do this.

[j1sju]

08:39 AM on 01/29/2012

Huh?? When I worked for a brokerage firm, I had no time to spread peanut butter on crackers. Where are people working that they can have a snack time? What is this kindergarden?

[ImBarbara]

02:24 AM on 01/29/2012

Seriously, the "snack food" thread is moderated? I hope my naught post is approved by the moderator.
"Coffee makes it possible to get out of bed, but chocolate makes it worthwhile."
Gasp, I hope this post is approved.

[360Dunk]

10:06 AM on 01/29/2012

ImBarbara, I wouldn't worry about the naughtiness.... your post is so vanilla, the beans are still visible.

[realpragmatist]

01:13 AM on 01/29/2012

Excellent ideas.
I have a light veggie burger for lunch (stripped of the things like lettuce!) and by 2 30 pm, I am famished and so am able to get my stash of organic apple, organic carrots, and organic blueberries, raw.
If I have an appointment after office hours, I have Kashi cruchy granola (multi-grain and no transfat) and Kellog breakfast bars. These are filling.
Whatever healthy works for you.