If you want to get healthy, a great place to start is at work. After all, we spend so much time at work that what we do at work has a direct impact on what we do at home. So the healthier the snacks are at work, the healthier you'll feel at home. Stocking up on healthy snacks for the office is always a good idea, so here are some tips for nailing healthy snacking in the office.
Healthy Snack Ideas For The Office
Healthy office snacks don't need to be boring! There are lots of healthy foods you can enjoy as snacks at work without needing to pretend you love eating boring a brown rice cake topped with chia seeds. A well-balanced snack is waiting for you below, so let's take a look, shall we?
Choose Fresh Fruit
Fresh fruits are a perfect snack option for the office. They are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and fibre, helping you stay full and energised. They are also a hydrating and really delicious sweet snack that you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Opt for seasonal fruits for the best taste and nutritional value. Apples, bananas, oranges, and berries are convenient, require minimal preparation, and can be easily stored at your desk. If you're in London, you can get all your fresh fruit (and most of the other healthy snacks on this list) delivered straight to your office with Ripe! We can deliver hand-picked, high-quality, fresh office fruit boxes directly to your office, and so much more!
Incorporate Nuts and Seeds For Healthy Fats
Nuts and seeds are nutrient-dense snacks that provide a good source of healthy fats, protein, and fibre. Almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds are great options. Keep a small container of mixed nuts and seeds at your desk for a quick and satisfying snack that will keep hunger at bay and may even help with weight loss!
Nuts and seeds are also great on porridge and salads for a crunchy, nutritious snack that will keep you full throughout the day. Paired with dried fruit, nuts make a delicious and healthy trail mix, and you can include mini chocolate chips in your trail mix for a healthy snack that contains just a little bit of naughty stuff to keep your taste buds happy!
Stay Hydrated with Water and Herbal Teas
Often, what we think of as hunger is actually thirst. Keeping a water bottle at your desk and sipping throughout the day can help you stay hydrated and prevent unnecessary snacking. Aim for about two litres of water a day. Herbal teas are also a great option for staying hydrated while enjoying different flavours without the added calories or sugar.
Opt for Whole-Grain Snacks
Whole-grain snacks are a fantastic way to keep your energy levels stable. Choose whole-grain crackers, crisps or popcorn as a healthy alternative to processed snacks. These options are high in fibre and nutrients, which help you feel fuller for longer. A lot of whole grains are also gluten-free, so if you're avoiding gluten, you can still enjoy these snacks. Just check the packaging first.
Snack Bars
Snack bars are an excellent snack to keep in your desk drawer. They are full of high-quality protein, nuts and even contain a bit of delicious dark chocolate, coconut flakes or yoghurt depending on which you choose. They offer a slight hit of energy from sugar, but contain healthy fat and protein too, so this one healthy snack that you should always keep handy.
Nut Butter
Nut butters like almond butter or peanut butter are perfect for mixing in with porridge for a protein-packed healthy breakfast. Nut butter is also perfect for spreading on toast, rice cakes or crackers. So it's a great office snack to keep in your desk drawer or the office fridge.
Dark Chocolate
Did you know that eating dark chocolate can lower levels of cortisol? Which means chocolate is a really good snack for work! Aim to get 70% or higher dark chocolate and feel stressed at work and more healthy! You can buy a bar, or to restrict yourself a little bit, you could buy dark chocolate chips and sprinkle them over your porridge in the morning. A lot of the snack bars with stock also contain dark chocolate too, so they are a great option as they are full of flavour and protein!
Keep Veggie Sticks Handy
Vegetable sticks are an excellent low-calorie snack that provides a satisfying crunch. Raw veggies like carrots, celery, bell peppers, and cucumber sticks are easy to prepare and store in the office fridge. Pair them with a healthy dip like hummus or guacamole for added flavour and nutrition.
How to Avoid Unhealthy Work Snacking
There are so many things that can lead to unhealthy eating at work, including:
Celebrations - co-worker's birthdays, promotions, goodbyes and hello can all come with complimentary food which often isn't healthy food.
Pack mentality - if a co-worker gets an unhealthy lunch, there's a good chance that others will quickly follow suit, especially after the smell wafts around the office.
Bad days - we all have bad days at the office and this can lead to all the cortisol you can handle (that's the stress hormone) which typically means reaching for snacks that lack health benefits.
Making healthier decisions at work means having some discipline, but also planning your meals and snacks. Prep your lunches, bring your healthy work snacks in and keep them topped up. This ensures you're less likely to partake when others have an unhealthy option, or if you're having a bad day. Instead, you'll reach for a nutritious snack or the high-protein snacks you have in your desk drawer.
Healthy Snacks Delivered By Ripe.London
Healthy snacking in the office doesn’t have to be difficult. By making mindful choices and keeping nutritious options handy, you can maintain your energy, improve your productivity, and support your overall well-being. Remember, it’s all about balance and finding what works best for you.
Just a quick reminder that if you work in London, you can enjoy all of these healthy snacks delivered to your office by Ripe. It's quick, easy and delicious! We even do milk, tea and coffee, so you get everything your office needs to stay healthy and functioning!
Say goodbye to fast food and hello to fresh fruit, snack bars and a healthier you!
