If you work 9 to 5 at a job that keeps you at your desk all day, then you are probably already familiar with the weird cravings you get throughout the day. It’s also possible that like most people, you immediately reach for the most unhealthy snack available when the cravings call. What if you could opt for healthy snacks for work instead? What if you could save yourself from the guilt that comes with bingeing on chips, chocolates and other junk food?
Seems difficult? Well, it’s not impossible. Here, we’ll not only share the top tips to help you eat healthy while you’re at work, but will also give you a list of the top healthy snacks for work. Stay with us…
How to Eat Healthy at the Office
If you want to avoid weight gain and a long list of health problems, you need to change your eating habits. Let’s begin with some tips for eating healthy at work.
Avoid Junk Food
Fried snacks like chips and all their counterparts are equally damaging for your health. They are also the most common snack people store in their office drawers. While we will not ask you to cut the consumption completely, it is best to keep a check on how much of this stuff you’re eating during your day. Chips, biscuits, chocolates, and candies all fall into this category.
Bring Home-Cooked Meals for Lunch
Yes, this might not curb your snacking habit, but if you’re selective about your flavour profile, you are the one who can satisfy it best. Make your own meals with the flavours you love, so you eat a decent-sized meal every day at lunch. This will prevent you from snacking during the second half of your workday. Home-cooked meals are also healthier as they are made with love instead of being mass-produced in a factory or restaurant.
Drink a Lot of Fluids
While you may not get thirsty all day, your body is made up of 70% water, and it needs fluids to keep working efficiently. Thus, drink a few sips of water after every hour. This is especially important for air-conditioned offices where employees are unaware of the heat outdoors and do not realise that they are becoming dehydrated. Remember, if you feel thirsty, your body is already at a point where it’s calling for help and prompting you for fluids. You need to keep it hydrated even when you don’t feel thirsty to maintain your health.
Avoid Caffeinated or Carbonated Drinks
While it is necessary to keep yourself hydrated, there is no substitute for water. Sure, you need tea to wake up in the morning or to get started with work, but that doesn’t mean drinking 5 cups of it a day is justified. Similarly, packaged juices, cold drinks, energy drinks and all forms of coffee are alright in moderation, but if that’s the only fluid you intake during the day, you will suffer from a decline in health. Water is the best way to curb your appetite, to keep you hydrated, and to wash out toxins from your body.
Snack in Moderation
Curbing cravings is never easy and depriving yourself of food when your body is calling for it is not a good idea. Instead, stock on healthier snacking alternatives and keep your bingeing habits in check. If you’re among the people who prefer several small meals a day, snacking is the best way to satisfy your hunger pangs, especially if you opt for some of the top healthy snacks for work.
7 of the Most Healthy Snacks for the Office Hours
If your snacking habit pulls you towards the vending machine or the grocery store nearby, it’s time to come up with healthier alternatives for work. Here are some of the best healthy snacks for work that can help you avoid the excessive intake of junk food:
Chickpeas or Chana
While we all love to boil chickpeas to make a chaat, that’s not a very practical meal to have at your office desk. Instead, opt for dry versions of chickpeas available commonly as nimco products from any bakery. These include roasted chana, masala chana, and chana chor. Each of these goodies has a particular flavour. Chickpeas are also high in energy and are the perfect way to fuel your body at random hours.
Dark Chocolate
Yes, we know you get a craving for chocolate at times. If that’s the case, opt for dark chocolate. The darker version you can get, the better it is for your health. However, pure dark chocolate is bitter, and while you may like the strong flavour, our recommendation is 70% dark chocolate, which has just this slight hint of bitterness while maintaining its healthy goodness.
Protein or Granola Bars
Want something sweet, healthy and filling? Well, protein or granola bars can be the best alternative to junk food. They are available in a range of flavours and taste great. You can even make these at home easily and bring to work if the store-bought options are not your preference.
Dry Fruits and Nuts
We all love to munch on nuts during the winter season, but they often become forgotten for the rest of the year. However, they are packed with energy and can be a healthy snack at work. Just pop a few pieces of all the types of nuts and dry fruits that you love to eat into a re-sealable plastic bag and leave them in your office drawer for those cravings. Almonds, pistachios, cashews, walnuts, peanuts, raisins, dried apricots, and dates are just some of the options available. Some of these nuts are also available in shelled, masala, or roasted varieties for your convenience.
Fruits and Vegetables
Pack a few portions of fruit or vegetable servings while you pack your lunch for the day. These servings can make the perfect snack time option during your work hours. For fruits, choose bananas, apples, guavas, chikoos, and other fruits that do not need cutting and peeling equipment to be eaten. For vegetables, cucumbers, carrots, beetroot, radish, and other veggies can be peeled and sliced before packing them up for lunch.
Puffed Rice or Murmura
You love a delicious plate of bhel puri with puffed rice, onions, spices, and those amazing sweet as well as tangy and spicy sauces, but you really can’t have a platter at work. What’s the next best alternative? Simply opt for a pack of slightly roasted murmura. This option is an excellent savoury snack that’s healthy as well.
Whole Wheat Biscuits
You’re craving nothing but a biscuit. Well, opt for a whole-wheat alternative, which is quite tasty and just as fulfilling. There are a number of biscuit brands you can choose from as per your preference. Just get them and stock them in your office drawer for a quick and healthy snack anytime.
Healthy bingeing seems impossible, but in fact, it is doable if you follow the tips we’ve shared above to keep your eating habits in check and opt for healthy snacks for work.
