I spent five years in the corporate world before going out on my own. I loved working in the office setting, but I couldn’t fight the pull of self-employment.
There were some interesting things about working in the office. One thing I noticed was that most people had some kind of snacking habit (including myself).
When you’re in the office you’re there for 8, 10 hours and sometimes even longer. That’s a lot of time to be in one place. Obviously the need for food and drink comes into play at some point. I don’t know many people that make it through a workday without eating and drinking something.
Some folks that I observed ate and drank healthy snacks. Most, though, I would say leaned toward things that would be considered unhealthy. We’re talking about things like soda, chips and cookies. We all know those favorites. We all love them. And there is something about others in the office eating those things that kind of makes it feel okay for us to eat them ourselves.
Just what percentage of snacks are “unhealthy”? One study found that 79% of snacks in the office were unhealthy. Boredom and stress along with external and internal temptation were common reasons provided for eating unhealthy snacks.
Another study found that people that were on a diet had to fight peer influence on their eating. 51% in the survey said they went off their diets because they wanted to eat and snack like others in the office.
What’s wrong with a bad snack once in awhile? Nothing…if it’s once in awhile. And we can see from the statistics that we’re eating bad snacks more than just once in awhile.
But bad snacks don’t only affect our waistlines. They affect our minds and our performance at work. Foods that are high in carbohydrates and sugar lead to quick highs in energy followed by long periods of sluggishness.
Sound familiar?
So for our general health and our performance at work let’s explore some healthy snacks.
1. Macadamia Nuts
“Nuts” have been kind of lumped together as good and healthy. And for the most part that’s true. But too often we’ll reach for the peanuts in the grocery store aisles. Peanuts seem to be the most readily available and cheap option, but peanuts aren’t actually all that healthy. I guess peanuts are actually legumes. Other legumes include beans, soybeans, and lentils. They’re not all bad, but they’re not as healthy as other nuts.
Macadamia nuts are delicious. They’re a great source of vitamins and minerals as well as good fats, which will fill you up and give you lasting energy. The one issue is that they can be expensive especially the further you get away from Hawaii where many are grown.
2. Pecans
If Macadamia nuts are out of your budget or if you’re not interested in them for their flavor then pecans are a great second choice. They are loaded with vitamins and minerals as well. Pecans have been found to be hearth-healthy and they are good for the brain. I like to eat a handful or two as snacks throughout the day. I can fill a jar for about $10 and that last me about a week or even two weeks. That’s less than what a few Snickers would cost at least in my book. And these little babies fill me up pretty good after just a few handfuls.
3. Smoked Oysters
Proceed with caution…
I know that these aren’t for everybody. Oysters are loaded with vitamins and minerals. They provide protein. They’re also a great source of Omega 3, which is critical for a variety of health aspects including brain health.
I get the little cans of oysters and will snack on them once in awhile. They fill me up. You might want to close the door, however, in your office because they do smell like fish. I’d rinse out the can and toss it in a trash can where others won’t smell it.
4. Canned Salmon
This could be smoked salmon or leftover salmon from last night’s dinner, but I like to have a can of salmon once in awhile. I know that you don’t always know the source of the salmon these days. Wild caught is best, but that’s not always possible so the canned salmon isn’t too bad. We all know that salmon is good for us with Omega 3 and things like that. And if fills you up for a longer period of time than other snacks.
Again, be careful with where you throw out the can. It can smell bad in the trash can.
5. Dill Pickles
This one isn’t actually that crazy. We don’t often think of pickles as a healthy snack. Usually we just look at them as being delicious. I’ve seen people eating these all the time in the office and I smile because they’re good for us even if we don’t think about them that way. Pickles have various minerals. They also have fiber. It’s a veggie after all. The one drawback is the salt, but one fun thing to do is to make your own pickles. It only takes about a week and you can regulate the salt yourself. And they often taste better than store bought. And you can eat other veggies that are pickled. They’re all good include green beans, brussels sprouts, okra and more. All delicious.
6. Sauerkraut
I live in Wisconsin so eating sauerkraut out of the jar isn’t too crazy, but it’s still kind of weird. I snag a few spoons of the stuff every morning. The reason I started doing it was because I read that fermented veggies like sauerkraut can help your gut bacteria, which controls your immune system and brain health. You can sneak a jar in your office and get in the habit of eating a couple spoons each day. You’ll also notice that it helps keep you regular. It does for me anyway.
7. Dark Chocolate
Okay, now we’ll get into the sweeter things in life. The darker the better when it comes to chocolate, but I know that really dark chocolate tastes pretty bitter. So maybe go with something from 65-90%. I like it. You get used to it even at 90% cacao. Chocolate is good for the brain, blood and heart.
8. Avocados
Avocados are often included in lists of super foods. They’re loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals. And I think they taste really great. They’re only about a dollar in most instances. You can get organic ones for a bit more and then you can feel pretty good that they’re grown without pesticides. I eat one every morning with my brunch. They make a good afternoon snack as well and are pretty easy to eat with a knife, fork or spoon. You can easily cut into one in the office. They don’t smell and they’re not so unusual that you’ll get weird looks from co-workers.
9. Cucumbers w/ Guacamole
Guacamole is obviously made from avocado, but we’ll use it again here with cucumbers. One of the tricks I’ve learned over the years is that sliced cucumbers make a pretty good replacement for chips. I like to have cukes with some guac sometimes. I can make a batch early in the week and snack on it for days. I also got into the habit of making cucumber slices for gameday snacking when others bring chips and salsa or cheese dip.
10. Leftovers
Some years ago I cut back on carbs. I started eating mostly vegetables for meals. I eat omelets in the morning with cheese and veggies. My wife and I have even cut back to having meat only 3 or maybe 4 times each week with our dinners. But a good trick is to have leftovers for the next day snacking…if you even get the urge to snack. Leftover veggies are good. So is chicken or fish. Refrigerated salmon is surprisingly delicious. And the great thing is that you can put them in a Pyrex container and heat leftovers up in the microwave at the office. It’s not a bad habit to get into; making a little extra dinner and saving some everyday for work the next day.
Final Thought
We live in a world where job certainty is not a given. And our own health has been struggle as a population for decades. Some of it is due to our snacking habits. It might start with the occasional soda and Snickers, but before long we’re doing it everyday. Hopefully the ideas here can provide some alternatives for snacking in the office. I think you’ll be surprised at how tasty some of these are.
