Back to School, Snacks & Desserts

Healthy At-Your-Desk Snacking

Go now and look at what is in your work desk drawer (whether that desk is in an office or your house, or even if the drawers are baskets sitting “near” your sofa or bed where you do most of your work…). Are there some paperclips and some loose change? Maybe a lip balm and a few high lighters? Or is there a bag of half-eaten chips and an ancient envelope of chicken noodle soup mix? All of the above? Join the club. You need new snacks for work!

And thanks to the above items, when a craving strikes at work, you likely have very few choices. You can either hit up the break room (for leftover birthday cupcakes and coffee) or you can turn to that healthy plethora of snacks you’re going to squirrel away in your drawer (or cupboard or basket…wherever you might store things in your work area) from now on, specifically for such occasions.

Read on for tips on buying, bringing and bundling away the best—and most beneficial—bites.

Stash what you crave

Create your own stash of salty/crunchy bites–with a healthy spin on them. For instance, if you crave chips, make sure to stock your work snack stash with things like seaweed snacks, veggie chips, kale chips, pretzels and even tiger nuts (not actually nuts!). Make sure to pack them in single serving sizes in your drawer because you don’t want to eat a whole bag of anything (and you will when your mind is on work), even if it’s healthy.

Be smart about sugar

We know there are tasty chocolates, cupcakes, candies and other treats lurking in just about every workplace. Keeping a couple of small squares of dark chocolate within reach will help you avoid the temptation of sneaking the other sweets that are around. Dried fruits may also satisfy your sweet tooth—try banana bites, cranberries, raisins and apricots (again, pack in single-servings). Two products we wouldn’t want our desk drawer to be without are fruit and veggies snacks – these ones are both and are already in single servings! Also a fruit and nut bar, like Kind Bars, are perfect when you need a wee bit of substance with your sweet.

Don’t forget drinks

It’s easy to misinterpret thirst for hunger, so keep a few beverage options at your desk, as well. Put lemon in your water bottle every morning or berries or cucumber. coconut water, flavoured coconut water, 100% natural juices and even coconut water with fruit puree are great things to drink to rehydrate and will satisfy a need for something sweet as well as a need for hydration. We also like to tuck away a variety of herbal teas for when you think you want another cup of coffee but really just want to take the time to have a hot beverage (which can also make you take the time to realize you’re not actually hungry at all). Keep a special teacup or mug at your desk to make it even more of a treat as opposed to using plastic or paper cup for bevvies.

Go for the bonus round

If you have a fridge accessible to you, expand your snack stash by adding a few perishables to the mix. Greek yogurt, fresh fruit and veggies and almond butter are great bonus items. Keeping your own salt and pepper is also nice…or your favourite hot sauce to spice things up a bit. 

Organize

Try to dedicate a special space for your snacks like a divided lunch container in your drawer. It’s perfect for defining the space and keeping everything in its place. And, most importantly, always make sure you restock so you don’t get caught without healthy snacks!

Having a desk snack drawer filled with nutritious nibbles is a great way to stick to healthy-eating intentions while you’re at work. What’s your favourite at-work snack?