By Kelsey Butler
It’s easy to depend on your work bestie’s sweet drawer or the vending machine, but that obviously leads to not-so-great choices.
So what’s a girl to do when the office refrigerator feels like miles away or your food keeps mysteriously disappearing out of the communal one? Stock up on these non-perishable options to keep at your desk when you need a healthy, filling bite between meals.
1. Peanut Butter Balls
‘Protein balls‘ are a great option to stash in your desk drawer since they don’t require a lot of prep, says Kristin Kirkpatrick, wellness manager at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. Take no sugar-added peanut butter or almond butter, mix in some dark chocolate chips and flax seeds for crunch, combine in a bowl, shape them into little balls, and stick them in the freezer until they’re solid. One of these clocks in at about 630 kilojoules, says Kirkpatrick, who adds that “they taste really good and will keep you full” because of the protein in them.
Read More: How To Make Winning Protein Balls
2. Dark Chocolate
Yup, the sweet stuff can be a healthy snack, says Kirkpatrick – as long as it’s 72 percent dark chocolate. Studies have shown it has numerous health benefits, including boosting your mood and lowering blood pressure. To avoid the temptation of overindulging, put one square in a Ziploc bag before you take it to work, says Kirkpatrick.
Read More: Why You Should Have A Piece of Dark Chocolate
3. Popcorn
Whether it’s the pre-popped variety or a fancy recipe you plan on whipping up yourself, “popcorn is such a great snack,” says Kirkpatrick. A 3½ cup serving checks in at less than 420 kilojoules, which gives you a lot to nibble on when you’re on deadline and need something to mindlessly munch on.
Read More: 6 Easy Popcorn Flavours You Can Make
4. Almond Butter
Alex Caspero, founder of St. Louis healthy recipe resource Delish Knowledge, recommends snacks that are high in protein because they are the most satiating. One suggestion she makes is stashing individual portions of almond butter in your desk and toting along fruit to eat with it. “Apples stay good at your desk for a long time,” she says.
5. Seaweed
Seaweed snacks are a “really good low-kilojoule option,” says Caspero. “They’re something that is going to be a good alternative to a chip.” Brooke Alpert, founder of nutrition consulting company B Nutritious, echoes that sentiment: “Seaweed snacks are low in kilojoules but tasty and satisfying.”
6. Almonds and Pistachios
“You have to have protein to help satisfy,” says nutrition expert Mitzi Dulan, highlighting almonds as a great choice due to “the amount of protein, as well as the fibre and crunch.” She says pistachios are also a good, tasty bet because they take more energy to eat, which can reduce portion size.
Read More: Why You Should Eat Those Nuts
7. Biltong
A South African staple, biltong is loaded with protein and super filling. “I’ve yet to meet people that can overeat it,” says Alpert.
8. Roasted Chickpeas
Wallington, New Jersey-based nutritional expert Samantha Pappas, suggests seasoned roasted chickpeas– whether they are homemade or bought prepackaged – as a snack. “They give you that crunch, along with high protein and fibre that curb your appetite,” she says. Check these 3 cool things to do with a can of chickpeas.
9. Dried Fruit
Dried fruit and is an excellent snack when you’re on the move, says Pappas. “The only ingredient is the fruit itself,” she says. “It’s almost like a fruit chip, and they’re really light and portable.”
Looking for more snack ideas? Here are the post-workout snacks that’ll up your energy and 9 crazy-fun ways to burn snacking kilojoules.
This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com
