When Claire Paré was a classroom teacher, working in a setting where every minute, down to the bathroom breaks, was scheduled, she brought granola bars, fruit, and protein shakes to school so she’d be prepared when hunger hit.
Then she transitioned to an online job working from home. Her children’s crackers and candies lured her to the pantry, confounding her commitment to healthy snacking.
“Oftentimes convenience just has to win out,” Paré said.
Eating healthy snacks during the workday can be challenging. Many people find themselves facing down a mid-afternoon slump and accompanying sugar, caffeine, or carbohydrate cravings after lunch.
The problem with eating packaged sugary or salty snacks to get through the afternoon is they may spike blood sugar levels but don’t give a sustained second wind, according to Beth Czerwony, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic in the US.
“It’s going to burn off really fast, so you’re going to get that boost of energy and then all of a sudden you’re going to get another crash,” Czerwony said.
“Some people just chase that for a while, and they’re drinking coffee or their energy drinks and they’re eating their candy, and it just sets you up for these spikes and these drops”.
Here are some ideas for maintaining healthy snacking habits at work.
Peppering in protein
Foods that are high in protein, such as Greek yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, and cottage cheese can help people feel full for longer periods of time than snacks without protein, said Caroline Susie, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Eating a snack consisting of refined carbohydrates such as a bagel causes blood sugar to rise rapidly and then drop, so teaming it up with another source of nutrition is preferable, Susie said.
“When you pair that carbohydrate with lean protein or have a protein-forward choice, it contributes to satiety. So you’re just going to stay fuller longer,” she added.
Czerwony recommends snacks that combine lean proteins with complex carbohydrates such as crackers, rice cakes, or fruit.
The combination works because carbohydrates raise blood sugar, giving you a boost, while the protein takes longer to digest, helping to sustain you for longer, she said.
The crunch you crave
For a satisfying crunch, the American Heart Association recommends sliced apples with a tablespoon of low-sodium peanut butter, pears dipped in reduced-fat cottage cheese, vegetables such as carrots, celery, bell peppers, cucumber or zucchini paired with hummus or tzatziki sauce, popcorn, rice cakes, or unsalted nuts and seeds. You can also roast chickpeas, which provide both protein and carbohydrates.
For a packaged snack, read the nutrition label to check how much added sugar and sodium it contains, the association suggests.
The Cleveland Clinic recommends whole fruit, edamame, seeds, a handful of nuts, or a single-serving package of tuna that you can eat with a fork.
Pack ahead
Bringing your own snacks to work can help you control the quality and quantity of what you eat, Czerwony said. Try slicing vegetables, cheese, or low-fat meats on weekends to last through the week, she said.
“If you have all that stuff already made, then it’s easy in the morning to just grab it and go,” she said.
You can try preparing large batches of homemade smoothies, like Petra Durnin, who blends together greens, nuts, berries, avocado, banana, and chia or flax seeds. At night, she moves one jar to the fridge to thaw for the next day.
An afternoon smoothie keeps her full until dinnertime and less likely to reach for crisps, chocolate, and sugar, said Durnin, who works in commercial real estate in the US.
“I feel like I have better brain clarity,” she said. “I’m able to push through the afternoon and work more efficiently”.
Occasionally indulge
Adopting healthy snacking habits doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself entirely of treats. If a coworker is celebrating a birthday, an occasional slice of cake won’t completely derail healthy habits.
“Let’s not demonise food,” Susie said.
Before dipping into a bag of crisps, eat a meal that includes lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fat, and then add something healthy to the snack while keeping an eye on portion size, Susie said.
“There’s not going to be a perfect substitute for [crisps]. You can eat carrots all you want, but you can’t trick your body with thinking that they’re [crisps],” Czerwony said. “If you want a [crisp], have the stinking [crisp] and just be done with it”.
However, a constant hankering for crisps could be a sign of a dietary deficiency, and it’s worth figuring that out so “those types of things are more treats than something that’s in the routine mix of what you’re eating throughout the day,” Czerwony said.
