What comes to mind when you hear the word snack? For many years, snacking had a bad reputation. Experts told us to eat “three square meals a day” and skip eating between meals. While nutritional advice is still fickle, many nutritionists support eating regularly throughout the day and advocate for healthy snacking. The workday can leave little time for this kind of nutritional pacing, so you may have to sneak in food when you can. Here are some go-to options for healthy snacks for meetings.
Nuts
Individual servings of pistachios, walnuts, or any nut blend are healthy snacks for meetings. Warehouse stores like Costco or Sam’s Club offer a variety of options for you to mix them up and make your own single serving variety packs. If you opt to keep the large bag in your desk drawer, stick to one palm sized serving 1-2 times each day.
Build your own trail mix
Blend your favorite combination of nuts, seeds, and some dried fruit for another winner in the healthy snacks for meetings category. Choose dark chocolate bits over dried fruit for a sweet punch and a dose of antioxidants. Building your own trail mix reduces the sugar found in traditional pre-packaged options and is easier on the pocketbook as well.
Beef or cheese sticks
Protein keeps you more alert and energized during your work day. Beef, pork, and turkey sticks don’t generally need refrigeration and are easy to grab and go. A keto-friendly favorite is biltong, for a lower-sugar alternative to jerky. If you don’t have a fridge at work, you can freeze cheese sticks at home and then eat them during the day once they’ve thawed.
Nut butters
Peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower butter are good sources of healthy fat and another of the healthy snacks for meetings. Select varieties that are natural and lower in sugar. Double-up your snacking by using it as a dip for an apple or celery sticks. If you find your blood sugar dip during the day, a single spoon full can do the trick to energize you quickly.
Fruits & veggies
Some fruits and veggies are better healthy snacks for meetings than others. Consider how “fragrant” your choice might be! Oranges and bananas, for example, might not be suited for a group meeting. Apples, peaches, grapes, or watermelon are better. Fruit is better when paired with a protein or healthy fat like jerky or nut butter. Carrots, celery, cucumbers, peapods, and raw green beans are plant-based treats that are also healthy snacks for meetings.
Other protein options
Hard-boiled eggs, cheese sticks, and full-fat, low sugar greek yogurt are healthy snacks for meetings that pack a protein punch. Choose protein bars like KIND bars, Larabars, Rx Bars or others that have 5 grams of sugar or less. Not all flavors of these brands fit the bill, so make sure to read the label to make the best choice.
Eating healthy in the workplace means adding healthy snacks for meetings to your daily diet. Benefits of doing so include stable energy, optimal creativity, and a better mood. Want some additional options for summer? Check out our article on healthy summer snacks for the workplace and summertime fun!
