We have to ask, are you really comfortable in your workspace if there aren’t any snacks in you desk drawer? We all have our favorite desk snack to stop the afternoon lull and help brighten our days! There are countless reasons to keep snacks at your desk, but there are so many that can help you keep up the good work, too!
Snack with Benefits
Snacking throughout the day can actually do a lot for your health. The biggest thing it does for me is it prevents me from binge eating. Binge eating can be very common for those who tend to hyper focus on their work. Pushing through lunch to keep your focus and work flow steady seems like a good idea until you get home and want to eat everything you see. And for some reason when you binge eat, your first choice is never a salad. Preventing binge eating aids in your energy levels, metabolism, and overall mood for the whole day.
Your work can only be as good as the food you put into your body! Snacking can help you be more aware and streamline your attentiveness, especially if you’re conscious on what kind snack you choose.
Having snacks close at hand can benefit more than just yourself. I like the have something available in case of emergencies for any of my coworkers. If someone with low blood sugar starts feeling bad, I try to have something like fun-sized candy bars in my drawer. If someone is feeling queasy, my go to snack is crackers of any kind. I also like to bring an apple to work every day. You know the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
What’s in My Desk
Snacking has become my way of taking care of myself. I am really bad about taking breaks and making sure I eat. If left to my own devices, I would eat one big meal at the end of the day and that’s it. Unfortunately, that habit leads to a lack in nutrition and lower energy levels. So instead of trying to hit the three main meals a day, I like to snack on things throughout the day. A muffin in the morning, a light lunch, an afternoon stack, a balanced meal in the evening, and possibly a snack before bed. I have found it helpful to keep a variety of options close-by at home and at the office.
Something salty always seems to curve my cravings and keep me going! Currently, I have peanut butter filled pretzels hiding in my desk drawer. That something-salty with a little protein substantially fuels my energy levels and brings back my focus without an inevitable crash a half an hour later.
Keeping something sweet on hand is also an essential. This snack has nothing to do with being healthy or unhealthy. If bringing an orange to work with you is your sweet treat, then own it. Personally, I love gobstoppers! I got this from my mom, but I like to line them up at the top of my keyboard, color code them, and make them rewards for my self set goals. It’s fun, feels organized, and acts as an incentive. Once I finish a task, I can have the next one. You can probably accomplish this with Jelly Bellies or Jolly Ranchers or other hard candies. It’s a little silly, but it gets the job done and allows a sweet-fix into the mix. Moderation, I say.
We can’t just eat candy all day, no matter how fun it sounds. Occasionally it’s good to have something substantial tucked away. I keep a microwaveable soup cup and some granola bars in my drawer at all times. You never know when you’re going to have an impromptu meeting or feel like you’re starving by 10:30 AM.
Snack Suggestions
- Trail Mix: Trail mix is a great snack to have at work! It’s easy to eat, easy to package, and fun to customize. Pick all the things you want and nothing you don’t! If you don’t want to make your own, you’re in luck. The variety of trail mix options are vast. If you’re not in love with a certain mix ingredient, chances are you can find a mix without various ingredients or ones you never thought of. Just keep in mind that M&Ms by themselves don’t constitute as trail mix!
- Crackers and Chips: Finding the perfect cracker option is similar to finding your favorite trail mix combination, your options are endless! Crackers are great because they have different flavors, regular and baked options, different base ingredients, specific oils to consider, etc.
- Sweets: Something sweet is the easiest way to boost energy levels. We all have our sweet tooth that gets us itching for a snack after lunch. I try to keep little packages of cookies at my desk for that time of the day. Sweets that are packaged into pre-portioned amounts are perfect office snacks. They help with portion control, they’re easy to store, and they can subdue the urge to keep eating. So don’t be afraid to have your sweets and eat them too.
- Jerky: This snack should be eaten in moderation. Jerky works great as a pick-me-up snack in the middle of the day. I know I’ve used it as a replacement for lunch some days when there just aren’t enough hours in the day. This is by no means a healthy lunch alternative. Protein is so important in keeping satiated and jerky offers tons of it; just watch your salt intake and you should be fine.
Extras!
This post was strongly inspired by the Little Things article “Health Benefits Of Snacking That Will Make Your Munching Guilt Disappear.”
For more on why eating healthy is so important for you at work, check out “How to Eat Healthy at Work and Why It’s Important.“