by Sherria

Photo Credit: thesun.co.uk

When I first started my public relations job at a nonprofit organization here in DC, I noticed that there seemed to be a celebration in the office almost every week. These celebrations often included cake, ice cream, and a whole host of other unhealthy snacks.  I started to feel bloated throughout the day. I decided that something needed to be done about my office eating habits. I started buying rice cakes, drinking more water, and bringing fruit to work. However, I got tired of it because it seemed like work. Everyone else was snacking, I wanted a snack too! After reading magazines and combing the aisles of supermarkets, I found that snacking doesn’t have to be bad. There are healthy snacks I can eat at my desk that will make me feel full throughout the day without making me feel bloated. I still try to drink three to four bottles of water while I’m at work, but at least I found some cool snacks to accompany my water .

Let me know what healthy snacks you take to work! Comments welcomed.

My favorites:

Clockwise: Trailmix, Smartfood Cheddar Popcorn, Dole Fruit Cup, Apple with Peanut Butter

Trailmix- You can either make your own trailmix with dried fruits and nuts or you can purchase it prepackaged. I love Craisins trailmix by Ocean Spray.

Smartfood Cheddar Cheese Popcorn- Reduced Fat brand are a good source of fiber, has zero trans fat, and no gluten ingredients.

Dole Fruit Cups- the individually wrapped cups are easy to stick in your work bag in the morning. If your office has a mini-refrigerator, the mini-cups will fit perfectly. This snack is great at any time during the day. I also noticed that leaving fresh fruit at the office doesn’t always work. For some reason it goes bad faster even when I put it in the refrigerator. You won’t have that problem with the sealed fruit cups. They last for weeks!  

Apples and Peanut Butter- This snack is a good way to feel full longer. Be careful of what type of peanut butter you purchase. Some peanut butters are extra oily, which isn’t good for your health or skin. I like Extra Chunky Skippy Natural Peanut Butter.