Now that I’m completely self-employed, I’ve found that my eating habits are all over the place. Some days, I’m so laser focused on what I’m doing that I don’t remember to eat until I’m about to faint. Other days, I find myself snacking on pretzels, chips, Oreos (ugh), or whatever I happen to have in my kitchen.
The snacking thing really isn’t an issue in the morning, but by mid-afternoon I’m probably bored and just want something to do while I’m alone at my desk. (Please tell me I’m not the only one here!!!) It doesn’t matter what I’ve had for lunch, I’m always up for a snack in the afternoon.
I’ve tried the no snacking thing, but it happens anyway… Since that’s not going away, I’d love to know what your favorite healthy snacks are! One of my friend swears by cubes of watermelon… and another friend is all about fresh mango.
Leave a comment with your healthy snacks because I’m an hour or so away from eating thirty Oreos! (Ideas on snacks I can keep in my bag is also great so I can avoid the coffee shop croissant craving…)
My go-to right now are frozen blueberries! Since they're frozen you can almost imagine you're having a nice bowl of ice cream! (almost) haha
-Rachel
bowsandablonde.blogspot.com
Whole fruit, trail mix (limited to 1/4 cup since it's calorie-dense), veggies with hummus, fruit with peanut butter, low-fat cheese (string cheese or wheels that come with red wax) or yogurt. Try to include a mix of protein and fat in your snacks to help keep you full between meals! Chips, pretzels, crackers and cookies are empty calories with little to no nutrition – if you can't give them up, at least make sure they're whole grain and be aware of how much you're eating (try portioning them out by serving size, rather than snacking straight from the bag). Hope that helps!
Don't eat the Oreos! Apparently there's a new study out saying that they're as addictive as cocaine and morphine. I have a ton of dietary restrictions but I'm all about carrots, apples, and raisins.
Since I normally make a fruit smoothie with greek yogurt for lunch sometimes I get hungry around 3 o'clock. Normally I grab a granola bar which holds off my hunger until dinner!
-Alex
http://www.monstermisa.blogspot.com/
I snack all day, as I'm always hungry. Tasty option – nuts (like peanuts and almonds for salt cravings), clementines, pink lady apples with peanut butter, raspberries and strawberries are some of my favorite options. I love to have crackers and cheese too, though not the healthiest!
When I feel like a snack or an afternoon breather from my desk, I usually take a quick lap around the block with a water bottle. Its always a nice recharge. If I am really desperate for something "real" I keep Kashi Go Lean cereal around. Because of its shape and slight stickyness, its annoying to just keep eating out of habit but the fiber and sweet really hit the spot.
Celery! While most people crave chips or brownies, I crave celery with peanut butter!
oatmeal with berries, almonds with craisins & dark choc chips, mini bell peppers, hard boiled eggs…
BUT sometimes you just need a damn cookie. haha
Recently, I have been devouring curry popcorn. If you pop it on the stove in coconut oil it is super healthy but super savory (just sprinkle with curry right after popping)! So good and you can eat a ton without feeling guilty!
Ashley | History in High Heels
I am going to have to try this! Sounds amazing!
My go to's are apples (with peanut butter), air popped popcorn, bananas, carrots/bell peppers and hummus, greek yogurt, and other fruit. Almonds & other nuts, trail mix, and granola bars are all good bets for keeping in your bag. I'm hardly ever without one of them! This list also has some good ideas: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/236016836694548452/
Celery with peanut butter AND whole almonds!
Dry roasted almonds are my snack of choice, followed by yogurt.
i love cutting up fruits and just eat that as a snack. it's so good! also, you can toast bread or have some crackers with cut up tomato and cucumber with olive oil and salt – it's a healthy snack that fills you up a bit more 🙂 as for on the go, try some healthy granola bars!
Mix almonds and really dark chocolate together (yum). Also if I put some lemon in my water it kind of feels like I'm snacking? I don't know I don't make sense sometimes.
I really like strawberries with frozen froyo or just regular yogurt for a snack 🙂
Lauren,
http://www.atouchofsoutherngrace.com/
For a lot of my nutrition clients it's totally a boredom habit. And that's okay! As long as you plan it into your full day. Our hunger mechanism is actually the same as our body's one for thirst…so I love the Aqua Zinger water bottle for flavoring water. I'm also a huge fan of grapes, carrot sticks and cucumber disks and if I'm craving gummy snacks (it's reality. I accept it.) I like dried blueberries and cherries in the fridge.
I really enjoy dried fruits, they are sweet, and easy for on the go.
I love grapes and baby carrots as healthy snacks that are munchable. My office is always full of treats so it's hard to avoid the mini cupcakes so I understand where you're coming from!
~Joanie
http://www.flonmymind.com
Watermelon and feta cheese. It's so good. Obviously it's out of season, but come next summer I definitely recommend it.
Tori
http://www.thegarnetdiaries.com
i'm on weight watchers, so i blog a lot about food, and eating on the run and just generally eating healthy. i post recipes and snack ideas, things that could help even someone who isn't losing weight! never leave the house without a snack. 🙂 i do weight watcher wednesday posts every week that usually involve eating some how so maybe that would be helpful for you! http://www.jacbianc.wordpress.com
If you're just at your desk I would highly recommend either frozen grapes (they're like candy, SO addicting) or cucumbers slices with ranch (the ranch kinda kills the health factor but whatever it's technically still good for you..). As for your bag, they make snack sized hummus and pretzel crisps! They come together in a little plastic container, that way you just stick it in your bag and then when you feel a bit hungry you can peel the plastic off and ta-da!
xx Ally
noteworthyinnavy.blogspot.com
carrots and hummus; low-fat mozzarella cheese sticks. museli and greek yogurt, almonds mixed with honey-nut cheerios. those are my big school/study go-to's.
Trail mix! I keep a baggie of it in my purse and a bowl at my desk. I go to the bulk section at Whole Foods and only put in what I like (and no candy) The dried fruit is sweet and things like nuts and sesame sticks are salty so it satisfies any craving.
I love frozen fruit, especially frozen grapes!
I love making strawberries with a little bit of chocolate! That is my absolute favorite 🙂
Hunter
http://www.preponabudget.com
I'm a teacher and have found that right after school is when my snack-cravings hit me the hardest. Unfortunately, that sometimes means binge-eating hummus and tapenade, but lately I've been trying to get myself onto healthier snacks. So far a bowl of fresh strawberries or 1/4 cup of almonds can sway me over until dinner time. I find that I mostly need the ACT of putting something in my mouth, so things that come in smaller pieces/bites helps me a lot there.
Another good trick is to drink a few big gulps of water before you start snacking to help you feel a little more full and keep you from over-indulging.
If you happen to be craving something salty and crispy, try Trader Joe's Roasted Seaweed Snacks. Some people don't like the taste, but I love them and they help me get my chip-fix without heading to the nearest vending machine to grab some cheetos.
Hope that helps!
Kristen
http://www.polishednpretty.com
I'm not the healthiest of eaters but I LOVE Nature Valley Granola Thins, they have either peanut butter or dark chocolate on the back of a granola square and they're only 80 calories. Apples with peanut butter are also great!
I think snacking is healthy, as long as the snacks aren't oreos or chips. I don't allow myself to buy unhealthy snacks at the store, because I know if I do I will eat them, however, if my only snacking options are healthy (i.e. mixed raw almonds with dried cherries or gluten free chips and fresh salsa) then that is what I will snack on
Summer
summermichaela.blogspot.com
I always have yogurt as a snack. Stonyfield has this banilla (banana and vanilla) flavor that is to die for!
Check out this article! http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/10/15/college-study-finds-oreo-cookies-are-as-addictive-as-drugs/
I try not to keep unhealthy things in the house it makes it easier to pick the healthy snack, because even if I have something healthy in the house I will always go for the unhealthy thing if its there.
I love cucumbers and dip, grapes, cheese and crackers, yogurt with berries and kale or sweet potato chips.
Jaclyn
teacupsandcake.blogspot.com
Trader Joe's prepackaged almonds, laughing cow light with carrots or cucumbers. It's tough but you'll get used to it 🙂
If you're looking for something sweet… I make my own trail mix with raw almonds, craisins and just a few chocolate chips! Or smart pop mixed with a few m & m 's!
Almonds, cut up apple with peanut butter, frozen blueberries, strawberries or grapes, yogurt with honey and chia seeds, roasted chickpeas and kale chips are my go to work from home snacks.
snacking is my downfall too.. try vitatops (you can buy in bulk online and freeze them until you're ready to eat one) they have little preservatives, fat and cals. hungry girl raves about them (and she emails promotions for 1/2 off!) xo jillian – cornflake dreams
As a Registered Dietitian, I get asked about healthy snacks all the time. My personal favorites are oatmeal (homemade, not instant!), roasted brussels sprouts, popcorn, "ice cream" made by blending frozen bananas and coco powder, and strawberries with crushed graham crackers sprinkled on top. I blogged about healthy snacks here: http://kellytoups.com/2013/06/14/5-healthy-late-night-snack-ideas/ and I also instagram food, nutrition, and lifestyle @kellytoupsrd
If you are craving something crunchy, snap pea crisps are my favorite! You can definitely buy them at your local grocery store! They are delicious They are just baked snap peas with the shells but they taste like potato chips! I highly suggest them. very healthy and low cal too!
Check this out, Carly… 😉
http://now.msn.com/oreos-are-as-addictive-as-cocaine-and-morphine-connecticut-college-study-says?ocid=ansnow11
xoxo
Gaby
I love the blueberry muffin lara bars. I also like crunchy nature valley granola bars. I also like grapes since I can eat those easily while working without getting my hands sticky. I recommend getting fruit washed and cut up in advance so that you can just grab it and eat it just as fast as you could with oreos.
I love snacking to! It's my absolute favorite. Most days I hope I'm hungry when I get home from work just so I can eat a snack before I work out. Some of my fav's: pineapple & strawberries, dates (super sweet but yummy), trail mix, PB & honey oat balls (tons of recipes on Pinterest), Beanitos (their chips made solely out of black beans and have more than enough grams for your daily fiber intake, their really good and healthy, apple & PB, Target ARcher Farms fruit chews & fruit strips (no artificial ingredients), and sometimes if I'm really hungry Ill make a blueberry or strawberry smoothie.
I'm a snackaholic. It's bad. But I love PB2. Its powdered peanut butter that you just add water to. That with some celery or apple (or just a spoon….)
I always have some baby carrots with me! Plain almonds sprinkled with cinnamon is so so good as well! Sometimes I also make air popped popcorn and then add whatever spices I want!
Slices of banana with peanut butter on top. So addicting!!
Trail mix! however i usually end up picking all the m&m's out…oops.
daughterofasonofasailor.blogspot.com
I like popcorn or plain yogurt with honey! Both make a great snack.
I like homemade granola with a bit of whole milk yogurt-it's really filling, which stops me from snacking more! Also nuts and fruit.
We all must be cast from the same mold, because all of my go-tos are on here already. I'll add my voice to frozen blueberries (get organic and wash them before you freeze!), baby carrots & hummus (my favorite is the garlic) and string cheese. I pack them the night before and just throw them in my purse when I'm leaving.
Epicurious has a really yummy recipe for cinnamon quinoa – instead of making it savory like rice you can prepare it with cinnamon in the water then eat it with milk, honey, almonds and whatever fruit is in season – like a dessert cereal that never gets soggy and is a complete protein too. I like it for breakfast or dessert but it's great as a snack too.
Try eating a little something in the mornings. That will help prevent the snack attacks later on in the day. I don't snack much but I personally love apples with cheese or almond butter (chocolate almond butter usually…), or a trail mix made with my favorite nuts/dried fruit/chocolate covered espresso beans etc. from Trader Joes.
For on-the-go I LOVE kind bars and larabars.
Edamame–microwavable in 2 mins and delicious with a little salt
Plain greek yogurt with blackberries and honey
Popcorn
Cheese sticks
Frozen grapes
Something sweet, when bananas are a bit too ripe: mash them up with some Nutella and freeze for a little while–as yummy as ice cream!
Dark chocolate covered anything–almonds or coffee beans especially.
I LOVE frozen grapes!! They taste just like candy!! If you freeze grape you will never have to deal with mushy grapes again. Yuck!
I'm absolutely obsessed with dehydrated apples! I just made some at home yesterday (thinly sliced apples in the oven at 225 on parchment paper for an hour, flip, bake for another hour or so). I think they taste better from a dehydrator though. Unfortunately, this graduate student doesn't have much extra income so a I'm working with my oven for now but a dehydrator is on my Christmas list already!
I love yogurt and granola, almonds, or edamame!
My go to snacks are fresh fruit, Greek yogurt with granola, peanut butter and graham cracker or a sliced apple, pretzels, Dove dark chocolate squares (it's easy to lose control on this one haha) or one of my all time favorites is hummus with wheat thins or any kind of vegetables!
theelementofbeauty.blogspot.com
I always havr some pre-chopped vege sticks and a tub of hummous in the fridge, great for the "im bored" snacking. I also always have jelly made up for when i want something sweet.
Almonds are a great snack!
rachelisedwards.blogspot.com
pop chips with laughing cow cheese!! so good!
I agree with the frozen blueberries suggestion from above. I'm also a big fan of making a homemade parfait – frozen blueberries topped with low-fat vanilla yogurt and some Grapenuts cereal. DELICIOUS, and the frozen blueberries kind of almost turn it into fro-yo, which is doubly satisfying.
~ Courtney
TheBlogtini.com
So many! The Laughing Cow makes those delish cheese wedges that I eat with crackers, or a banana and PB (all that protein and good fat in peanut butter is a great boost of energy), celery sticks, frozen grapes, apple cinnamon rice cakes with more PB (obvi I'm a fan haha). Hope this helps! xo
Banana with peanut butter! So good.
I'm totally with you as far as those late afternoon boredom "cravings" where it certainly doesn't help that my home office is right across from my kitchen! I'm sure a lot of these have already been mentioned some of my go-to snacks are: almonds & string cheese, apples & peanut butter, pop chips or popcorn (Boom Chika Pop is one of my favorites and only 30ish calories per serving!)
Also, because I have the world's largest sweet tooth, I just don't let myself buy things like Oreos or snacks that I know I can probably eat way too much of. To satisfy my chocolate cravings lately I've been eating Quest protein bars that taste so close to a candy bar but are (surprise!) good for you! The chocolate brownie and peanut butter chocolate ones are my favorite and I buy them in a case on Amazon to stock up for a few weeks.
It's funny because right after I read this post, I came across an article about how Oreos can be just as addictive as cocaine! http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-oreo-cookies-addictive-cocaine-20131016,0,3166408.story?
"So the next time you get a mad craving to eat an entire bag of Oreos in one sitting, just blame it on your brain chemistry."
So you definitely aren't alone!
I really like almonds, baby carrots, celery, string cheese, nature valley or kind bars and protein bars (Luna are the best). I often forget to eat, to the detriment of my body so having a snack is always a biggie. I also carry a small juice box to get my blood sugar up and hard candy for when you feel like eating but really you just want to snack. Hope this helps!
Put 2 tablespoons almond/peanut butter + 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Mix it all up and eat it as a dip for a banana or an apple! It's my new go-to sweet snack. It's like eating healthy brownie batter 🙂
-Sammi
lifeabundantblog.wordpress.com
I'm all about frozen berries! It almost tastes like dessert, and you keep them right next to the Ben&Jerry's.
For on-the-go snacking, put a little all-natural PB in a container and bring along some baby carrots, pretzels, and a wedge of fat-free Laughing Cow. It's super filling and super delish!
Erica
ericaligenza.wordpress.com
On the blog this week: 5 Rules for Dating
http://ericaligenza.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/5-rules-for-dating/
Almonds, almonds, and almonds! I know, you hear people say it all the time. But honestly they're so good and good for you. I use to hate the texture of them but now I find myself eating like 4 or 5 handfuls throughout the day (which may take it to the extreme and not as healthy..).
I like string cheese too! And sucking on sugar free mints when I think I want to eat candy.
<3
carelessly graceful
Almonds or cashews are two of my go-tos along with dried fruit or maybe a little dark chocolate if I'm splurging
My favorite snack right now is vanilla greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and granola in parfait! So good and filling, plus healthy
Pumpkin Seeds! You can get them at Sprouts markets in bulk. Or dark chocolate expresso beans if you need a little energy jolt.
xo Elisabeth
Headbands & Bagels
whole wheat rice cakes topped with peanut butter or sunflower seed butter (or any nut butter you like!) fresh blueberries and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Absolutely delicious!!!
I have a huge sweet tooth and I swear by dried mango. It's filling and sweet! Trader Joe's is the best.
I've been dealing with the same thing right now and have come up with a few solutions. First I've stocked up on tea, lots of different kinds of good tea and I always, always keep a full reusable water bottle in front of me at my desk. I try to turn to these first. I try to recognize if I'm eating out of boredom, but like you've said sometimes it's inevitable. The last time I was grocery shopping I loaded up on a variety of healthy snacks so that I can figure out what works. I got dried mango, apricots, dates, figs, prunes, hazelnuts, almonds, those new all fruit snacks with the bear on the front (yo-yos?), and bars of dark chocolate so that I can just break off a piece. I figure between all of this I have a) something to chew on (dried fruit) b) something that's truly filling (nuts) and c) something for when I just need something sweet to be satisfied (dark chocolate). Good luck!
Nuts with a few chocolate chips. The best.
Hi, I also like to make fresh fruit yogurt. But after I've found this article I try to eat it less. If also want to know can yogurt cause diarrhea