Even the most strong-willed anti-snacker can be susceptible to the lure of easily accessible office snacks or mindless snacking. And we’re never going to say don’t eat them (that’s up to you), but we do want to arm you with easy ways to avoid a snaccident and eating everything in sight.

Read on to find out some of our top tips for healthy snacking at work.

EAT PROPER MEALS, REGULARLY

We know, it’s not snack-specific, but hear us out. Having a good brekky to start the day, and a balanced lunch that contains protein and fibre will help keep you feeling full for longer. This means that you’re less likely to get the munchies between meals, so when you do want a snack, it’s because you’re genuinely hungry. This also empowers you to choose options that have a greater nutritional benefit to your body.

PRACTICE MINDFUL EATING

This goes for every meal or snack you eat as there are strong links to mindful eating and satiety. Taking time away from your desk and focussing on the food you’re eating is a great way to ensure that your brain and body both recognise that you’re actually eating food. This is also why you’ll often see recommendations to avoid eating meals in front of the TV, as it distracts you from your meal and can lead to not feeling full when you’ve finished. The same goes for snacks, so take a few minutes to step away from the computer, make a tea and have a snack, is a great practice of mindfulness, but also a great way to take a break and reset when you’re having a busy arvo & need a mental pause.

STAY HYDRATED & TRY ALTERNATIVES LIKE TEA

Staying hydrated is critical to ensure that your body is functioning at its best, including temperature control, physical performance, and cognitive performance (kind of critical for work).

While you might have read that thirst is often misinterpreted as hunger, there isn’t really research to support this, but if you know that you stress eat or tend to snack out of boredom, then swapping snacks for water or tea could be a great alternative. If it’s a sugar craving, then try a natural flavoured tea as an on-hand option – there are options such as Crème Brulee, Chamomile Honey & Vanilla, and even Lamington that could be just the pick me up that you need.

CHOOSE SNACKS THAT YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO EAT & HAVE THEM ON HAND

There is very little point having snacks (or any meal for that matter) that you don’t actually enjoy eating. For starters, if you don’t enjoy eating something, you won’t want to eat it again. But secondly, and perhaps more importantly, eating something that you don’t enjoy will mean that you’re left feeling unsatisfied, and may mean that you go on the hunt for something else.

Some of our office team’s go-tos are:

NUTS

A perfect snack option that is nutrient packed & contains those good fats we love. There are so many options out there that there’s sure to be one you like. Our one big tip if you’re choosing nuts, is to pre-portion them into individual servings. This can be done ahead of time, or right before you eat them (into your hand or a small dish), it’s way too easy to eat a whole pack of nuts without realising if you don’t.

SMOOTHIES

Okay, sure, we’ve got it pretty easy with these because of our super handy Smoothie Mixes, but they really do make an awesome arvo pick me up with a mixture of good fats, fibre and awesome flavour!

Watch the size of these and remember that not all smoothies are created equal. Pre-portion ingredients and keep them in the freezer so that you can just add your fave liquid & blend it up, ready to drink. If your office doesn’t have a blender, you could always check out the nutri bullet style blenders that are small & often inexpensive (we’re sure that there will be others in your office who are willing to chip in!)

RAW VEGGIES & HUMMUS

An awesome option that can also be prepped ahead of time and kept in the fridge. We love things like carrots, celery and even capsicum. Great on their own or paired with your favourite natural dip, something like hummus is a delicious way to add flavour and brilliant nutritional value to your arvo snack. The bonus? You’ll be adding to your required daily 2 & 5 serves of fruit & veg.

POWER BALLS/ BLISS BALLS

These are everywhere our there now, from pre-packaged options you mind in the supermarket to hand-rolled options in cafes and stores like ours! Look for options that are contain natural ingredients and maintain a healthy level of sugar, fat and fibre. Our faves include Tropical Power Balls and Cherry Ripe, but we have plenty to choose from.

So there you have it, easy to implement tips that could make all the difference to your work-snack life balance.

Tell us what your favourite work snack is & what you’d like to see on the Dineamic menu!