5 health foods you can keep at your desk

With long days and busy schedules, sometimes it can be hard to stay healthy at work. However, nutritious snacks can help fuel you through your work day and make sure you avoid that dreaded afternoon slump. Functional Nutritionist, Workplace Wellness Consultant and Founder of Chrysalis Nutrition & Wellness, Elysia Doody, shares her top 5 foods that you should be reaching for.

When I was working 9-5 in my office job I found it really hard to eat well and snack on the good stuff. The canteen was only open at lunch time and other than nipping out to Dunnes, the vending machine was the only other option.

I got too used to walking 2 minutes to the vending machine for my 3pm sugar fix and the results were starting to show. Fatigue, weight gain and bloating were just some. I decided that in order to stay on track with my healthy habits brining in some foods and leaving them on my desk or in my drawer was the best option to stop me picking at foods throughout the day and avoiding the sugary snacks in the vending machine.

If you have time to nip out to the shop at lunch a bag of apples or some fruit is ideal but if you are the type of person that will have one and then end up throwing them out at the end of the week, non perishables are preferable. Here are my top 5 health foods that you can keep on your desk or drawer and they won’t go off within a week.

• Rice Cakes – This low carb food is a great snack when hunger strikes and you can add proteins like turkey, chicken, salmon or a nut butter to help slow down the release of energy. If you are the type that needs something sweet the dark chocolate rice cakes with a spread of cashew butter is a super tasty snack for giving you that little sweet taste while also helping to balance your blood sugar, support your energy and reduce cravings.

 

• Nut Butters – Whilst they are high in calories they are high in beneficial fats that help keep us fuller for longer and maintain energy levels. Adding a teaspoon of nut butter to rice cakes or accompanying a yogurt or apple is another great snack that is easy to keep in your desk drawer.

 

• Dark Chocolate – Packed full of antioxidants dark chocolate (75-85%) is a favourite snack of mine although I need to manage my portion sizes so I don’t eat the full bar. A couple of squares in the afternoon is usually enough to diminish my cravings and keep my sweet tooth at bay.

 

• Oats or Granola – If you don’t have time for breakfast before you leave the house and perhaps there is no canteen or you are fussy about the added diary they include in the office porridge brining your own oats or (reduced sugar) granola can be beneficial for helping to keep you on track with your healthy habits. Adding a teaspoon of nut butter or some nuts & seeds is a great way of adding some healthy fats and protein to help sustain your energy levels and reduce cravings. A square of dark chocolate is also a great way of adding some additional flavour!

 

• Nut & Seed Bars or Protein Bars – It’s great to see so many stores, petrol stations and canteens stocking healthy nut and seed bars and protein bars. It used to be the case that you could only find these in Health Stores but not anymore and this is a great thing. We now have more and more healthy convenience food reaching our shelves. Grabbing some low sugar nut bars or protein bars are another great snack to keep in the drawers. Be sure to check the ingredients list aiming for those that use the most natural ingredients as they will have less additives and artificial sweeteners.

I will always keep a litre bottle of water on my desk and aim to drink one in the morning and afternoon to help keep me hydrated. Sometimes when we are hungry or craving something it can actually be because we are thirsty. Many people will find that an hour or so after eating and they desire something but may not be hungry as such. The best thing to do in this situation is to drink some water and see does the craving / desire go. If not perhaps having a cup of tea will be enough to keep you going until your next meal. This may mean taking 2 minutes out of your busy schedule to listen to your body and ask yourself “am I hungry, craving something or thirsty?”

Elysia Doody provides corporate wellness consulting helping businesses devise a wellness strategy that suits their culture and business and 1-1 nutrition coaching from her clinics in Blackrock and Dublin City. Click here to contact Elysia today.

At Glandore, we are passionate about helping our members to develop their ideal workplace culture. We believe that every business needs the right environment to achieve their full potential. We do this through a number different approaches including the promotion of our complimentary workplace wellness programme. If you would like to learn more about Glandore and our flexible workspace get in touch here.