10 Easy and Healthy Snacks for Your Daily Work Routine
If you are on the lookout for delicious and nutritious snacks to power you through your working day, you're in luck!
Whether you are in the office, on the road or in meetings, we've rounded up 10 easy and healthy snacks that are perfect for your daily routine.
If you’re always on the go and looking for healthy options to grab or searching for new ideas, you can say goodbye to mindless munching and hello to guilt-free goodness!
Quick and Nutritious Snack Ideas
When you are rushing around, from the second you leave the house in the morning, it is super easy to grab an unhealthy option. However this will leave you feeling tired and lethargic throughout the day. Going for the healthier option will help you to remain productive and tick off those tasks!
Apple slices with peanut butter
Slice up a juicy apple and pair it with a dollop of creamy peanut butter. It's the perfect balance of sweet, crunchy, and satisfying.
Simple Recipes for Healthy Snacking
If you like to plan for the week ahead, these easy recipes can be prepped on a Sunday evening and last you for at least 3 days, so you can get up and go on a morning without worrying about preparation.
Jamie Oliver’s Super-Food Protein Loaf
Jamie created this, “For all you morning gym-goers this healthy protein bread is a great portable breakfast that will help with muscle repair and growth.”
Ingredients:
- 1 x 7 g sachet of dried yeast
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 250 g gram flour
- 100 g ground almonds
- 50 g linseeds
- 100 g mixed seeds, such as chia, poppy, sunflower, sesame, pumpkin
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- 4 large free-range eggs
- 3 teaspoons Marmite, optional
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5. Line a 1.5-litre loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
- Fill a jug with 375ml of lukewarm water, add the yeast and oil, then mix with a fork until combined and leave aside for 5 minutes.
- Pile the flour, ground almonds and all the seeds into a large bowl with a pinch of sea salt and make a well in the middle. Pick, finely chop and add the rosemary leaves. Crack in the eggs, add the Marmite (if using – simply leave it out for a gluten-free friendly loaf) and beat together, then pour in the yeast mixture.
- Whisking as you go, gradually bring in the flour from the outside until combined – it’ll be more like a batter than a dough. Pour into the prepared tin and smooth out nice and evenly on top.
- Now you’ve got two choices – bake it straight away and it’ll puff up a bit more and taste fantastic, or cover and place it in the fridge overnight and allow some slightly more complex sour flavours to develop. Both are brilliant, just different.
- To bake, place in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes, or until golden, cooked through and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before eating, then serve.
- This bread is good fresh for a couple of days, and delicious toasted for a few days after that. You could even use any leftovers to make croutons.
Homemade Granola Bars
Love & Lemons have created this Homemade Granola Bar recipe.
This recipe can again be bakes in a batch and separated into portions so you can grab and go on a morning, so you have nutritious snacks at your finger tips throughout your working day.
Granola Bar Recipe Ingredients
You only need 7 basic ingredients to make this homemade granola bar recipe:
- Natural peanut or cashew butter – It helps bind the bars together, and it adds protein, healthy fats, and irresistible nutty flavour.
- Whole rolled oats – They give these bars a perfect chewy texture. If you’re gluten-free, make sure that you use certified gluten-free oats.
- Honey – Along with the nut butter, it helps all these ingredients stick together! I love its warm amber flavour in this recipe.
- Vanilla extract – It amps up the bars’ warm flavour.
- Sea salt – To make all the rich, sweet, and nutty flavours in this recipe pop!
- Pepitas, crushed peanuts, or cashews – They add healthy fats, protein, and crunch.
- Mini chocolate chips – Who doesn’t love nut butter and chocolate?! Be sure to use mini chocolate chips here, as regular chocolate chips are too big to make cohesive bars. If you don’t have mini chocolate chips, finely chopped dark chocolate will work in their place.
Method:
- First, stir together the wet ingredients– the cashew or peanut butter, honey, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until the honey is fully incorporated. It will smell amazing!
- Second, fold in the dry ingredients – the oats, chocolate chips, and pepitas. The mixture might seem dry at first, but keep stirring! Everything will be fully incorporated in no time.
- Next, press the bars into a parchment-lined baking pan. Scoop the mixture onto the bottom of the pan, and cover it with another sheet of parchment paper. Firmly press the mixture to the sides of the pan with your hands. Then, use the back of a measuring cup to smooth and flatten the tops of the bars.
- Finally, chill! Transfer the pan to the fridge, and allow the mixture to chill for one hour before you slice and eat the bars. That’s it!
Or check out BBC Good Food’s Healthy Flapjack recipe:
Ingredients:
- Ingredients
- 100g pitted medjool dates
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 100g walnut halves
- 250g porridge oats
- 50g hemp seeds
Method
STEP 1
Line a 20 x 20cm square tin with parchment. Roughly chop the dates and cover with 100ml boiling water. Leave to soak for 10 mins.
STEP 2
Put the banana in a bowl, mash with a fork, then stir in the cinnamon, vanilla, a pinch of sea salt and the soaked dates along with their liquid.
STEP 3
Tip the mixture into a food processor with half of the walnuts and 100g of the oats. Pulse until you have a thick paste. Tip into a bowl and combine with most of the remaining nuts, oats and hemp seeds.
STEP 4
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Press the mixture into the lined tin, top with the remaining nuts and seeds and, bake for 20-25 mins until golden and firm. Leave to cool completely before cutting into nine squares.
On-the-Go Snacks to Keep You Energized
If you feel like you become less focused throughout the working day and would like to keep your energy levels high, these snacks will give you the boost you need.
Trail mix
If you're on the move, in the car or rushing between meetings, grab a handful of trail mix. Mix together your favourite nuts, dried fruits, and a few dark chocolate chips for a balanced snack that satisfies both your sweet and salty cravings.
Protein balls
Need a quick afternoon energy boost? Grab a bag of protein balls. We would recommend The Protein Ball Co or Bounce, available in a range of delicious flavours.
Delicious and Wholesome Snacks to Satisfy Cravings
We all have that time of the day when you feel the need to have a little binge and curb those cravings. Protein bars are guaranteed to hit that sweet spot!
Protein Bars
Perfect for a Friday treat to reward yourself for completing another week, Protein bars are one of the quickest and easiest snacks to grab and enjoy. The delicious taste will trick you to think you are having a chocolate bar, while the large protein content will fill you up and boost your energy levels.
Our top picks would be Barebells, not only are they delicious but they are available in soft bars and vegan too.
The protein content ranges from 15-20g and there are 11 different flavour bars to choose from. We would highly recommend the best-selling Caramel Cashew, Salty Peanut or Cookies & Cream.
If you aren’t sure what flavour to try first, why not try the Barebells Mixed case taster box which features 6 bars in various popular flavours.
Tasty Options for a Balanced Snack Break
Snacks that are balanced with different food groups can make you feel fuller for longer and provide you with many nutritional benefits.
Smoothies
For a quick and nutritious morning or afternoon office snack, whip up a smoothie using your favourite fruits, leafy greens, and a splash of almond milk. It's a fantastic way to sneak in some extra nutrients during the day.
Nourishing Snack Ideas to Fuel Your Day
Convenience is key! It can be hard to find nourishing snacks that are already prepared and can stand the test of time. Dried fruit is perfect to throw in your office draw or car glove box.
Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is easy to grab on the go and provides a delicious hit of carbs that are easy to digest. Urban Fruit’s gently baked strawberries or pineapple would be a great option!
Convenient and Guilt-Free Snack Choices
When snack time arises, it is easy to feel instant regret when you've opted for an unhealthy option, which is why we have found these tasty guilt free choices!
Whole grain crackers with tuna
Take your snack game up a notch with a tuna twist. Spread some canned tuna on whole grain crackers and add a squeeze of lemon juice for a zesty punch. It's a great option for those seeking a savoury snack.
Lentil Chips
This one is for the savoury snack lovers! Lentil chips are a delicious snack full of crunch, high protein, and a source of fibre and iron but without the guilt of crisps.
We would recommend Proper Chips as they have a range of tasty flavours including BBQ, salt & vinegar, sea salt, sour cream & onion and sweet sriracha chilli, all of which are under 100 calories per bag.
Snack Time Made Healthy and Delicious
Delicious ways to up your fruit and vegetable intake while in the office!
Greek yogurt with berries
Looking for a protein-packed pick-me-up? Grab a container of Greek yogurt and top it with fresh berries. Not only is it a tasty treat, but it also provides a boost of calcium and antioxidants.
Veggie sticks with hummus
Slice up some colourful veggies like carrots, bell peppers, and cucumbers, and dip them into a bowl of hummus, it's a super easy way to up your vegetable intake throughout the day.
In Summary:
There you have it! Ten easy and healthy snacks to keep you satisfied and energised throughout your daily office routine as well as some recipes to try and batch cook so you are prepared for the working week ahead.
Remember, it's all about finding a balance and discovering what works for you and your lifestyle.
Cheers to happy and healthy snacking in the workplace!