If you’re someone who nibbles between meals, a workday can quickly turn into a nonstop snacking session.
It’s not just you — many of us in office settings do the same thing.
A recent CareerBuilder poll revealed that 73% of U.S. employees snack while working.
That’s easy to believe once you account for communal baked goods in the breakroom, themed “holidays” like National Donut Day, or the occasional box of cereal abandoned with a note saying “my kids didn’t like this.”
Free treats in the office kitchen are fun, but mindless snacking can quietly drain your cash.
A trip to the vending machine costs a dollar or more. A quick run into the corner store can have you spending pocket change on low-nutrition items.
Budget-Friendly, Nutritious Snacks for Work
“Some folks just need something to chew on,” said Zoe Rodriguez, proprietor of ZBody and ZBody Strength & Fitness in Jupiter, Florida.
If you’re prone to desk snacking, consider these healthier alternatives:
1. Sliced sweet bell peppers, eaten plain or dunked in a low-calorie ranch. Small pepper types are simple to cultivate on a balcony or in a sunny indoor planter if you want to harvest sweet peppers for less money.
2. Edamame. Rodriguez recommends this plant-based snack because it’s rich in protein.
3. Carrot sticks with hummus. Whip up hummus at home and you can cut the typical grocery-store cost by about half.
4. Apple slices andpeanut butter. Rodriguez reminds people that a serving of peanut butter is only 2 tablespoons, so don’t go overboard with the jar.
5. One slice ofwhole-wheat bread topped with avocado or peanut butter will help you stay satisfied through the afternoon.
6. Kale chips. Make them yourself and keep an airtight pouch in your desk for an easy, crunchy bite.
7. A glass of water. It sounds basic, but pausing for a drink for a few minutes can help you choose more wisely — or reveal that you weren’t actually hungry at all.
“Healthy” Office Snacks to Watch Out For
Nuts are nutritious, but they pack a lot of calories.
“Twenty cashews? That’s around 200 calories,” Rodriguez noted. “Portion them so you don’t accidentally eat too many — before you realize it, you’ve consumed 800 calories just from nuts.”
She also cautions about trail mix, which often has too many nuts and candy-coated chocolates. It can feel like a convenient pick-me-up, but trail mix is formulated to provide energy — meaning calories — not for sitting at a desk all day.
