We all know how hard it can be to eat Healthy at work. The constant supply of sugary, trans fat loaded healthy snacks for work sitting on the breakroom table requires too much willpower to avoid.
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So we reached out to 49 health experts (i.e. nutritionists, dietitians, fitness coaches, doctors, and healthy lifestyle bloggers) and asked them one question:
What are your favorite healthy snacks to keep at the office (or wherever you work) and why?
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We wanted to know plain and simple the healthy work snacks they recommend. You see, the easiest way to stay healthy at work is to have healthy options readily available. That way we reach for the good stuff when we’re “hangry” in the afternoon – Super foods like Organifi also help to supplement your snacking needs to curve that “hangry” feeling even further.
Here’s a quick summary of the top 5 healthy office snacks (as voted on by 49 experts!):
- Fruit (15 votes)
- Nuts (12 votes)
- Nut Butter, Veggies (tied at 7 votes)
- Protein Bar (6 votes)
- Yogurt (5 votes)
Read on to discover each expert’s top healthy snacks for work…
They break down why it’s their favorite and the health benefits of each. Plus there are some really interesting & healthy snacks that taste good that you may not have considered before.
But first…
Here are the most popular healthy snacks at work, as voted on by our readers.
Vote on your favorite healthy office snack below (and see how others voted):
1. A handful of nuts and string cheese
Jessa Nowak, In Wealth and Health
My favorite healthy snacks for work are a handful of nuts and string cheese. Keeping it low carbohydrate will not slow you down and the high protein will satisfy you until your next meal. Plus, the healthy fats in nuts will add an added dose of needed nutrition to your day.
Twitter: @HappynHealthyRD
Mix it up: Gold Superfood – tastes just like a spiced latte when mixed with your favorite hot nut milk or oat milk.
2. Greek yogurt with almonds
Dolvett Quince, Trainer on NBC’s The Biggest Loser
Greek Yogurt with blueberries and almonds! One of my favorites!
Twitter: @dolvett
Mix it up: Try Greek yogurt with bananas and walnuts, strawberries and chopped pistachios, or mangos and macadamia nuts. Green juice is a great compliment to any Greek yogurt breakfast combo – will provide the additional nutritional benefits needed to start off the day strong ?.
3. Low sugar packet of oatmeal with nut butter
Michele Promaulayko, Editor in Chief of Cosmopolitan
If I’m pretty hungry and know that 10 almonds isn’t going to cut it, I’ll throw a high-quality, low sugar packet of oatmeal (such as Nature’s Path Hemp Plus) into a mug, pour in some hot water and then mix in a tablespoon of nut butter. As long as there isn’t added sugar, I like the nut butters that come in little packets because I don’t trust myself around a jar! This is also my go-to plane snack because the ingredients travel well.
Another one of my favorite good snacks to eat at your desk: roasted chickpeas—they pack fiber and potassium and are easy to make at home. You can add whatever spices you like, such as cinnamon, cumin, or cayenne.Twitter: @michprom
4. Nature’s Path Qi’a bar, Manitoba Harvest hemp heart bites, Nibmor dark chocolate, Justin’s nut butter
Ashley Koff RD, The Better Nutrition, Simplified program
I don’t recommend picking a single “favorite” snack as a key to satisfying you and your body is giving it what it needs and that includes what you want- give it savory when you want sweet and typically you go find sweet later. What I look for is something that hits my 4 pillars on the Better Nutrition Simplified Plan – quality, quantity, nutrient balance, and frequency.
Some healthy snack ideas might be a sweet treat Nature’s Path Qi’a bars or Manitoba Harvest hemp heart bites with a Daily Greens renew, or a pit workout smoothie like my Chocolate Milk 2.0 featuring Symbiotics to optimize lean body mass and gut health, or I grab an Earthbound Farms Power Meal or when traveling I make Natural Calm magnesium with brassica tea (the glucoraphanin is a potent detox enabler) and have Nibmor dark chocolate (70-80%) with a packet of Justin’s peanut or almond butter.
Twitter: @ashleykoff
Mix it up: If you like Qia bars, then try Elemental Superfood Seedbars, Wella Organics Bars, or Ohi Superfood Bars.
5. A piece of fruit with a handful of nuts
Kris Gunnars, Authority Nutrition
The perfect snack in my opinion is a piece of Fruit along with a handful of nuts. I prefer to eat the fruit first, then the nuts. The fruit provides a balanced amount of healthy carbs and fiber, while the nuts provide fiber, healthy fats and a decent amount of protein. I find this combination to be incredibly filling, without too many calories.
Twitter: @AuthNutrition
Mix it up: Try these fruit and nut combinations: pears and hazelnuts, plums and pine nuts, or blood orange and pistachios.
6. Raw almonds, seaweed snacks, Larabars and kombucha
Leah Segedie, Mamavation
I have raw almonds, fruit, seaweed snacks, Larabars, and kombucha in my office. When I’m eating, I make it a priority to pair something with protein with something with fiber at every meal. That helps me control the amount of insulin my body produces. The major weight loss makes my body very sensitive to high glycemic foods, so I have to avoid them.
But when I really want to be naughty I eat organic corn chips and dip them in half an avocado. And what do I eat when I’m NOT being careful at all? Vosges dark chocolate with bacon. Dear Lord, I would LOVE if she went organic.
Twitter: @bookieboo
Mix it up: If you love seaweed snacks, then you should try wasabi peas, Nora Tempura snacks, Savory Wild Portabella jerky.
7. Dried mango, dried apple, dried pear, and dried banana
Tedi Sarah, Tedi Sarah
My favorite healthy office snack is unsweetened dried fruit! It lasts a long time, it’s easy to eat and it’s filled with natural deliciousness. Dried fruit is high in fiber and nutrient dense. Plus, dried fruit is a great source of energy when you need a little pick-me-up at work because they contain little to no fat while also containing a significant amount of calories.
Some of my favorite dried fruits to keep on hand are dried mango, dried apple, dried pear, dried banana and for a special treat, dried bananas covered in dark chocolate.
Twitter: @tedisarah
Mix it up: Try some dried veggies along with your dried fruit. Try dehydrated red peppers, tomatoes, and beets.
8. “Sturdy” fruits with homemade trail mix
Anjali Shah, The Picky Eater
My favorite healthy are fruit and homemade trail mix. For fruit, I like “sturdier” fruits that can be shelf stable for a few days like apples, pears, oranges, and stone fruits like peaches/plums/nectarines.
For my homemade trail mix I use 1/4 cup of high fiber cereal, 1/4 cup of Original Puffins, 1/4 cup of Kashi Heart to Heart, 1 tbsp Cashews, 1 tbsp almonds and 1 tbsp walnuts. I mix it all together and keep it in a ziploc bag – and it’s a great accompaniment to fruit when my mid-day munchies come around!
Twitter: @pickyeaterblog
Mix it up: Try swapping the nuts in this homemade recipe for shredded coconut.
9. Dark chocolate nuts & sea salt KIND Bar
Chris Freytag, Get Healthy U
I’m a huge Greek yogurt fan – I mix in some nuts and dried cranberries. My other regular choice of healthy foods are raw veggies with a Wholly Guacamole packet – so yummy and satisfying. I also love KIND bars – the Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt is my favorite!
Twitter: @chrisfreytag
Mix it up: If you like these Kind bars, then you should try Fody dark chocolate sea salt bars and NuGo Dark bars.
10. Almonds, dried fruit, and mini chocolate chips
Katie Serbinski, Mom to Mom Nutrition
For me, the perfect snack is the right mix of carbs, protein, and fat. It also is sweet and satisfying. I typically make my own trail mix on Sunday night’s and prepackage them into resealable plastic bags [1/2 cup portions]. The trail mix usually includes almonds [protein], dried fruit [carb], and mini chocolate chips [fat].
While there are plenty of good store bought trail mixes, I like being able to control the sodium and calorie content of my own mix.
Twitter: @MomNutrition
Mix it up: Try walnuts, cranberries, and white-chocolate chips; pistachios, dried blueberries, and carob; or peanuts, chopped apricots, and yogurt drops.
11. Protein shake and fruit
Josh Anderson, DIY Active
When it comes to snacking at the office (or even on-the-go) we keep it simple and easy to implement! I take my protein shaker with the whey powder already inside and simply add water when I’m in need of a boost.
Combine that with a piece of fruit and you not only get some quality protein (that you are in probably need of anyways) but also an energy boost via your fruit which makes for the perfect office breakfast idea and helps with getting past the dreaded mid-afternoon slump!
Twitter: @DIYactive
12. Low carb nuts like macadamias, pecans, almonds, and hazelnuts
Franziska Spritzler, Low Carb Dietician
My favorite healthy snack to keep at the office is nuts. They contain healthy fat and protein, which keep you full and satisfied until your next meal. Nuts are also high in fiber yet low in net carbohydrates (total carbohydrates minus fiber).
They’re rich in the minerals magnesium, zinc, and selenium. And, of course, they’re absolutely delicious! A one-ounce serving (about 1/4 cup) contains 160-200 calories, depending on the type of nut.
If you’re following a low-carb lifestyle, try to choose nuts that are lower in net carbs (macadamias, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts) rather than higher-carb varieties (cashews and pistachios). Salted or unsalted? Raw or roasted? The choice is yours, based on your preferences and nutrition-related goals.
Twitter: @lowcarbrd
Mix it up: Add some low-carb vegetables, such as broccoli, to the mix to round out your snack. These kinds of vegetables can not only be part of your next healthy office snack, they are also full of nutrients and vitamins.
13. Carrots, 1-2 ounces of nuts, and dark chocolate
Kelly Schmidt, Paleo Infused Nutrition
My favorite snack to have in the office varies depending on what my or a client’s current health goal is. If my goal is weight loss, which is true as I am still shaking the baby weight from my second child born this summer, I’d pack large organic carrots.
Having a portable, healthy carb and crunchy snack like this will help me follow true hunger. Having something healthy like carrots prevents me from eating something out of boredom, stress or thirst.
Other ideas include portioned 1-2 ounce nuts (I love the raw almonds sold at Trader Joe’s). These are great snacks if I know I have 5-7 hours between my lunch and dinner. And lastly, dark chocolate. This is a great thing to have on hand in an office where treats, baked goods and birthday cakes are debuted all too often.
A healthy treat like dark chocolate can be a good swap for something dessert-like without derailing health goals. Of course baked goods are fine to have when a client or myself really want it, but it’s also good to only indulge when those things are really worth it.
Twitter: @kellyoc
Mix it up: Dip raw carrots in green salsa to add flavor without adding any calories.
14. Hummus, raw veggies and a green smoothie
Serena Wolf, Domesticate Me
I have a couple regular work snacks in my rotation (hummus and raw veggies, a green smoothie, the occasional Think Thin bar), but right now I’m loving a brown rice cake spread with a a thick layer of Justin’s almond butter. Justin’s makes these adorable single serving packs, and if you keep a bag of brown rice cakes in your desk/office kitchen, you can throw it together whenever you start to fade.
The combo of protein, healthy fat and fiber gives you a great energy boost and keeps you full for a couple hours. If you work from home like I do, try adding a drizzle of raw honey, some hemp seeds or sliced bananas.
Twitter: @serenagwolf
Mix it up: Try different versions of Serena’s rice cake snack by topping your rice cake with goat cheese, tahini, or guacamole.
15. Cottage cheese topped with blueberries, rasberries and sprinkled with cinnamon
Krista Stryker, 12 Minute Athlete
The snack I’m hooked on right now is a couple of brown rice cakes topped with almond butter accompanied by Greek yogurt or cottage cheese topped with blueberries, raspberries, or other fruit and sprinkled with cinnamon. So good, filling, and keeps me satisfied till my next meal!
Mix it up: Try cottage cheese mixed with orange segments and sprinkled with turmeric or cottage cheese topped with apple chunks and nutmeg.
16. Homemade trail mix with nuts, seeds and chocolate chips
Laura Wilson, Whole Heartedly Healthy
A home made trail mix with nuts, seeds and chocolate chips – for healthy fats to keep me full and a little hit of chocolate to prevent going for less healthy chocolate bars!
Twitter: @lauraagarwilson
Mix it up: Try pumpkin seeds, cashews, and dark-chocolate covered blueberries.
17. Mary’s Gone Crackers with homemade beet hummus or tzaziki
Phoebe Lapine, Feed Me Phoebe
I love Mary’s Gone Crackers! They’re packed with healthy seeds and fiber and taste great with some homemade beet hummus or tzaziki. Compared to most gluten free crackers they seem minimally processed – they’re even varying sizes!
Twitter: @PhoebeLapine
Mix it up: If you like these crackers, then you should try Kashi 7-grain crackers or Crunchmaster crackers.
18. Quest Nutrition bars
Heather Blackmon, FITaspire
One of my favorite healthy desk snacks would be a Quest Nutrition Bar. They taste amazing and the macros are fantastic for my goals.
Twitter: @FITaspire
Want more on Quest? Hear co-founder Tom Bilyeu talk about the origins of this life-changing bar on the Brand Builder podcast.
Mix it up: If you like Quest, then you should try GNC Total Lean® bars or MusclePharm organic protein bars.
19. Fresh cut pineapples, apples, mango, kiwi and peaches
Kathy Patalsky, Healthy Happy Life
My favorite healthy snack is fresh fruit. It may sound simple, but fresh cut pineapples, apples, mango, kiwi, peaches and more are my faves. I also love blending up mini smoothies. And also avocado toast.
Twitter: @lunchboxbunch
Mix it up: Squeeze some pineapple or citrus juice onto your fruit to get a little extra flavor.
20. 2% Greek yogurt and cottage cheese
Kristina LaRue, Love & Zest
My favorite healty snacks to keep at work are 2% greek yogurt and cottage cheese. I like these options because I can buy snacks for the office at the beginning of the week and stock the fridge for a convenient mid afternoon pick me up that’s protein packed and will keep me fueled until dinner time. I usually pair these dairy proteins with fresh berries for sweetness and seeds for texture and fiber.
Twitter: @kristinalaruerd
Mix it up: Add a splash of maple water or spoonful of no-sugar jam to your dairy for an extra boost of flavor.
21. Coconut oil
Dr. Anthony Gustin, The Paleo Fix
My current favorite healthy snack is actually pretty odd, but I would have to go with coconut oil. I am busy with patients certain days for literally 12 hours straight so many times I don’t have time to snack. If I have a quick tablespoon of coconut oil and some cold brew, I stay full and mentally sharp for hours.
This is a super quick way to get a huge pop of energy as quick as possible. I stock up on eXo, Mammoth and Bricks bars for times in between when I have the moment to chew!
Twitter: @thepaleofix
Mix it up: Add coconut oil to your oatmeal or fruit bowl to give yourself a regular fix.
