Healthy Snack Options for Web People

It’s amazing how much time people spend working at their desks (especially if you’re a blogger, podcaster, or online writer like me).

In fact, studies show that during the day, most people spend more than 8 hours working in front of their computers. After work, they may even spend the remainder of their time relaxing on the couch or sitting in front of the computer playing online video games.  Relaxing is great, but too much time spent sitting or in a stationary position can be risky for your health.  Oftentimes, it’s easy to slip into irregular eating habits and online writers, gamers, and bloggers alike have a higher potential for reaching for those low quality of foods.

In fact, as technology continues to dominate our schedules (both at home and work), many of us will eat at least one meal at our desks each day while many more will mindlessly snack, not counting calories or keeping track of how much they eat.

People working online are at a greater risk for eating two or more meals a day at their desks, and, the downside of this trend is that many opt for unhealthy snack options that are filled with empty calories that pack on the pounds.

To combat these issues, I pack my desk drawers with sliced apples and peanut butter, and large cups of naturally buttery edamame that I season with salt, pepper, and thyme to taste.  

Below are some of my favorite healthy snack options for people who spend most of their time in front of the computer whether they’re avid online gamers, office workers, or bloggers like me.   

Apples and Natural Peanut Butter

Pictured: peeled or sliced, fresh apples make a world of difference when reaching for a snack at your desk.  Skip greasy potato chips for the natural crunch of a sliced Granny Smith (my favorite, pictured here).  

A quick and easy snack that can give you energy and even boost your immune system is apples with peanut butter. Apples are widely known for their ability to boost your immune system while natural peanut butter is a great source of protein that offers an even greater energy boost.

Want a bit of crunch with your snack?

Add a small cup of Cheerios and dip the peanut butter-covered apple piece in them.

Edamame Beans

Pictured: healthful edamame beans are a great source of protein and fiber.  Eat them by themselves or with your favorite herb and spice mixture to taste.  I suggest the quick and easy Edamame with Thyme here.

Another great snack is Edamane beans. These beans are another source of protein as well as fiber, a combination that can help keep you feeling satiated longer. Add some cherry tomatoes to the mix for a tasty and wholesome snack.

Mini-Cucumber Sandwiches 

Pictured: a super-easy, must-try recipe for Spicy Crab Cucumber Sandwiches that makes good use of spicy crab meat and a light sour-cream and mustard base.  I also suggest using lean turkey between the slices for a low-carb fix with seafood or poultry.

I’ve been pinning mini cucumber sandwiches onto my “Finger Foods” board at Pinterest for months now.  Ever since I added crab meat with sour cream,  turned me onto mini-cucumber sandwiches which are essentially two slices of cucumber with turkey and low-fat cheese between the slices. Cucumber is great for Vitamin K, which is good for strong bones and the low-fat cheese is an excellent source of calcium.

Fruit Smoothies 

Pictured: Watermelon juice (or smoothie, here) garnished with basil.  Since watermelon is primarily all juice, it’s easy to pulse in a blender or processor and easy to carry to work.  Drink up at your desk anytime – responding to e-mails  or gaming with friends, smoothies allow you to keep your hands free while staying on task.

As many readers know, I’m a strong advocate for eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Since you can never have enough fresh fruit in your diet, fruit smoothies are just one of the easy ways for you to eat more.

To start, experiment with different flavors such as mixed berries or tropical fruits in order to avoid boredom. Also try convincing some of your co-workers to join you and take turns providing smoothies for everyone in the office (instead of those usual coffee runs). 

Don’t have enough fresh fruit on hand? Try buying frozen berries and pulsing them together with some naturally sweet, low-calorie watermelon any month of the year.

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The above options are just a few healthy ways to snack consciously (and healthfully) for readers that spend most of their time behind a desk. With a little planning and effort, it’s easy to keep down weight gain, increase energy, and even boost productivity at work all by choosing healthful snack alternatives over processed ones from the store.

–Helana

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