Being on the go and constantly busy makes it just that much harder when trying to make a change to your diet. People are more likely to go back to old habits when they are overwhelmed and stressed. It makes total sense that you go towards comfort when you are feeling uncomfortable. So in this post I am going to share with you my go to snacks that help me stay on track when I’m at work or on the go! Having these with me help when I am all of a sudden hungry and ready to reach for something!
All jobs come with their challenges. I am a teacher so being able to pull out a snack whenever I want one isn’t something that will actually happen. Because of this I struggle with some temptations when I see them. This could be walking into the office and seeing yummy treats or tapping into the little bin of chocolate on a colleagues desk. I try my best to make sure I am up on my snacks so I don’t feel that intense need to eat something. Having healthy options around that still taste really good helps a whole lot!
#01 Cut Up Veggies
This is one of my favorite options because I can bring a whole lot of vegetables in and feel like I’m eating forever with this snack! Whenever my 6 year old is looking for a snack he makes his choice on how long it is going to take him to eat it. He always wants a “long” snack and I can totally relate to that! Having a big bag of veggies ready can definitely help with that mindset.
I like to bring in carrots, peppers, and broccoli. Sometimes I will bring in cherry tomatoes but that is really only when I get the golden tomatoes from my local CSA! I get a big bag of veggies and then I bring in 1 or 2 tbsp of a veggie dip or hummus. It’s like a little added bonus for my snack and it takes me a while to eat.
#02 Beef Jerky
Not everyone is going to get on board with me for this one. That’s ok. I feel like when it comes to beef jerky you either love it or hate it. I can’t eat just any beef jerky. For me I go with the Chomps brand. They have a turkey pepperoni stick that is SO GOOD! It is also packed with protein so in terms of managing hunger it is a big success.
They also have mini ones which are great also. I usually throw a few in my bag and eat on my drive home. Plus the mini ones work great for my kids’ lunches and snacks at school. They are easy to travel with plus you actually get the sense that you ate something. Sometimes I eat a snack and it just doesn’t do the job. I’m left still feeling like I haven’t eaten a thing! Can you relate?
#03 Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is another item I reach for often. It works great for traveling and while I’m at work. I would totally rather sit and eat a big juicy peach but sometimes I just don’t have that option. Not all fruit works well on the go and sometimes storage is a problem.
For dried fruit, mango is probably my favorite. My family is obsessed with the Solely brand of dried mango. They have traditional dried fruit and then they have this mango jerky that is amazing! On top of that they have different types of flavored dried fruit which helps make it a little more fun. I’m honestly not a fan of the different flavors but you may be!
Raisins also use to be a big option for myself to bring to work and for my kids, and then I learned how extremely toxic raisins and grapes are to dogs and we stopped eating them. Our dog got into my kids’ grapes and it was a huge emergency and since they are ya know, kids, I felt it was safe to keep them out of the house. But raisins are a great travel option!
#04 RX Bars
Now notice I didn’t write protein bars. I wrote RX Bars in particular. This is because I genuinely enjoy eating RX Bars. I don’t usually like to eat protein bars so I wanted to make sure I gave a reason for being so specific.
As a nutrition coach I know it is a much better choice to eat a full balanced meal than to rely on bars to do the job. As a working mom with two young kids I also know sometimes you just have to do the best you can. I used to meal prep my breakfast for the week but my work schedule shifted and when I get to work I don’t have a break until lunch. I leave for work at 6:45 in the morning and for me I just am not willing to eat breakfast that early. Notice I didn’t say can’t because I could if I wanted to but for me it just doesn’t work out.
Oftentimes I’ll bring an RX bar and some cut up vegetables to snack on in the car or between my groups that I see. Remember I’m a reading specialist so I see multiple groups of kids throughout the day and have about 5 minutes in between my groups! Some days I will bring a good balanced breakfast or make a smoothie but most times I end up going to the bar and vegetable route.
In case you are wondering, I bring a vegetable to go with my RX bar because I want to make it more nutritious. The vegetables help keep me more full and I get the vitamins and minerals my body needs! My go to morning raw vegetable is bell peppers! They are a little sweet and have a nice crunch and for me work great in the morning!
There you have it friends! These are some of my favorite snacks for work! If you were to open my lunch bag each morning you would always find these items, because I always have them with me. I’ve told you before I am not going to recommend things to do that I don’t personally use or have tried in the past. I eat these items almost daily!
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