How to avoid ‘snaccidents’ at work

Healthy snacks are an important part of daily life: they keep our blood sugar level constant between meals, they provide all important nutrients to fuel our brain and keep us satisfied and fulfilled until our next meal. But some snacks, the snacks we just can’t resist because we’re hungry, stressed or just tempted, get in the way of our healthy ideals around snacking.

From a snacking drawer to managing communal snacks, follow our guide to avoiding ‘snaccidents’ at work and achieve your snacking goals.

Snack breaks

Instead of grazing all day as and when you feel like it, set yourself designated snack breaks. These breaks help manage how often you’re reaching for a snack and will keep you fuller for longer; ensure your breaks are set around times you know you’ll start to get hungry or be prepared for a long meeting and take your snack break beforehand.

These breaks also offer a little headspace; if you’re struggling to finish a piece of work, use your breaks to take a breath and step away from your desk, allowing for a new perspective when you come back to the task.

Communal snacks

It can be difficult or even frustrating if you’re trying to keep your snacking to a minimum and there’s birthday cake, holiday goodies or even Friday treats every week in the staff kitchen. But denying yourself a communal snack will leave you dissatisfied and also, a little left out!

So allow yourself to enjoy a snack from the communal table but then step away. Cut the size of the snack you would normally go for in half and remove yourself from the snacking area, ensuring you don’t unconsciously reach for more whilst distracted chatting with colleagues.

“A busy office can be a hive of bad temptations and poor eating habits, but it doesn’t have to be that way…”

• Read ‘4 smart ways to eat healthier at work’ on Happiful.com.

The ‘healthy’ snack drawer

Sometimes when hunger hits, typically around 11am or 4pm, we need a quick fix to see us through to the next meal. Keeping a drawer of snacks sounds dangerous, but what you fill it with will be the line between having a ‘snaccident’ or remaining satisfied until lunch. A healthy, substantial snack drawer could consist of dry goods that won’t expire as you may not need the drawer for a few days.

Healthy drawer ideas:

• cashew, Brazil or almond nuts, unsalted
• Deliciously Ella protein balls (or the delicious Lidl equivalent too!)
• seed mixes
• dried fruits
• lentil crisps
• an apple, banana or orange

Plan and prep

After a long day at work, there’s often nothing worse than knowing you have to make your lunch or snacks for the next day, but being prepared (even just for your snacks!) can make all the difference.

Before you relax for the evening or whilst you’re cooking dinner, take five minutes to prep. This could be: chopping extra carrots to take with some hummus, putting a handful of almonds in a pot (so you don’t eat too many which can be counterproductive) or pitting strawberries for an easy snack mid-work.