Guilt-free office snacking
Unless you’re one crazy disciplined soul, you’ve probably succumbed to the pantry’s temptations more than once. And if your pantry is as well-stocked as ours, it’s hard to resist the snacking urge every time 4pm rolls around.
Contrary to popular belief, snacking isn’t bad for health – it’s only munching on junk food that will give you those extra pounds. But when you’re stressed out, eating unhealthily always seems like the best option.
So to save our waistlines from expanding further, we present some less sinful snacks for you. Some are ready-made, some need to be whipped up in the pantry, but they’re all healthier than the 8234891th potato chip. Enjoy!
1. Apple Slices + Peanut Butter
Preparing this snack is simple: bring a sliced apple and a jar of peanut butter from home. Just dunk the slices into the peanut butter when you’re in dire need of a bite. You can even spice this combination up with toppings like raisins or coconut shavings.
If you thought peanut butter was unhealthy, think again. It’s got fibre, protein, and the powerful antioxidant vitamin E that protects you against Alzheimer’s and cataracts. Psst, having 2 tablespoons at least 5 days a week makes you less likely to develop diabetes, so load up on the spread!
2. Guacamole
Guac’s one of those snacks you can easily DIY at home and store in the office fridge for the next 2 days to tide you through the mountain of reports over the next few days.
Just mash avocados, then add lime juice, salt, onion, coriander, diced tomatoes, and garlic for flavour. If you’re into spice, sprinkle in cayenne pepper, but be warned, it’s not dubbed the red hot chilli pepper for nothing.
The avocado is considered a superfood for the cancer-preventing antioxidants and vision-improving compounds it contains, but the super properties don’t end there. It’s also known to slow digestion, preventing your blood sugar levels from spiking so you can say goodbye to those dreaded 2pm food comas!
Tip: Pair this green concoction with unsalted plain corn chips or wholemeal bread!
3. Nuts & Dried Fruit
Concocted for the indecisive eater who can’t choose between fruit or nut is Nature’s Wonders’ Fruits & Nuts Fusion. It’s a step up from Tai Sun’s regular nut bags and filled with cashews, almonds, pistachios, raisins, and dried figs for all-round nutrient goodness. You’ll be loading up on calcium and copper here – one fig packs almost as much calcium as an egg, and cashews are full of copper that will give your hair a black, lustrous shine.
And you won’t have to worry about busting your sodium intake for the day, this snack choice is low in sodium – just be prepared for a few more toilet breaks than usual as the combination of nut and fruit packs in a great deal of fibre, which speeds up digestion and gets your bowels moving.
4. Kale Chips
Source:@thespicyitaliana
This guilt-free snack lets you go wild, and still get your chip fix – these kale chips are so tasty and crunchy, you’ll forget you’re even eating vegetables. Choose from ready-made dehydrated organic kale versions, or whip them up yourself by baking kale leaves with olive oil and salt for 10-15min.
They don’t look as good as they taste, but with all the vitamin C that’ll boost your immune system and your mood in there, ain’t nobody got the time to worry about looks.
5. Muesli Bars
Muesli bars are a great snack for all the sweet tooths out there, and one of the yummiest – and healthiest – options out there is Carman’s Dark Chocolate, Cranberry, and Almond bar. Don’t worry that you’ll be overdosing on sugar, though. This bar has
With rich dark chocolate that lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow, it’s just about the best relaxant after a stressful meeting. Plus, 27% of it is made up of whole grain oatmeal which lowers your blood pressure, meaning you’re less likely to get heart disease in the long run.
6. Tuna Salad
Tuna salad’s pretty filling for something that’s only 187 calories, making it the ideal substitute for your typical high-carb hawker meal. Go for canned tuna in olive oil or water, and skip the fatty mayonnaise in favour of a healthier Greek yogurt dressing. Add diced celery, shallot, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper and voila, you’ve got a nutritious snack to quell them hunger pangs.
FYI, the omega-3 fatty acids in tuna reduce cholesterol clogged in your arteries and blood vessels, which lowers your risk of heart disease!
7. Whole Grain Tortilla Chips
For the uninitiated, whole grains are grains with their outer covering intact, which loads it with nutrients like vitamin B and magnesium for stronger bones and a healthier nervous system. And because these grains take longer to be digested, you’ll psycho yourself into feeling full for longer so you won’t be tempted by that bag of onion rings your colleague just opened!
Look out for tortilla chips that are baked, not fried, and are low in MSG and salt for a snack that’s healthy inside and out.
8. Baked Pistachios
There are dozens of nuts out there, but pistachios come up tops as the one with the least calories. At only 500+ calories/100g, Nature’s Wonders’ Baked Pistachios also come loaded with potassium, which gets more oxygen to your brain. That means you’ll be thinking better, faster, and sharper – perfect for times you’re stumped by the latest report.
Your body will thank you, too, because this snack doesn’t have ANY cholesterol or trans-fat that might raise your risk of heart complications. Healthy living, check!
9. Unsalted Mini Pretzels
Don’t be surprised that a pretzel snack made it to the list. Unsalted pretzels/pretzel sticks in the likes of Snyder’s Unsalted Mini Pretzels have 3-4 times less sodium than regular pretzel flavors, ranking it the healthiest of ‘unhealthy’ snacks. If you’re craving some junk food without the guilt, this will do the trick.
10. Inspired Apple Crumble
Real apple crumble won’t make the cut for your diet, but this inspired version does. Microwave an apple with spices like cinnamon and cloves, and stuff it with yogurt and chopped Nature’s Wonders USA Baked Walnuts for some extra crunch.
As they say, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and with walnuts that pack lots of heart disease-preventing omega 3 fatty acids, your future self will definitely thank you. Remember to choose non or low fat yogurt for a healthier snack!
Healthier snacks for the office
We’re very lucky to have a well-stocked pantry here at TSL, so if you’re always mindlessly snacking in the office, we feel you. But to make sure you won’t need a new pair of jeans by June, it’s probably better to have some of these less sinful snacks on standby for your next midday pick-me-up.
The Nature’s Wonders Range by Tai Sun
And if you’re not sure where to start, look no further than Nature’s Wonders’ range. All their nuts are naturally cholesterol and trans-fat free, and are rich in protein, dietary fibre and other essential nutrients.
Coming in 10 different varieties of nuts, fruits, and blends including baked macadamias and almonds, they make the perfect snack to stock up on for the office.
Only premium figs go into the making of this!
Best of all, Tai Sun passes on the seasoning, only baking their nuts lightly to enhance their natural flavours. Satiate those munch cravings without the guilt and the extra pounds!
Find out more about Nature’s Wonders here!
This post was brought to you by Tai Sun.