It’s been more than a year of working from home and it’s been a long ride! Throughout this time, I realized how important it is to surround yourself with energizing snacks to keep your energy high when you’re sitting at your desk all day. I like to prioritize protein in my snacks so I can keep myself full in between meetings, so here are some of my favourite snack ideas!
Mixed Nuts
Snacking on nuts always keeps me full because they’re made up of fats and protein, two macronutrients that takes longer for your body to digest! I love these unsalted mixed nuts from Costco, because they have a wide variety (although I mostly eat the cashews and pistachios). Also, unsalted nuts just give you the natural flavours of the nuts, compared to overly salted or flavoured ones.
Beef Jerky
Another high protein snack that I love is beef jerky! So tasty and easy to grab whenever you need a more flavourful snack during the day. I’ve tried the Jack Links one and the brand from Costco, and I think the Costco one just has more of an authentic flavour. Whereas the Jack Links one tastes a bit too salty for me.
Dates with Peanut Butter
This is a new sweet snack that I found from a few people I follow on Instagram! Cut open a date and then spread spoon some peanut butter in the middle of it, and that’s it. A great sweet treat that can also work for a dessert too. I like to use Medjool dates, as they’re larger and pair it with natural peanut butter.
Popcorn
If you’re someone who always wants to have a snack on hand and likes more volume, popcorn is it. A high fibre snack that is relatively low in calories, depending on how you season it. I have this popcorn maker from Amazon that lets you pop your own popcorn in the microwave. Then I like to spray some oil on it and add my favourite seasonings. A few that I’ve tried are cajun, everything but the bagel, garlic powder and simply salt! A nice homemade take on popcorn that’s a bit better for you than the packaged ones from the supermarket.
Protein Bars
A classic snack are protein bars! There are so many options of proteins bars out there nowadays, but I like to stick to ones that have a higher protein content (more than 10g) and less sugar. One that I’ve been drawn to has been they Simply Protein Bars from Costco! My favourite is the peanut butter and chocolate ones. I’ve also recently made my own protein bars using this recipe. These were more of a sweeter/dessert like bar, but still really good as a snack!
Protein Drinks
On a similar front, I’ve also been recently enjoying protein drinks or shakes as a good snack if you want something that goes down faster. I love making protein smoothies and have listed two of my favourite recipes here. The clear protein powders from My Protein have also my new obsession because it makes it taste like you’re just drinking flavoured water, instead of a protein shake. I also like to make it a bit more fun by adding some sparkling water to it too, so it’s more like a carbonated drink.
Fruits
Another classic are fruits! My parents always like to buy fruit whenever they’re at the grocery store, so I often have a good supply to choose from at home. Typically my go-to’s are apples, any type of berry, and melons. My pro tip to actually eat your fruit is to prepare them right when you get back from the grocery store. Wash them, and cut them if needed and then put it in a container in the fridge. That way, it’s easy to grab and place on your desk to eat while you’re working.
Hummus with Vegetables or Chips
Another favourite that I discovered during university was hummus with vegetables or crackers or chips! Hummus has protein from the chickpeas and has such a good dipping texture, if you know what I mean. My favourites are garlic or roasted red pepper flavoured ones. For the pairing, I like carrots or cucumbers for vegetables. Any multigrain cracker pairs really well too or those Tostitos chips!
Cheese and Cold Cuts
Another classic and high protein snack is simply a cheese and meat plate! I like to stick to the classics like cheddar, mozzarella and gouda cheese. For the meats, it really depends on what I pick up at the grocery store, but it ranges from turkey slices, to prosciutto and salami. Add in some crackers if they’re too salty on their own, but so good and filling!
Bread with Peanut Butter
Lastly, sometimes you just need to fall back onto a tried and true snack. For me, that’s just toast with peanut butter. So good and easy to make when you’re having a busy work day. If you want to elevate it, I like to add some banana slices or a drizzle of honey.
Conclusion
Overall, these were some of my favourite snacks to make/have by my side when I’m having a busy day at work! Sometimes, I just end up combining a bunch of these for lunch or even use them as a dessert. I hope you try out some of these during your work days and let me know if you have any new snack suggestions. Comment down below, email me or slide into my Instagram DMs!
