The Office Snack Trap

You’ve set out to eat healthy all day, you bring your lunch, snacks, and refillable water bottle to work. You feel great. Then 3 PM hits and you see your coworker go for a coffee run and come back with a pastry. Game over.

It’s okay, we’ve been there too. 

As we’ve made the transitions in, out, and back into offices over the last, well, who can keep track, it’s made for a lot of changes in our routines. Whether your office provides a snack station, or you opt to bring your own stash, it is very common to mistake hunger cues or to be influenced by co-workers snacking habits while sitting at your desk. 

If you do need a healthy energy boost, registered dietitian, Keri Glassman, believes in and encourages “an approach to eating that fuels your body and mind and fits into your lifestyle.” As the founder of Nutritious Life, she shared with us one of her go-to snacks for when she’s feeling the mid-day slump and wants to make a healthy choice to boost her energy.

Dehydration is also often mistaken for hunger, so it is helpful to have that trusty bottle of water easily accessible. You can add ice, fruit, whatever makes it more enjoyable for you to reach for it. Up to 75% of adults are dehydrated on a day-to-day basis, and sometimes we just need the taste of something that satisfies that impulse.

It’s important to set yourself up for success by packing healthy options (if you need some inspiration you can find some here), and listening to your hunger cues and what your body is trying to tell you. This may not come naturally at first, so cut yourself some slack as you figure out what works best for you!