Top 10 Healthy Back-To-Work Lunchbox Snacks
Are you ready to go back to work? With COVID-19 restrictions lifting, workplaces are slowly starting to reopen — which means you’ll need to figure out what snacks you’re going to bring to the office. If you’re looking for some healthy but delicious snack ideas to add to your not-so-secret office snack stash, look no further! Here are 10 fun, “good-for-you”, on-the-go snacks you’ll want to add to your work lunchbox (and food entrepreneurs should start selling).
Protein Bars
Tired of being groggy in the middle of a workday? Protein bars are high-energy snacks that are easy to carry, shelf-stable, and nutritious. Often low in calories while high in protein, you can say protein bars are the perfect “back-to-work” snack! They keep you energized throughout the day and keep your stomach happy. Not to mention, some protein bars come bite-sized balls, which make them even more convenient.
Toaster Pastries
If you used to love Pop-Tarts® as a kid, you’re in luck! Toaster pastries are regaining popularity and now come formulated for some of the hottest diet trends including vegan, paleo, and ketogenic diets. Many of these delicious treats also come packed with plant-based proteins, nut-butter, or immunity-boosting ingredients so that you can indulge in your favorite childhood snack without feeling guilty. If you want to be the “talk” of the office, make sure you add a toaster pastry to your work lunchbox.
Functional Nut Butters
For a nutrient-dense and filling snack to fuel your day, try functional nut butters. Packed with nourishing ingredients and healthy fats, functional nut butters, like almond, cashew, and walnut butter, help you feel full and energized throughout the workday. They come in portable pouches so you can eat them in-between meetings or use them as a quick sandwich spread. If you want that extra health boost, look for nut butters that contain MCT Oil, probiotics, or adaptogens!
Granola
Granola is a great, versatile treat for everyone, including those with a sweet tooth. When made with all-natural freeze-dried fruits, healthy nuts, and plant-based sweeteners, granola can be a healthy snack for you to munch on while on the way to work. Not only is granola is a great stand-alone snack, but it is also a delicious addition to low-fat yogurts, acai bowls, and pastries! Just make sure to write your name on the pouch so no one can steal it.
Fruits
Looking for something a little fresh? Fruits are a great work lunchbox snack and one of the healthiest snacks on the planet! For a totally organic treat, just slice up your favorite fruit and carry it with you to the office in a little container. Want a little bit more flavor? Pair your fruit slices with your favorite functional nut butter or granola to enhance the experience. Some fruits high on our snack list are strawberries, bananas, apples, and berries!
Protein Shakes
Sometimes, when you’re too busy, you just need a meal you can make on the fly. That’s why having a protein shake or powder at work is a must. With it, you can make an extremely simple, two-step snack that fills you up and gives you energy. Just make sure your keto, vegan, or paleo protein shake uses healthy and quality ingredients, like grass-fed whey protein and MCT oil. Some popular protein shake flavors are chocolate, vanilla, or birthday cake.
Cookies
Who doesn’t love cookies? In fact, cookies are considered one of the most popular treats worldwide. One can even say they are the king of snacks! From children to adults, no one will ever say no to protein cookies, especially if they are healthy and “good-for-you”. If you want to show off the baking skills you perfected over the pandemic, you can even bake them yourselves using cookie dough.
Chips
Back in the day, chips were everyone’s go-to “back-to-school” snack. So why not indulge in the nostalgia and bring chips as your “back-to-work” snack! But instead of sticking with your typical greasy, high-calorie potato chips, consider going for the high protein, low carb keto chips. These “good-for-you” chips will be so good that no one at your office will even be able to tell the difference.
Crackers
Crackers are one of the most practical, shelf-stable snacks around. Pair them with hummus, yogurt-dill dips, or even nut butter for that old-school snack experience! Thankfully, you won’t need to sacrifice taste for health; crackers on the market are using low carb, quality ingredients so you will be snack all you want at work, without feeling bloated and sluggish.
Gummies
Did you know you can still enjoy gummy bears without the horrible sugar crash? Healthy gummies use natural flavors and plant-based sweeteners, which make them perfect even if you’re on a paleo, vegan, and keto diet. They’re sweet, easy to eat, and easy to carry — the perfect on-the-go office snack or dessert.
What’s In Your “Back-to-Work” Lunchbox?
As you slowly head back into the office, bring any of these 10 snacks to stand out among your colleagues! But, if you’re wondering how these snacks fit into the current nutritional snack landscape, here’s a quick recap: on-the-go snacks are seeing a resurgence. So food visionaries and entrepreneurs that act fast and create shelf-stable snacks will be able to capture market share. But to sustain their market share, brands will need to explore food innovations and make sure their snacks hit all the nutritional specifications consumers are looking for today.