Healthy packable snacks for work

With winter in full motion, it’s easy to sleep in that extra 10 minutes and run out of time to prepare food for work - but it’s important to maintain a healthy, balanced diet to face everyday feeling your best. Here at liliLife, we believe it doesn’t have to be a chore preparing your food for work everyday. That’s why we’ve hand picked these healthy, easy-to-take-to-work snacks, suitable for any work style.

Fruit… winter style!

Standing out as one of the cheapest and easiest options for your working day snack, fruit can be bought almost anywhere - you probably even drive past a fruit stall or two on your way to work!

Just chuck them into your bag for when you get peckish during the day. These are some of my favourite winter fruits.

• Bananas - mother nature’s energy food!
• Grapefruit - packed full of health benefits!
• Kiwi Fruit - don’t forget to grab a kiwi spoon knife, or just eat the skin too!
• Mandarins - so many varieties and so much to love, mmmm mandarins!
• Oranges - the perfect packable on-the-go work snack!

(Also try sliced apple and peanut butter - AMAZING combo for at the desk!!)

Go NUTS

...for unsalted cashews, almonds, peanuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts! A great energy boosting snack, nuts are also packed full of nutritional benefits (and they’re super easy to pack into a ziplock bag or container for work)! High in antioxidants and fibre, nuts can also assist with weight loss - almost too good to be true!

 

Premade smoothies/shakes

If you can fight the urge to hit snooze for the third time, or if you prepare it the night before, a packable smoothie or protein shake will help you get through the working day with ease.

With infinite different recipes and combinations available, this quick and easy on-the-go snack can be consumed at any time during a busy day - simply bring your smoothie/shake to work in either your gym shaker or travel mug! Whether you’re stuck behind the computer at the office, out running meetings or managing your on-site project, these simple recipes are sure to leave you satisfied. Just throw the ingredients into a blender until you reach desired consistency. Whole LOTTA protein - for the fitness freak on the go, this high protein shake will keep you full while you power through the day! Go you!

• 1 scoop chocolate or vanilla protein powder
• 2 Tbsp. sliced almonds
• 2 Tbsp. shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
• Ice cubes

Berry berry sweet - for the time-poor health nut, this berry good smoothie is a fun mix of all your favourite fruit which can be bought year round!

• ½ cup vanilla soy milk
• ½ cup blueberries
• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 tsp. honey
• 2 tsp. non-fat yoghurt

Dark choc, mad city - it feels oh so naughty, but this dark chocolate smoothie is jam packed with goodies and soooooo yummy!

• 3 cups unsweetened almond or coconut milk
• 2 bananas
• 2 Tbsp. dark chocolate
• 1 Tbsp. raw cacao nibs (optional)
• 2 Tbsp. organic peanut butter

Super Simple Granola Bar

With only 5 ingredients (and no baking required), these simple lunch snacks are wholesome and super tasty! You can store your granola bar in the freezer and portion it up for work each day until it’s all gone. Recipes can be customised to suit your taste, but here is one of my favourites…

• 1 cup (200 grams) dates, pitted
• 1½ cups (135 grams) rolled oats
• 1 cup (120 grams) dried cranberries (or another dried fruit/chopped nuts that you like)
• ¼ cup (84 grams) honey (or maple syrup)
• ¼ cup (64 grams) peanut butter (or sunflower seed butter)

Here are the quick and easy instructions...

1. Mix dates in a food processor for about 1 minute until small bits remain - form a "dough" like consistency (a handful of oatmeal will help if the dates aren’t separating)
2. Place oats, almonds and dates in a large mixing bowl
3. Warm honey and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix thoroughly, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout.
4. Transfer into a small baking dish lined with baking paper so they lift out easily
5. Press down firmly until evenly flattened (using something large and flat will help)
6. Cover with cling wrap, and let firm up in fridge for 20 minutes
7. Remove bars from pan and chop into even bars. Store in the freezer :)

So whether you’re time-poor, trying to save money, or just wanting to maintain a healthy balanced diet, preparing your own snacks for work each day will benefit your life in more ways than you thought. So swap that can of soda for a water, forget the chips and switch to fruit instead, your body will thank you!

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Author: Lauren Hoskin

Images: Smoothie Photo by Osha Key on Unsplash Orange Photo by Hans on Pixabay

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