Being busy has become a societal norm. People are putting their wellness last, juggling everything from work to kids, to extra curricular activities, fitness, cooking and so much more. It’s possible to be both healthy and busy, and lose weight while you’re at it. Healthy eating, and in particular, healthy snacking is a great place to start. We can end up gaining weight due to the snacks we eat and mindlessly snacking throughout the day. Being conscious about what you snack on and how much you snack is an excellent way to keep your health and weight in check. Take a look at 25 filling make ahead snacks for work!
5 Ways to Stay on Track When You’re Busy
1. Pre-Portion Your Snacks
Pre-portioning your snacks is a great way to ensure you don’t overeat and stay on track with your weight loss goals. Everyone snacks, and a lot of time, out of convenience, people reach for junk food. But even if you’re avoiding junk food, it’s still easy to lose track of just how much you’re eating. To ensure you don’t eat too much for your morning and afternoon snacks, pre-portion your snacks at the start of the day. Rather than taking a whole bag or box of your snack, place it in a bowl or container to limit the amount you bring with you.
2. Drink Lots of Water
There are so many benefits of drinking lots of water throughout the day, including keeping you awake and energized, keeping you hydrated and keeping you feeling full. Before reaching for a snack, drink some water and see if you’re still hungry afterward. Sometimes our body confuses thirst with hunger, so try filling up on water first. Drinking lots of water can also keep you from buying a fattening latte or other caffeinated drink to try to keep yourself energized.
3. Don’t Skip Breakfast
It’s really important for your body to fuel itself after you sleep. It’s gone a long time without food, so eating breakfast is a must. Eating early in the morning boosts your metabolism, meaning you’ll end up better off than if you skipped it. A healthy breakfast can be as simple as yogurt with granola, or whole wheat toast with peanut butter, so make sure you always eat in the morning no matter how busy you are!
4. Prep On Weekends
Are your weekdays and nights filled with never-ending commitments? Take advantage of the weekend and do your meal and snack prep. Spend a few hours on Sunday prepping everything you’ll need throughout the week, so you’re ready to go! Chop your veggies, pre-cook your protein, prep your dressings or sauces, and do anything else that will help you create your healthy meals during the week.
5. Eat Lots of Veggies
If you’re trying to lose weight, upping your veggies is one of the best things you can do. Veggies are so healthy and low in calories that you can pretty much eat as many as you need throughout the day. Add spinach to smoothies, eat baby carrots and cucumbers throughout the day when you’re hungry, and you can even bake veggies into your favourite desserts and baked goods. Increasing your veggie intake is a great way to stay on track!
3 Tips for Ensuring Your Snacks Are Healthy
1. Combine Protein and Carbs
Create snacks that combine protein and healthy carbohydrates. Carbs provide your body with energy and protein helps you fill up. Snacks like apple slices with almond butter, or roasted chickpeas offer a natural mix of carbs and protein that’s very healthy for you. These snacks are also high in fibre, which along with protein can make you feel more full and help you lose weight.
2. Whole Grains for the Win
Snacks with whole grains are amazing because they give you energy with staying power. Whole grains are high in nutrients and fibre, and can reduce your risk of weight gain since they help you fill up and prevent over eating. They promote healthy digestion and help feed beneficial gut bacteria, making them a very healthy thing to snack on.
3. Make Your Own Snacks
The top way to ensure your snacks are as healthy as possible is making them yourself. Anything you buy may be filled with additives that are doing no good for your health or weight goals. When you make your own snacks you know exactly what’s in them and can control the nutrients you want to add.
25 Filling Make Ahead Snacks for Work
1. Quick and Healthy Snack Bites | Two Healthy Kitchens
2. Healthy Granola Bars | Healthy Hacks
3. Southwest Spiced Crunchy Chickpeas | Salt & Lavender
4. Copycat Oven-Baked Starbucks Egg Bites | The Girl on Bloor
5. No Bake Cranberry Chocolate Almond Energy Bites | Iowa Girl Eats
6. Sweet and Salty Trail Mix | Neighbor Food
7. Oven Baked Zucchini Chips | Table for Two
8. Apple Butter Oatmeal Bars | Vegan Food and Living
9. No Bake Carrot Energy Bites | Running with Spoons
10. Peanut Butter Cup Overnight Oats | Fit Foodie Finds
11. Nut Free Energy Bites | Sweet Peas and Saffron
12. Make Ahead Fruit and Yogurt Parfait | Simply Sisson
13. Veggie Snack Packs | Budget Bytes
14. Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Muffins | Fox and Briar
15. Kale Chips | Good Housekeeping
16. Tuna Protein Box | Sweet Peas and Saffron
17. Roasted Spicy Seasoned Pumpkin Seeds | Tastes Lovely
18. Whole Wheat Banana Quick Bread | Good Housekeeping
19. Fully Loaded Snack Bar | Food Network
20. Broccoli Cheddar Muffins | Charisse Yu
21. Vegan Bento Snack Box | Sweet Peas and Saffron
22. Spiced Almond Date Balls | Healthy Recipe Ecstasy
23. Mini Burrito in a Jar | Skinny MS
24. Greek Turkey Roll Ups | Organize Yourself Skinny
25. Healthy Almond Butter Snack Cookies | Sweet Peas and Saffron
Ready to improve your weight loss and increase your health overall? These make ahead snacks are just what you need!
