If you’re like most of us, you’re snacking more while you’re working from home. But snacking doesn’t have to derail your healthy eating habits — you just need to make it convenient to eat healthy!
It only makes sense. When you’re at home, odds are that the refrigerator and pantry are much closer to your workspace than they are in the office. It can be so tempting when something sweet or savory is only steps away.
If that temptation is familiar to you, you aren’t alone. It’s led to a phenomenon that has been coined the “quarantine 15,” as people packed on a few extra pounds with the fridge so close by all the time.
We aren’t here to tell you that you need to stop snacking. In fact, snacks can play a key role in a healthy diet. The trick to stay healthy is to make your snacks healthier.
These tips to stay healthy can point you in the right direction:
Make Grabbing Fruits & Veggies Convenient
When you’re looking for a snack, you’re much more likely to grab foods that are easily “grabbable.” Make these healthy foods grabbable by prepping them.
Wash fruits and veggies when you bring them home from the store. Place fruits that don’t require refrigeration in a prominent spot on the counter. Peel and slice as needed.
Plate Your Food
Unless you have single serving containers of a certain food, it’s best to pull the food out of its original container before eating. When you eat out of the bag or box, you’re more likely to keep serving yourself well beyond a single serving!
You can make this even more convenient by parsing out your snack foods ahead of time. Divide up a large container—of air-popped popcorn, for example—into single servings in reusable bags. This will make it easier to grab it and pour it in a bowl when you need a snack.
Put Together Mini Meals
By “mini-meals,” we don’t mean an actual entrée. Instead, we mean incorporate the basics of how to eat healthy into your snack.
Pair foods from multiple food groups together to keep you full, satisfied, and full of energy. A fruit or veggie, or a whole grain, plus a small amount of protein and a dab of healthy fat, will help you concentrate much more than that handful of pretzels alone.
Drink up
When they’re looking to eat healthy, many people forget entirely about what they’re drinking! But beverages play a key role in staying healthy.
Prioritize drinking water throughout the day. This can help you maintain adequate hydration, helping you stave off unpleasant effects like headaches and diminished productivity while also keeping you full. Choosing water instead of sugary drinks can also help you limit your sugar and calorie intake.
Don’t Work & Eat
This isn’t a tip about what to eat. It’s a tip about how to eat. Did you know you’re much more likely to overeat when you multitask while eating?
Take a break to sit and snack — and do it in a space other than where you’re working. This can provide a much needed “reset” for your mind, and it will make you much less likely to overindulge or choose unhealthy foods.
