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Bringing healthy snacks to work is always a good idea. Your snacks feed your mid-morning or post-lunch hunger while also eliminating overpaying for the unhealthy foods from the office vending machine. It’s wise to choose foods with nutritional benefits, as well as ones that will satisfy your appetite. Keeping these snacks on hand at the office is a great way to stay focused and productive throughout your workday!



Here are some simple, healthy snacks that can be kept in your desk or fridge at work.



Trail Mix

This snack is not just for camping anymore! With the right combination of ingredients, trail mix can provide you with good nutrition, fill you up, and even benefit your heart’s health.



The nuts in trail mix are a good source of protein and can even help reduce the possibility of developing blood clots. Small amounts of dark chocolate mixed in can be good for your blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke. Dried fruits in trail mix, such as pineapple, apples, raisins and berries, are also good for your heart.



Choose a healthy trail mix, and enjoy in moderation. While the ingredients in trail mix are healthy, they are also relatively calorie dense. .



Yogurt

Yogurt has a variety of health benefits. The protein from yogurt helps provide your body with energy, potassium from yogurt helps decrease blood pressure and supports muscle function, and the phosphorus and calcium from yogurt work together to give you strong bones, teeth and healthy gums.



Often yogurt can be high in sugar, so try a light or non-fat yogurt to get the most out of this snack.



Crackers

Carbohydrates are an important macronutrient your body needs in order to function properly and whole grain crackers are a good snack that provides necessary carbohydrates.



Often people try to avoid carbohydrates because they link them with weight gain. This is true with easily digested carbs, such as those found in white bread, pastries and other highly processed foods.



Whole wheat crackers, on the other hand, contain complex carbohydrates. Our bodies break complex carbs down slower, fuel our bodies, and leave us feeling full longer. Other benefits from whole wheat crackers are fiber, which helps the digestive tract function, and iron, a mineral that helps transport oxygen throughout the body.



Fresh Fruit

Fruit is always a safe choice for a snack because all fruits contain some form of nutrients, ranging from potassium to vitamin C, and one serving is usually less than 100 calories. Fruit also has high water content which makes it a filling snack and can even help you lose weight. Fresh fruits can also contain carotenoids, which are natural plant chemicals that can help protect you against certain cancers, heart disease and adult onset blindness.



While fruits are often enjoyed solo, they can also top off other meals, such as sliced apples on a salad, or chocolate dipped strawberries for dessert. Fruit is delicious and healthy at any time of the day!



The next time you are hungry at work avoid the sugary, fattening choices housed in the office vending machine, and opt for a healthy snack. Healthy snacks provide a variety of benefits and will keep you feeling full for longer. Fatty, processed foods are not only bad for your health but are also quickly digested, causing you to feel hungry shortly after eating. Try some of these snacks the next time your stomach grumbles at work!

Remember the motto, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day?" Well, it is proven to be true. Being the first meal of the day, breakfast kick starts your energy level and wakes up your metabolism. That said it is important to choose healthy, slow-burning foods like whole grains and fruits that are able to control your appetite until lunch. Here are some tasty, healthy breakfast options that will help jump-start your work day:

Oatmeal- The soluble fiber in oatmeal absorbs a considerable amount of water which significantly slows down your digestive process. This results in feeling full longer, and as an added bonus, the slow digestion of oatmeal can help control weight. Try topping off your oatmeal with fruits that suit your taste buds.

Fruits- Fruits in their raw form, not pasteurized, is just what your body needs to make energy. Your body can easily digest fruits' natural sugar, called glucose, and turn it in to energy. Many other foods require your body to use lots of energy to digest and turn it in to a useable form of fuel, but fruits come in their already digestible form.

Whole Grain Wheat Bread- Your body gets energy from calories in food, and each slice of whole wheat bread provides you with 70 calories. Your body is slower to digest and absorb the complex carbohydrates of whole grain wheat bread and provides longer lasting energy to get you through your morning than the simple carbohydrates that come with white bread.

Low Fat Yogurt Parfait- Low fat yogurt is an excellent source of protein, calcium, and probiotics, which help keep the digestive system working properly. A healthy granola add-in choice is beneficial because granola is loaded with fiber, but is low in fat and sugar. Other healthy, popular additions to parfaits include dried fruit, such as raisins or cranberries, or fresh fruit, like strawberries and blueberries.

Having a healthy breakfast is important every day, but is especially important before going to work. You want to make sure you eat breakfast foods that will make you awake, aware and productive at work so the grumbling of your stomach won't distract you from your duties.

Winter brings more than just snow and Holiday festivities; it also brings cold and flu season. With your co-workers coughing and sneezing all around you, it might seem impossible to stay healthy during this hectic time. It is possible to avoid getting sick if preventative measures are taken both at work and at home, so check out these tips on how to stay healthy this winter:

1. Wash your hands: This tip might seem very obvious, but a little common sense can make a big difference. Washing your hands with hot water and soap is the most effective way to eliminate the spread of germs. It is also important to remember to wash your hands before you eat, so you don't ingest germs. Don't forget that in order to be most effective, you need to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.
2. Keep hand sanitizer nearby: There are times when you aren't always able to go wash your hands, so keep some hand sanitizer with you because it is the next best thing. After applying your hand sanitizer, scrape your fingernails against your palm to kill any germs that are hiding out under your fingernails, too.
3. Antibacterial wipes are your friend: When your co-workers cough and sneeze, those germs travel all over the office, working their way to your desk, computer, and work area. Keep a supply of antibacterial wipes on your desk and use them often. Wiping down your desk and computer mouse and keyboard is a good way to prevent picking up germs.
4. Take care of your body: In addition to keeping your hands and work space clean, it is also important to give your body the vitamins and rest it needs in order to prevent getting sick. Be sure to get at least six to seven hours of sleep per night. Also eat healthy foods that give your body the vitamins it needs to keep your immune system strong, like fruits and vegetables, and drink at least eight glasses of water per day.
5. Take a break: Finally, remember that taking small breaks are important. When you are feeling tired or sore, get up and stretch or walk around for a bit. Doing this will make you and your body feel better and more productive throughout the day.

It is inevitable that your co-workers will bring their cold and flu germs to the workplace, so it is important that you know how to avoid picking up their germs. Keep these tips in mind the next time you hear a cough or sniffle, and you will be on your way to preventing picking up a cold or the flu.