While many of us try to follow a balanced diet, a busy work schedule can leave you reaching for snacks to give you an energy boost throughout the day. Recent research from the Almond Board of California has revealed that 63 per cent of workers rely on a snack drawer to keep them going - but nearly half keep their stash a secret due to feelings of guilt.
However, dietician and The Food Hospital star Lucy Jones has revealed that there's no need to be embarrassed, as healthy snacking can actually contribute positively to your overall health - and has shared her top tips with HELLO! Online for making getting the most out of your snack drawer…
"As long as your snacking is balanced and portion sizes are sensible, a snack drawer can be a brilliant asset in helping you throughout the working day, especially if you're prone to hunger pangs or struggle to fit three regular meals around a busy schedule," she says.
"Multi-tasking snacks such as almonds are an excellent item to keep stocked in your snack drawer as they help to boost energy between meals, provide essential nutrients and they're high in protein so are likely to keep you feeling fuller for longer."
Healthy snacking at work can be good for your wellbeing
Lucy's top tips for a healthy snack drawer:
Mix and match
Ensure you have a variety of snacks in your drawer for every flavour craving. Whether you're hankering for a sweet treat or something spicy and savoury, there's plenty you can stock up on. Invest in a reliable snacking staple like some trusty almonds - not only do these nutritious nuts add a satisfying crunch, but they’re really tasty and work in partnership with a range of flavours. Having a versatile snack to hand means you'll stick to your snack drawer, without feeling tempted to stray.
Be a selective snacker
Snacking is an excellent way to keep our energy levels up, particularly on the super busy days when fitting in three meals is a challenge. It is important to make sure your snacks are delivering all the nutrients your body needs, so look over your drawer contents and make sure all the boxes are ticked. Almonds deliver on fibre, protein and magnesium, for example.
Nuts such as almonds make for a great healthy option
Portion to perfection
We've all been there, opening a packet of crisps or biscuits only to realise we've gobbled the whole lot. Portion distortion is one of the biggest causes of obesity, so keeping an eye on how much we eat is the most sensible way to snack. Filling your drawer with multipack and big bags is a fast track to temptation, so think about batch snacking. Plan ahead by pre-portion sizing your snacks in sandwich bags, small Tupperware boxes or even handy little tins. That way you'll become disciplined as to how much you should be eating.
If you're not sure, here's a good guide for daily portion sizes of food groups:
Nuts: 1 handful of 23 almonds (28g)Carbohydrates: 1 medium slice of bread (40g), 3 tbsp of breakfast cereal (30g), 3 tbsp of porridge oats (50g)Dairy: 3 tbsp Yoghurt (125g), a matchbox size piece of hard cheese (30g)Fruit and vegetables: 1 apple/pear/orange/banana (80g), a handful (10-12) grapes/ berries (80g), 2 plums/apricots/kiwis/ satsumas 80g, 1small handful/1 tbsp of dried fruit (30g),half a pepper/1 medium tomato (80g)
For more information visit almonds.co.uk
