Quick Snacks for Energy and Focus While Working from Home
With companies everywhere taking employees’ safety into account and issuing work from home orders, a lot of people who never took work home with them are having to learn how. At Network Health, we’ve closed our office to visitors and have our workforce working safely from the comfort of their own homes.
In addition to providing some tips for how to make the most out of the downtime that comes along with the #SaferAtHome mandate in Wisconsin, we encourage healthy habits and activities while in mild quarantine.
After all, it can be easy to watch healthy habits get derailed by a change in routine. Being around the house also has the additional temptations of food in the pantry and comfortable spaces where it’s easy to overdo the lounging.
Great Snack Ideas for Working from Home
Today, we want to focus on some quick snacks you can make for yourself around the house. Working from home demands a level of focus and attention that you may not be used to while on the clock at the office. Here are the best quick snacks you can make that don’t require a lot of time to put together.
Get Prompt Pep from a Handful of Almonds
Feeling that mid-day dip in energy? A medium handful of almonds is a great way to recharge your body with immediately-accessible energy in the form of monosaturated fats, Omega-3 acids and protein. Almonds’ composition also makes them extremely filling making you less likely to reach for a bag of less healthy food a half-hour later.
Pro tip: Go for the unsalted variety to avoid unnecessary sodium.
Dark Chocolate Comes Through with Instant Invigoration
Chocolate may seem like it doesn’t belong in an article about healthy snack options. Dark chocolate (>85% cacao) is loaded with antioxidants and provides instant energy from caffeine. It’s also shown to increase your brain’s production of happy chemicals called endorphins.
Pro tip: Limit snack consumption to about 25 g (about the size of half a typical chocolate bar).
Enjoy Major Mojo Courtesy of Berries and Goat Cheese
If you’re a fan of fruit and cream, you’ll love this combination of berries and goat cheese that offers fruity sweetness and a smooth flavor to balance it. Cottage cheese is another great option to pair with berries. It’s higher in calories but has more protein – making it an excellent snack following exercise.
Pro tip: Raspberries, strawberries and blackberries all have less than 7 net carbohydrates per 100g, so they make excellent choices. Blueberries can be eaten as a treat but have more sugar than the others.
Tap into Professional Power Pronto with Hummus
Hummus is a delicious paste-like dip made from chickpeas. Because of this, it’s high in protein, fiber and a huge range of vitamins your body needs. Due to its consistency, hummus is best enjoyed as a dipping agent for crisp, fresh vegetables like cucumbers, celery, green peppers and broccoli.
Pro tip: Hummus has a texture that allows you to mix other ingredients in with ease. It’s also simple to make at home, requiring only chickpeas, olive oil, acid (like lemon juice) and spices. Add some hot sauce, pesto or even low-calorie dessert topping to make it the flavor you savor.
Discover some Zippy Zest with Peanut or Nut Butter
Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter and other nut butters are loaded with healthy fats that provide instantly accessible energy and keep you feeling full and your mind from wandering. Remember, a hungry tummy is a distracted mind. Just make sure to avoid varieties with complicated ingredients lists (anything more than five ingredients is too many) or hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oils.
Pro tip: While two tablespoons out of the jar make a great snack, dipping apple slices adds some energy via carbohydrates that will also help keep you tuned into the tasks at hand.
Stay Hydrated
We didn’t want to muddy this one up too much (no pun intended). Like many people, you’re probably missing the office gossip and conversation that takes place around the water cooler or in the cafeteria. Working from home can, unfortunately, mean skipping some of those healthy routines you’ve naturally added into your workday. Make sure to be drinking regularly and consuming at least 64 oz. of water per day.
Pro tip: Coffee and green tea hydrate. Both also contain caffeine which will help you add some energy to your workday and stay focused on your projects. Be mindful of caffeine which experts recommend limiting to 400 mg/day.
Enjoy a Healthy and Relaxing #SaferAtHome
Although disruption to routines like the shelter-in-place and #SaferAtHome orders is never ideal, it can be a time to reassess and adjust your routines for optimal health. If you’re a Network Health member and have any questions about how your Network Health membership can help you live your healthiest life, we’re here to help. Reach out to us today and our wellness coordinators can help you get into a healthy routine.
