Healthy and Frugal Office Snacks

It's 3 o-clock, and office workers' energy levels are sagging. Many head downstairs or down the hall to the vending machines.

I know what it's like to need something to get me through to dinner and give me the stamina to tackle that next document. But rather than visit the vending machines or the cafeteria, I satisfy my cravings with food from home.

One of the easiest home-made options is microwave popcorn. It's simple to keep a jar of popcorn and the supplies to microwave it in a desk drawer. Yes, almost every office vending machine sells microwave popcorn. But you can make a healthier version and bring it to work at a fraction of the cost.

To make your own, place ¼ cup of un-popped kernels in a brown paper lunch bag and press the air out. Fold the top of the bag several times to seal it. When you're hungry, microwave the bag on high for 1-2 minutes, until it stops expanding and the kernels are popping infrequently. If you like spicy food, season it with chili powder or curry powder instead of the usual salt.

Shelf-stable foil packages of tuna, Laughing Cow cheese, crackers, home-made granola, graham crackers, and peanut butter require no refrigeration.

While more perishable than these, fresh fruit-apples, pears, oranges, bananas, clementines, and grapefruit-can withstand several hours outside the refrigerator.

With these ingredients at hand in your office, and a knife, you can try the following:

(1) Tuna fish and crackers
(2) Laughing Cow cheese spread on an apple, pear, or crackers
(3) An apple and peanut butter
(4) Peanut butter and graham crackers

Also consider single-serving, shelf-stable packages of pudding, applesauce, and canned fruit. You can always stow a spoon in a desk drawer.

If you have an office fridge, options are more numerous. You can keep several days' worth of small containers of yogurt, cottage cheese, and fresh vegetables. If you're lucky enough to have a fridge, try:
(1) Carrot sticks and hummus or peanut butter
(2) Greek, plain, or vanilla yogurt topped with fruit, jam, and/or granola
(3) An apple and cheddar cheese
(4) Sliced turkey wrapped around apple pieces.