Healthy Snack Ideas for when Hunger Strikes

I'm at work, sitting at my desk, quietly enjoying my day, when the fire alarm startles me. Roaring. Howling. Wailing. I pick up my personal belongings. I must. Exit. The work zone. I must. Make it. To the designated area. Is this a fire drill, I wonder. It doesn't matter. Almost two minutes later, I've made it from my cubicle on the middle of the second floor to the parking lot.

The roaring, howling, and wailing from the fire alarm continues even outside.

Minutes later, silence. It is now safe to re-enter the building.

Extreme hunger pangs strike me just like that fire alarm. Roaring. Howling. Wailing. Deep inside. Blaring in my ears. I must. Have. Something. To eat.

Thankfully, I have an escape route. And in just a few minutes, I can enjoy some healthy emergency snacks- all because I planned ahead.

My snacks are based on two ideas: Keep a non-perishable item at my desk or, after opening, in a break room refrigerator. And bring in fruits and other all-natural items to complement these weekly staples.

I try to plan for four snacks throughout the day. A ten o'clock, A 12:30, a 2 o'clock, and in those extreme emergencies, a 3:30. Sometimes, I don't snack all four times and sometimes I eat one earlier or later in the day. Regardless, it's important for me to have a plan. Extreme hunger can strike at any time.

For my 10 o'clock snack, I generally start with something light, and I don't eat it with anything else. I need just enough to make it to lunch at noon. A small fruit - whatever is in season, works to smother the crackling flame.

At the noon hour, I generally finish my lunch with another light snack. I keep multiple containers of plain yogurt in the refrigerator - with my name on them, of course. Yogurt generally makes a great light snack when mixed with whatever fruit I bring in throughout the week. Peaches. Plums. Blueberries. Bananas. Grapes. The fruit and yogurt combination is refreshing, a good way to end my lunch and quench the fire.

For early-afternoon, cashews come to my rescue. I keep a re-sealable can at my desk and I can have them one-by-one or complement them with apple slices. The saltiness of the cashew plays nicely against the sweetness of the apple. A coworker actually introduced me to this idea, so we regularly "borrow" each other's cashew stash for those mid-afternoon emergencies.

The five-alarm emergencies? They generally occur around 3:30. And in those situations, all-natural peanut butter douses the flames. I regularly keep it at my desk, though I know where to find a jar if a hunger alarm ever catches me off guard. Another coworker and I generally sit down and enjoy this healthy snack together. It pairs nicely with many natural foods, including bananas. We slice them up and slather them with the smooth and creamy peanut butter. Again, the saltiness of the peanuts contrasts with the sweetness of the bananas. It's a perfect way to get me through the last two hours of my day.

These four snacks allow me to sit and enjoy a healthy treat any time. But for those moments when I can't sit down, I reach for cheese sticks. I keep them in the fridge. If I'm headed to a meeting and I start to feel that familiar roaring, I unwrap the cheese stick and eat it on the way. It's convenient, and it extinguishes any potential smoldering.

Whenever emergencies strike, I have a plan. A healthy one: Fruits are filled with fiber, which protects against chronic diseases (The Encyclopedia of Public Health). Yogurt aids in digestion (The Columbia Encyclopedia). The proteins in peanut butter and cashews are essential for many bodily functions (A Dictionary of Zoology). The bananas are low in sodium, guarding against hypertension. Even the cheese is loaded with calcium, which is essential for strong bones and teeth (A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition).

For people like me, who live with food allergies and intolerances, these snacks are not only healthy; they're safe. They're also easily customizable for other allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities.

Once I've had a few minutes to enjoy my healthy snack - whenever the emergency strikes, I'm filled, I'm energized, and I'm satisfied. It is now safe to re-enter the work zone.

Daphne enjoys experimenting with all-natural foods and sharing her experiences with others. Contact Daphne at daphne@daphnewrites.com.

Sources:

Michael Allaby, "Protein." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com.

David A. Bender "Banana." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com.

"Calcium." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com.

"Cashew nut." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com.

"Peanut Butter." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com.

"Sodium." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com.

"Fermented milk." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com.

Joanne Slavin. "Fiber." Encyclopedia of Public Health. 2002. Encyclopedia.com.