9 Healthy Snack Options for the Busy Businesswoman   

The office can be a convenient place to over-snack with free snacks and vending machines in the break rooms or colleagues bringing in tasty delights for everyone to enjoy.  Be prepared and don’t overindulge with a few delectable yet healthy goodies of your own.  Take advantage of the seasonal fruits and vegetables for your office snacks this summer.

Cottage Cheese and Berries
Grab a handful of your favorite berries (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, or a mixture of them all) and toss them over a cup of low-fat cottage cheese for a healthy snack that’s full of protein, calcium, and fiber that will keep you mentally sharp for the remainder of the work day.

Health benefit: Cottage cheese provides protein & calcium. Strawberries and Blueberries have been known to help reduce heart disease and improve mental health. 

Strawberry-Peanut Crunch
Think of this as a lady-like version of a PB & J. Spread ½ tablespoon of creamy peanut butter on a round whole wheat cracker and top with a strawberry slice and a drizzle of honey.  A snack portion would be 6-8 crackers and 2 sliced strawberries.

Health benefit: Peanut butter is packed-full of heart-healthy fat, monounsaturated fat, and strawberries have been known to help protect your heart and blood vessels. 

Mini Turkey Melts
The low-carb, healthy version of our favorite lunch sandwich. Roll a thin slice of turkey (or your favorite deli meat) around a slice of cheese, slice into four mini-rolls and top on thick slices of a Roma tomato. Heat or eat cold.  Add another tomato and roll of meat and cheese for days when you need more than just a small snack.

Health benefit: Rich in calcium, protein, vitamins A and C and folic acid. Low in carbs.

Spicy Edamame
A little Asian inspired snack to break-up your work day and keep you energized.  Toss a handful of steamed soybeans in small lunch bag or container and mix-in lime-juice, red pepper flakes, and garlic salt. For an extra kick, add a drop of Sriracha. Shake it up and it’s ready to eat.

Health benefit: A half a cup of edamame has 9 grams of fiber, which is over 1/3 of a woman’s Daily fiber goal of 25 grams.

Cucumber & Hummus Bites
Slice a chilled cucumber into thick round slices [add carrot slices and bell peppers for a vegetable medley].  Add ½ tablespoon of low-fat black bean or roasted red pepper hummus to the top (low-fat hummus is made with less olive oil). Add a feta cheese crumbles and black olive slices to make it a Greek inspired snack.

Health benefit: Chickpeas are rich in protein and have been known to help prevent the buildup of cholesterol in the blood vessels. And cucumbers have been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Strawberry-Graham Crackers
For those who suffer from a mid-afternoon sweet tooth, break a cinnamon or chocolate graham cracker into small pieces and top with low-fat cream cheese and strawberry slices. A healthy alternative to a candy bar or cookie with calcium and nutrients to get you back to your afternoon office duties.

Health benefit: Keeps you away from the vending machine and strawberries are good for the heart.

Spiced Popcorn
For a spicy afternoon snack, pour ¼ of a bag of popped salted popcorn in a small lunch bag, add four dashes of chili powder, two dashes of paprika and a dash of cayenne pepper.  Shake it up and enjoy!

Health benefit: Red chili peppers, such as cayenne, have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels and reduce the formation of blood clots. 

Egg Salad Nibbles
For a classic summer snack that is light and delicious, take one large hardboiled egg and one large hardboiled egg white (remove and discard the yolk). Chop into small pieces and mix in Dijon mustard, low-fat mayonnaise, and a little relish. Top on pita chips or whole wheat crackers.

Health benefit: Eggs are a great source of protein and contain many vitamins and minerals that are essential parts of a healthy and balanced diet. 

Frozen Grape Poppers
For those hot summer days when you’re looking for something frozen to keep you cool, try freezing a cup of green or red seedless grapes and stashing them in your office freezer (careful, they have been known to disappear). Add some walnuts or almonds for healthy fat and protein.

Health benefit Grapes contain powerful antioxidants, which may slow or prevent many types of cancer.