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| Thursday, January 29, 2009 |
| Smart Office Snacks |
I’ve converted our office to healthy snacking.
It all started with buying milk for the office and then trying to make sure my big boss, Bob, would have healthy snacks available (rather than the unhealthy granola bars he was eating). I also brought in some nice Vietnamese cinnamon, so now he uses that in his coffee instead of artificial sweetener. For a holiday gift one year, Nancy bought a cereal dispenser for the kitchen, so I’ve been filling it with Kashi Heart to Heart cereal ever since.
Everybody here loves Heart to Heart. It’s a wonderful snack, just a handful at the time, “dry” or with milk or yogurt. I actually put it in my hot tea!
Then, the programmers were eating lots of chocolate so they wouldn’t leave their desks (and would get all the Sensei upgrades done in a timely matter). After a couple months of being on the chocolate diet, the programmers complained that the dietitians had all the healthy stuff.
Each shopping trip I’ve added new foods, and now we have tasty healthy snacks and everyone is happy! I also get almonds, dried cranberries, Kashi granola bars and the Kashi protein and fiber bars because they are coated with chocolate. I want to keep everyone’s chocolate cravings under control and if they have just a little taste, they are ok. But the all time favorite snack is dried mangoes. Oh dear, they are so good! They have this intense flavor, and letting them soften slowly in my mouth transports me to the Caribbean every time. One does not need a lot because they really satisfy the “sweet tooth”. Of course they also contain sugar and sulfur, but a little mango goes a long way.
Healthy snacking is so important to keep our brain functioning properly and also to keep our mood “somewhat” under control. Some people get irritated, light headed or lack concentration when their blood sugar drops, so it’s important to have a snack mid afternoon. I recommend combining some carbohydrates, protein and fiber to make the energy last longer.
Here are a few examples:- Healthy whole grain granola bar with nuts or low fat milk
- Cereal with low fat milk or yogurt
- Fresh or dried fruit with nuts, reduced fat cheese, or peanut butter
- Crackers and reduced fat cheese or peanut butter
- Yogurt with fresh or dried fruit
- Vegetable soup
- Half a sandwich
- A baked sweet potato with a little cheese
- Raw vegetables or vegetable juice and cheese or deli meat
Think about it, because you had a healthy snack in the afternoon, you will not be as hungry when you get home. You can take time to prepare a nice dinner, rather than stopping at a fast food place and you will also cut down on the evening calorie intake. You will then go to bed feeling “lighter”, sleep better, and wake up happy and feeling good. All this ‘feeling good’ stuff just from a healthy snack. Marvelous! What’s your favorite healthy snack?
- Josée
Labels: fruits and vegetables, healthy eating, Josee
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posted by My Sensei @ Thursday, January 29, 2009   |
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