Healthy, Portable Snacks for Work & Play
There are plenty of delicious and satisfying snacks you can make (and eat) while standing in your kitchen. The trouble is, the time when we need the extra energy from a balanced snack is when we’re out and about in the world, getting things done. If you’ve eaten one too many doughnuts while sitting at your desk, chewed endlessly on a protein bar while dashing about in your car, or found yourself crashing in the afternoon when you still have creative work to do, we have good news for you: portable snacks don’t have to be boring and we’ve assembled a list of snacks and containers to check out. Here are some of our favourite ideas for healthy work and on-the-go snacks.
Crunchy Cravings
With a whole collection of chips and puffs that are tasty and nutritious, we’re big fans of Vegan Rob’s. Brussels sprouts have never been so portable or tasted so good...
Making your own chips allows you to control the fat and salt content, and using sweet potatoes adds fibre, calcium, and vitamins A & C to your diet.
Oven baked, dehydrated, and in all different flavours: kale is the new potato. These chips are easy to make and pack, and they’ll help you skip that unhealthy trip to the vending machine.
With endless combinations of fruits and seasonings, it’s easy to make a couple of batches of fruit chips on the weekend and have snacks for work on hand for the whole week.
Roasted seaweed, or nori is high in vitamin B12, potassium and iodine. It’s readily available in most grocery and health food snacks, and is a great ready-to-eat option to satisfy your salt craving in a healthy way.
Taking It To Go
These stylish lunch pouches are a beautiful step up from the usual brown bag, reducing waste and keeping work snacks cold (or warm) too.
Dips For Days
This five minute hummus recipe is as easy (and fast) to prepare as the title suggests. It’s also simple to modify; add ingredients such as roasted red peppers, artichoke or beets to switch up the flavour. If you do not have five minutes, hummus is one of the most affordable snacks out there. We love that hummus lasts for weeks in the fridge and you can dip apples, crackers, green peppers...you name it.
This usually dairy-based dip gets a vegan makeover using soy yogurt. Dunk your favourite veggies or pita bread for a quick and easy afternoon bite.
Looking for something a little more decadent? Try dipping your favourite fruits in this chocolatey heaven, made thick and creamy using avocados.
Craving something cheesy? This vegan dip uses tapioca starch to get that gooey, stretchy texture just right. This one isn’t quite as mobile as the others, we’ll admit, but it’s good to go after a quick trip to the office microwave.
This vegan cheese can be used as a dip or a spread, or add a little hot water to take it up a notch into a mouthwatering queso.
Taking It To Go
Dips may be a little trickier to bring along to the office, but that’s no reason to leave them behind. We love these bento boxes and condiment sets from Trudeau because they make it easy to pack up dips (and dippers) for your busy day.
Balls & Bars
A SnackConscious bestseller, the SnackBomb was specifically designed by our team to give you maximum energy. Formulated to combine the right amount of protein, beneficial fats and fiber to give you 2+ hours of mental and physical energy. Grab a bag and kick the afternoon slump to the curb.
This is a great starting recipe for quick and easy granola bars that don’t require any time in the oven. You can also choose additional add-ins like nuts or dried fruits to change the flavours to your taste.
Peanut Butter Cup Energy Bites
They taste like peanut butter cups and they’re full of protein and whole ingredients. Say no more, just sign us up.
Sometimes you want your snack to look just as good as it tastes. Oh She Glows provides this fantastic recipe for beautiful energy balls.
Chocolate Coconut Energy Bites
These little bites pack a punch of chocolate flavour, and they’re a lot better for you than that office bowl of leftover Halloween candy.
Taking It To Go
Pop a handful of energy bombs (or balls, bites, or blasts, the name choice is yours) into one of these containers for easy transport all day.
Mix & Match
There are a million different options for trail mix—start with these 21 suggestions and work from there, the sky’s the limit.
For a twist on the everyday, SnackConscious’s SnackCrunch uses roasted chickpeas to replace the usual sweetness of trail mix with a savoury spin. It’s available in four flavours.
This mix uses dried pineapple and coconut to add a little tropical pina colada flavour to your afternoon snack any time of year.
Want your trail mix in an even more portable form? This recipe bundles all your favourite ingredients into a tasty vegan cookie you don’t need to feel guilty about.
A big step forward from the old school peanuts and raisins (not that there’s anything wrong with those), this recipe uses superfoods like hemp seeds and goji berries to amp up the nutritional benefits. Your body will thank you.
When Lasting Energy Matters
Because Brown Rice Syrup Is Not An Ingredient You Want To EatTaking It To Go
Ditch the wasteful plastic and check out these reusable silicone snack bags. They’re light and flexible, making them practical for work or play.
Wrap It Up
Peanut Butter & Banana Roll Ups
The grown up version of your childhood PB&J, these roll ups are incredibly simple to throw together, and provide a great boost of carbs, protein and potassium to get you through until dinner.
If you’re craving a burrito but that feels a little heavy for 4 pm, squirrel away some of these Mexican roll ups in your work bag tomorrow morning. They’re super fast to make, and the fresh veggies inside offer a nice pick-me-up.
Tempeh bacon gives these tiny wonders a smoky, savoury flavour that will stop your hunger in its tracks.
Instead of a tortilla, these wraps use thin slices of zucchini to hold in all the pesto-y, protein-rich goodness. Add a side container of marinara sauce for dipping to be the envy of your coworkers.
You may have loved the store-bought version as a kid, but now you know they’re full of sugar and chemicals. This homemade version uses whole fruits and a food processor to make a similar treat with much healthier results.
Taking It To Go
Roll ups are technically finger foods, but sometimes we stuff them a little too full and need a back up fork. We love these collapsible utensils; they’re small enough to keep in your bag all the time.
With the right travel containers and a little advance planning, packing interesting, healthy snacks for work or the road can be a breeze. What are some of your favourite things to snack on when you’re on the move? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments section.
