Vending machine makeover: tips for healthy snacking

Spend a moment taking stock of your usual snack choices. If you’re like most people, it’s not a pretty sight: fast food, candy, chips, soda, cheese, crackers, calorie and sugar-laden juices, empanadas, greasy street food, etc. Many of these tempting items can be found in vending machines at work and public places. If you’re eating snacks from the vending machine, it’s time for a makeover! You can eat healthy on the go and make better snack choices.

As a health coach, I have observed that the biggest obstacle to eating healthy is planning. It means you buy the right food, prepare it, and have it available when the munchies strike. If it’s not easy to grab a healthy snack and they’re not readily available, you will be more likely to reach for the junk.

Planning tips

1. Decide when you are going to shop.

2. Decide what snacks you want for the upcoming week. Make a list.

3. Shop.

4. Prepare the snacks so they can be easily packed for work. Examples of snack prep:

• Put nuts into a Ziploc bag.
• Distribute hummus into five small Tupperware containers so you can grab one each day.
• Slice bell peppers.
• Put together a homemade trail mix.
• Hard boil a batch of eggs so you can grab and go.

5. Before snacking, check in with yourself. Are you thirsty? If unsure, drink some water anyway and see if the hunger pangs diminish or remain strong. Are you craving sweet/salty food due to stress? Take a couple moments to breathe and be still.

6. Set your intention to eat healthier snacks in writing. If you need to, give yourself a pep talk or leave reminder notes around your work area.

7. Creating a healthy habit takes time. Celebrate your successes and don’t let a mistake completely derail you.

Remember that healthy snacks are meant to maintain your energy and should not lead you to crash. Eating sugary snacks like candy, soda, or even juices can lead to initial spikes in energy followed by a debilitating crash. Be careful to check the nutrition facts of snacks like granola bars and yogurt, as they can have very high levels of sugar. Choosing plain yogurt and adding your own toppings is the way to go.

Healthy snack ideas

• Nuts (raw, unroasted)
• Whole grain bread & peanut butter
• Berries/Nuts (homemade trail mix)
• Fruits: Apples/Oranges/Kiwis/Bananas
• Fruit salad
• Veggies with hummus: celery, carrots, sliced bell peppers
• Hard boiled eggs (choose organic and free range if possible)
• Boiled or sautéed greens with garlic/onion (kale, swiss chard, spinach, collard greens, etc.)
• Kale chips (easy recipe here)

I’m sure you all have great ideas to add to the list. Share your best healthy snacks in the comments section.

With the right mindset and by following the simple tips found above, you can makeover your snacks from vending machine energy bombs into delicious healthy snacks that keep you productive all day long.

Happy snacking!

 

By guest contributor,  Catarina Rivera.