It’s not easy to stay on top of your well-being when you’re working full time. From factors such as tiredness and stress to a lack of food options or little time to prepare your own, there are many reasons why you might find it difficult to make healthy choices where snacking is concerned. However, making better choices in terms of what you eat in between meals could have a positive impact on your daily experience, from how you feel to how productive you’re able to be.

Making healthier snacking choices

It’s not that difficult to snack better and you might find that it makes you feel healthier too. These are some snacking options that will not only help you feel full but also be more effective throughout the day.

• Popcorn. Easy to eat at your desk and available in sweet or salt options, popcorn is a great healthy snack because it’s also rich in amino acid, which drives the production of serotonin. As we all know serotonin is the feel-good hormone so you’ll get a positive boost from popcorn – just be wary of the super sweet, caramel varieties as these are loaded with sugar.
• Hummus. If you’re keen to up your daily protein intake then hummus is the one, as it’s full of the stuff. Combine this with some crunchy raw veggies – such as carrot sticks, raw red or yellow pepper or cherry tomatoes – and you’ll get all the benefits of vitamins and minerals too.
• Blueberries. Grab a handful of these sweet and tangy little fruits if you’re looking to improve your ability to concentrate throughout the day. Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, plus they help to activate the flow of essential blood and oxygen to the brain, which is what you need if you want to stay productive and alert.
• Brazil nuts. The high levels of selenium in Brazil nuts make these a great source of snacking to improve your mood. You need just three nuts to make a positive impact on anxiety, irritability and tiredness.
• Dark chocolate. If you eat too many chocolate bars in a day then try switching to dark chocolate. You’ll find that you can’t manage more than a couple of squares, as dark chocolate is quite rich. It also contains magnesium and caffeine, which can help you to concentrate better.
• Yoghurt. If you’re looking to increase your energy levels during the day then yoghurt can be a great healthy snack. On its own yoghurt is a positively protein-rich snack that’s a much better alternative to grabbing yet another coffee. You can also enhance its healthy snacking impact with toppings. For example, add some oats or a fortified cereal for extra carbohydrates or top with fruit to make your healthy snack even tastier and antioxidant-rich.

Snacking doesn’t have to be a minefield of sugar and fat that makes you tired and lethargic and piles on the pounds. There are plenty of alternative, healthier options that are simple to source and which will boost your energy, concentration and happiness levels too.