The 7 Best Healthy Work Snacks to Have on Hand Year-Round

At my current job as a legal assistant, we have drawers of snacks in the kitchen that we can grab & go any time. While I love munching on Oreos, Cheetos, Chex Mix, etc., when I have a craving for these salty/sweet snacks, I want to have some healthy options on hand too. I keep a drawer of healthy work snacks at my desk that is always (most of the time…) stocked with nutrient-dense options. So when a snack craving hits, I can reach for something that will keep me satisfied and feeling energized, instead of always grabbing a high sugar/salt option.

Healthy work snacks to always have on you at your job

My job is the typical 9-5, so I always have snack cravings throughout the day. I can’t remember the last time I went a full day without having a snack craving between breakfast & lunch and/or lunch & the end of the workday. If I’m craving a really sweet or salty option, I’ll venture down to the kitchen to grab a bag of chips or some cookies. But most of the time, I’m craving a healthier option that will leave me full until my next meal, without the sugar crash an hour later.

I wanted to share a few options that I keep on hand at my desk. So here are the 7 healthy work snacks that I try to keep on me at all times…

1. Clif Protein Z-Bars & RX Bars

I was looking for a good protein bar option that is also gluten-free. Back in high school, I used to be obsessed with Clif bars and would eat one before every cross country practice. Sadly, regular Clif bars are not gluten-free.

Related: My 30-Day Gluten-Free Challenge

But luckily for me, Clif Builders bars and Clif Z-Bars (Protein) are both gluten-free options! I like the Builders bars too, but honestly, the Cookies & Creme Z-Bars just can’t be beat. I’ve tried a lot of protein bar options in my day and these just take the cake.

They are a kids version, so they’re a little bit smaller than your typical protein bar. But if I’m still hungry after eating one, I’ll just grab another one or snack on something else I have handy. Typically though, I’ll end up hungry an hour before lunch, so I want something small that will only fill me up for an hour.

If you haven’t tried these, I would highly recommend the Cookies & Creme flavor. But they also have flavors like chocolate mint, chocolate peanut butter, etc., if that’s more up your alley.

I also love the RX (kids or regular) bars! They have minimal ingredients, are super healthy, and still somehow delicious. I like the chocolate chip flavor, but a few of my other faves are chocolate sea salt, peanut butter, and PB & berries.

2. Dried Fruit (Especially Trader Joe’s Dried Mango!)

Trader Joe’s has 2 options for dried mango and I’m obsessed with both. They have a regular dried mango (which is the juiciest & most flavorful dried mango I’ve had) and a chili mango. The dried mango with chili powder has a little extra heat to it, which spices things up. I usually end up going for the regular dried mango, but if I’m craving something sweet & spicy, I’ll grab the chili mango!

3. Dates & Almond Butter

Ok… I’m not sure if you guys have tried a dates and nut butter combo, but don’t knock it til you try it! It is seriously phenomenal. The combination of sweetness from the dates and a little salty/savory from the almond butter is to die for. I could snack on these babies allll day.

I just buy a bag of pitted dates (you can buy them at any grocery store) and almond butter & dip the dates into the jar. As far as healthy work snacks go, it’s a little easier to buy these little packs of almond butter or peanut butter. But you can easily bring in the full jar too if you have room at your desk!

If you are using a full jar of nut butter, I’d recommend grabbing a fork to dip the dates in. It just makes it a much less messy experience, which we can all appreciate at our desks!

4. Nut Thins

Since I’ve been eating gluten-free, I’ve developed a serious obsession with Nut Thins. They’re basically the gluten-free alternative for a cracker, but they have an extra crunch since they’re made from almonds. When I first tried these, I would always get the lightly salted version and they were… okay. But recently, I switched things up and have been buying the cheddar cheese ones, and guys… They are SO GOOD.

They taste like Goldfish but in almond thin form… That’s the best way I can describe them. I’ll sit and munch on them all day. Anytime I have a salty/savory/cheesy craving, this is what I go for.

They have a bunch of other flavors too (like honey cinnamon & smokehouse) that I’ll have to try out eventually. (Once my cheddar cheese obsession wears off…)

5. Homemade (Healthier) Baked Goods

If you know me, you know I have a serious sweet tooth. I always like to have something sweet on hand, or else I know I’ll end up running downstairs and grabbing Oreo’s or Famous Amos every single day. & while those are delicious, I’m trying to eat gluten-free (for digestive issues I’ve been having) and those are definitely not gluten-free options.

So, to cope with this super serious issue, I’ll bring in gluten-free baked goods! I love baking & will end up baking something most weekends. If you’re looking for a new recipe to try out, check out one of my recent gluten-free recipes:

• Peppermint Triple Chocolate Muffins
• Apple Cinnamon Banana Bread
• Mocha Chocolate Chip Energy Balls

If it’s a baked good that can be kept at room temperature, I’ll just throw a few into a storage container and keep it at my desk. If it’s something that needs to be refrigerated, I just keep it in the fridge downstairs and go grab it whenever a craving hits.

6. Dark Chocolate Covered (Anything)

Like I said above, I have a serious sweet tooth. So when it comes to healthy work snacks, you know I had to throw in a few dark chocolate options. First of all, I’ve been OBSESSED with chocolate-covered espresso beans lately. Coffee & chocolate are honestly my 2 favorite things in the food/drink world, so this combination is just perfection.

Another couple of options I love to munch on are dark chocolate peanut butter cups (or almond butter cups), chocolate covered almonds, and chocolate-covered blueberries. Really, put chocolate on anything and I’ll be happy to snack on it. 😜

7. Mixed Nuts or Trail Mix

Right now, I have a big bag of Trader Joe’s everything but the bagel seasoned cashew & almond blend at my desk. I also end up buying the big bags of Blue Diamond almonds a lot as well. For some reason, the lightly salted almonds are the absolute best to me. I don’t like the completely unsalted ones, but the regular salted are a little too much… Is that just me??

They have tons of options for different trail mixes at Target I’ve noticed. I’m sure they do at other grocery stores too, but I’m Target-obsessed so that’s what I’ll stick to on this one! Anything involving almonds & cashews, I’m down for. (Throw a little chocolate in there & it’s automatically 10x better.)

BONUS: Popcorn!

I had never cared much about popcorn until I found these freaking delicious popcorn seasonings. Now, I’ll bring a mini bag of popcorn to work (I never finish a full bag and then end up feeling bad). Then I just top it with this white cheddar seasoning and it is seriously incredible. I used to be obsessed with the Smart Food White Cheddar and that was the only popcorn I ever thought was that good. So this is basically an easier version of that!

Which of these healthy work snacks was your fave?

I like to keep all (or most) of these options stocked at my desk at all times. You never know what craving is gonna hit you midway through the day, so it’s good to have options! Comment below & let me know which of these healthy work snacks was your favorite! Or if you have an awesome suggestion that you like to keep on hand, let me know in the comments as well. 🙂

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