Desktop Dining – Healthy Meals at Work that Work
Many of us eat our lunches or other meals at our desks while writing e-mails and answering the phone between bites. Of course the best advice is to avoid desk dining for a number of reasons, including mental and physical health. However, sometimes it is inevitably going to happen; you are just too busy to get away. These tips may help you eat healthy at work.
Meal planning
Take the time to plan your meal before digging in to avoid taking bite after bite of food that you do not even taste.
Exercise
If you can not get away for the full 30- to 60-minute meal period, at least spend 10 minutes walking briskly around the building.
Clean and safe
The average desk harbors many more microbes than the average toilet. Keep disinfecting wipes close at hand, so you can clean off the area where you will eat.
Small meals and snacks
Do not eat just because the clock tells you that it is time to. Some people who are very busy at work find it easiest to have a few small snacks spread throughout the day, rather than sitting down to eat a meal that they may not even really want, just because it is “time.”
Beverages
Do not forget to keep track of those beverages. Many people gulp down cup after cup of coffee with heavy cream and sugar, and wonder why they are not able to lose weight.
Carbohydrate, protein, and fat
Remember to have some carbohydrate, protein, and fat in your meal. This will help to keep you full for longer.
Healthy choices
The little things count. It is easy to tell yourself that these choices have a minimal impact on the healthfulness of your meal, but all of those minute details add up at the end of the day.
Other options
If you absolutely must work while you eat, choose the least taxing project. Perhaps it is better to take a shorter meal period and concentrate on your food, rather than take a longer meal period and work the entire time.
If you choose to dine away from the desk then make those same smart choices. If snacks are what you prefer then make sure to balance those too! A healthy nut or seed butter goes great with apples, celery, or whole grain crackers….or just by the spoon! Take a lick at these desktop dining tips and keep your work world healthy!
Of you want to pack a delicious and nutritious lunch for your workday give our Apple and Spinach Salad recipe a try. The Sweet Seed Butter Dressing will tantalize your taste buds while keeping your meal healthy. Throw on some grilled chicken for some extra protein.
