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Healthy Snacks At School And At Work

The summer vacation time is over, and we’re plunged into the whirlwind of work and school routine. Often, staying at school, university, or the office stretches for the whole day and, even with time for lunch, it’s hard to make it to dinner at home without a snack. What should you take with you in a lunch box, is what the market offers useful, and is it worth having any snacks on hand at all?

What are the benefits of snacks?

Let’s start with the latter – they are. The digestive system works in a periodic mode, every few hours there is a so-called “period of work” when motor skills and secretion increase, and readiness for the digestive process comes.

This creates the preconditions for the effective chemical processing of food and its assimilation. During the working day, the body spends energy on professional activities, as well as on movement and maintaining body position.

The brain constantly consumes glucose to perform its functions. If you do not eat for a long time, the regulatory mechanisms will not be able to supply the necessary amount of glucose to the blood without sharp fluctuations. This leads to loss of concentration, headaches, hand tremors, sweating, rumbling in the stomach, and obsessive thoughts about food. These unpleasant sensations can be avoided if you have two or three snacks with you.

Let it be a small portion of food that is tasty, and rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and vitamins with a minimum of added sugar.

What foods are good for snacking?

What can it be?

  • A mixture of dried fruits (raisins, dates, prunes, dried apricots) contains enough fructose and glucose to quickly normalize blood glucose levels.
  • Whole grain or sprouted bread, whole grain cereals, and energy bars with honey are good sources of hard-to-reach carbohydrates that take a long time to digest and provide a gradual supply of energy to the body.
  • An excellent source of protein will be pieces of dried meat, pita bread with turkey and salad, hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, and pieces of hard cheese.
  • Nuts (hazelnuts, cashews, almonds, peanuts), avocados, and fish wrapped in pita bread will satisfy the need for protein and be a source of healthy fatty acids.
  • Fruits (apples, bananas, grapes, apricot), berries (blueberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, currants) fresh or frozen added to yogurt, salad or simply consumed as a dessert will bring tastiness and, of course, benefit.
  • During the working day, lettuce leaves (on sandwiches, in pita bread, with bread), carrot and cucumber slices, and pepper slices will enrich us with vitamins and fiber, and will perfectly complement the color palette of the snack.

Why are snacks important for children and students?

Schoolchildren, students, and children attending after-school clubs should always be fed, even if they had a full breakfast in the morning. A growing organism requires more energy intake and a more frequent need to replenish it.

By introducing a healthy snacking habit, it will be easier for teenagers and adults to control their body weight, because fractional (4-5-6 times and a little bit) meals allow them to avoid overeating at night and consume maximum calories at times when physical activity is high.

The assortment of most school and student cafeterias leaves much to be desired. Crackers, chips, sodas, waffles, lollipops, and caramels are tasty and satisfying for a short time, but if consumed regularly, they will do more harm than good.

And finally. Water, fresh fruit, compote or broth, and green tea will be a good addition to a tasty snack. Let’s leave coffee for no more than 2 cups a day and for a special moment 😉

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Written by Bella Adams

I'm a professionally-trained, executive chef with over ten years in Restaurant Culinary and hospitality management. Experienced in specialized diets, including Vegetarian, Vegan, Raw foods, whole food, plant-based, allergy-friendly, farm-to-table, and more. Outside of the kitchen, I write about lifestyle factors that impact well-being.

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