IMPORTANT: Keep some healthy snacks at work for emergencies!

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CoryIda
CoryIda Posts: 7,887 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I learned this the hard way today. I have been eating really healthy for 2 months now and feel great. I bring healthy snacks with me to work every day, but only enough for that day (2 pieces of fruit and some peanut butter or something like that). I don't keep a supply with me at work - I didn't think I really needed to.
Well, I brought a snack this morning, thinking that I would, as usual, be able to go home for lunch.
Unfortunately, I had to take my son to a doctor's appointment and it took longer than expected. I couldn't miss any more time at work, so I had to rush back here and didn't get to have lunch. Normally, the vending machine in the building has little single serve packages of beef jerky, so I thought I would at least be able to get something like that.
Well, the vending machine didn't have any beef jerky today, was stocked with milk chocolate candy bars and chips with cheese or sour cream (I can't have milk products), and had one package of strawberry pop tarts.
I had a dilemma: I could go the entire afternoon without eating or I could eat a pop tart. I haven't had junk food in two months, but I know my body (specifically, my mood :explode: ) REALLY does not like going 7 hours between meals, so I got the pop tarts.

First: THEY ARE GROSS! I can't believe I used to eat them regularly! They taste like uncooked strawberry flavored sugar dough. Ick! :sick:
Second: Although I should still stay under my calories for the day, that was 300+ empty calories I just ate. Ugh.
Third: I am definitely going to make sure I bring a couple of "back up" snacks in case I miss lunch again in the future.

Replies

  • mrsewert
    mrsewert Posts: 430 Member
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    I have crackers, popcorn, and ramen noodles you just add hot water too in my drawer for this very reason. Things happen and I don't want to have to go to the vending machine and try and figure out what is best for me.

    Poptarts are nasty! :grumble:
  • 2bFitNTrim
    2bFitNTrim Posts: 1,209 Member
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    Hahaha....I LOVE strawberry pop tarts. Yeah, yeah, I know I know...:blushing: 49 yrs old and I've always liked them. Anyway, you are right about being prepared. One thing I do is to keep a fiber one bar in my purse just in case I get delayed or something. For work, yeah, having a backup is a good idea.
  • elainegsd
    elainegsd Posts: 459 Member
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    I have a can of wasabi almonds and another of chili lime almonds in my drawer for just that reason!

    Congratulations on eating healthily enough for long enough to change your tastes!
  • omgsayalathieo
    omgsayalathieo Posts: 103
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    I keep apples and skippy peanut butter @ all times :heart:
  • Claudia007
    Claudia007 Posts: 878 Member
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    I also had to learn the hard way. I now keep a fiber one bar in my desk at work, and one in my purse (for the weekends) should things get hectic.
    PS- I agree, poptarts are naaaaasty!
  • angiemcgovern
    angiemcgovern Posts: 64 Member
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    I keep single-serving all natural apple sauce, whole grain crackers, Jif natural peanut butter, and fiber one bars in my desk at work. They all work in a pinch and I know what I am eating. I completely understand, I hate not being able to control what I am eating now that I want to be healthier.
  • TaraDenise
    TaraDenise Posts: 164 Member
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    When I am hungry, I get weak and cranky. :explode: My employees and coworkers appreciate when I don't get that way. So, I keep oatmeal, fiber plus bars, reduced fat peanut butter crackers, popcorn, cereal, and various 100 calorie snacks in my office. I also have a mini fridge, so I keep fruit, cheese sticks, and fat free milk in the office. If by chance I'm caught with nothing to eat, someone ALWAYS volunteers to go get something for me. :laugh:
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,887 Member
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    When I am hungry, I get weak and cranky. :explode: My employees and coworkers appreciate when I don't get that way. So, I keep oatmeal, fiber plus bars, reduced fat peanut butter crackers, popcorn, cereal, and various 100 calorie snacks in my office. I also have a mini fridge, so I keep fruit, cheese sticks, and fat free milk in the office. If by chance I'm caught with nothing to eat, someone ALWAYS volunteers to go get something for me. :laugh:

    Yep, that's pretty much what happens to me. When I start getting cranky and unreasonable at home, the first thing my husband does is ask me when the last time I ate was. :tongue:
  • Glucocorticoid
    Glucocorticoid Posts: 867 Member
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    Haha, that sucks that your body doesn't sit well if you don't eat for 7 hours.

    I don't eat anything at all until about 5:30 - after work! I don't feel hungry throughout the day so it is really convenient. I guess not being a morning person has its advantages.
  • katerinab
    katerinab Posts: 107
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    I totally hear this. During my short shifts, a 15 minute break just isn't time to eat much, and even when I do get a half hour lunch break it takes me so long to get settled (and the half hour flies by so fast) that I can't get much other than a snack in.

    So basically, I am now stocking my purse with goodies. i've got beef jerky, mini animal cracker packets, 100 cal packs of almonds, and even some Planters nuts energy bars for when I'm REALLY low on my calories. I occasionally bring cheese sticks or babybels in, too. All of them can be chowed quickly for maximum energy :)
  • cjegger
    cjegger Posts: 24 Member
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    We have a refrigerator at work so I usually bring enough in for the week on Monday for breakfast, lunch and snacks. I keep salad, fat free lunch meat, cheese, sandwich thins, homemade soup in the fridge, and nuts, Fiber One 90 cal bars, Pringles Stix (90 cal), popcorn and fruit at my desk since I never know what I might be in the mood for. I also have just found Kraft Mini Chocolate Covered Marshmallows.....even though they are empty sugar calories, when I REALLY gotta have something chocolate, I find that I can eat about 10 of them, (for aboaut 60 calories) and get my chocolate fix satisfied. It's all about planning ahead. Over half the people here at work eat out EVERY day....burgers, chinese, deli sandwiches.....I just don't want to be tempted to join them! :-D

    If you don't have a refrigerator available, get one of those small Igloo Playmate coolers and take it to work with you.
  • cardbucfan
    cardbucfan Posts: 10,416 Member
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    I too keep snacks in my purse. I have a ziploc bag with pistachios, one with almonds and usually have a clif bar in there. I go to Sam's right after I work out and I'm usually ready to eat my arm so I'll eat 10 almonds with a bottle of water before I go in the store and that keeps me out of the samples. The key is to remember to re-plenish your stock.

    (note to self-need a clif bar in the purse and more almonds!)
  • jrkingery
    jrkingery Posts: 107 Member
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    I keep saltines and single serve cups of peanut butter in my desk at all times for snacks. I have also been known to keep a couple of Nature Valley Strawberry yogurt bars in there for emergencies.
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
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    Packets of tuna, small jar of peanutbutter, wheat crackers, almonds, apple sauce cups, popcorn, pineapple cups (in juice) and fiber one bars all keep well in a "brown bag" emergency stash. I would also snatch a few mayo and mustard packets from the cafeteria to mix with the tuna, and had a couple plastic spoons and forks. I am another one that gets cranky and short tempered when I go too long without eatting. Then I get dizzy and light headed, and even after I eat I will have a headache. All the more reason to eat regularly and healthy.

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