55 Healthy Snacks That Will Get You Through The Work Day
They'll perk you up without weighing you down.
No matter where you work (from home, or the office, or your fave coffee shop...), getting from breakfast to lunch and lunch to dinner without noshing on something is hard. We'd never skip snacking altogether, especially since enjoying a midday bite is actually great for your metabolism (and your mental health), so set yourself up for success with a healthier, homemade option. Whether you like salty, sweet, crunchy (or all three!), there are plenty of snacks here for you for wherever you work. Check out our 55 healthy work snacks—they’re sure to curb your hanger and help you get through whatever your day throws at you.
Working from home? We’ve all made the mistake of thinking we don’t need to prepare for what we’ll eat during the day when we’re WFH. Then we found ourselves without a plan, eating a pickle out of the fridge every time we went by instead of a proper meal 😱. Same goes for snacks. If you’ve got them prepared ahead of time, it’ll be way easier to reach for something healthy. You do have your whole kitchen at your disposal, so spare a few minutes of your day to whip up snacks that are slightly more involved. Try our California sushi bites, our steamed edamame, or our stovetop popcorn (try it with different toppings!). You’ll be SO glad you made the effort.
If you’re not working from within the comfort of your own home, your snacks need to be just as yummy, easy to grab, but also portable. Instead of things that need to be eaten right away or kept refrigerated, you’re going to want shelf-stable snacks that can sit out. Craving something salty? Try our curry-lime cashews, our roasted pumpkin seeds, or our roasted chickpeas. More into sweets? Try our air fryer GF peanut butter chocolate chip cookies or our peanut butter protein balls. You can control what goes into them, meaning these healthy snacks will always win out over last-minute store-bought options.
If you really don’t have the time to make your own (we’ve ALL been there), check out our favorite healthy snacks to buy. Don't forget the main events—we’ve got quick, healthy breakfasts, lunches for work, and healthy dinners too.
Air Fryer Crunchy Chili-Spiced Chickpeas
Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these snack-able chickpeas are delicious as a crunchy topper for salads, creamy soups, or grain bowls, too. You can also toss them with hot popcorn for a pretty killer, protein-packed movie snack.
Get the Air Fryer Crunchy Chili-Spiced Chickpeas recipe.
Pinwheel Sandwiches
Pinwheel sandwiches are here with their totally retro swirls, ready to be packed into lunchboxes, piled onto game day spreads, or just eaten as an afternoon snack. The best part is that there are endless combinations of fillings you can customize these with. As long as you stick with the basic formula and amounts, the sky's the limit.
Get the Pinwheel Sandwiches recipe.
Air Fryer Kale Chips
These air fryer kale chips are a super tasty way to start a healthy chip habit (kale has 215% more fiber than potatoes!). They take just minutes to prepare, and using your air fryer means less grease and guilt. Feel free to customize your chips with different herbs and spices—the possibilities really are endless.
Get the Air Fryer Kale Chips recipe.
Healthier Oatmeal Cookies
The cookie is mostly high-fiber oats, with just 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour—there are no ultra-refined starches here. But a cookie isn’t a cookie unless it’s a little naughty, so we added some quality dark chocolate chunks and tart dried cherries for the perfect bite. Everything in moderation!
Get the Healthier Oatmeal Cookies recipe.
Air Fryer Broccoli Ranch Tots
Switch up your normal tater tots by adding finely chopped broccoli and ranch seasoning. Bonus: Using your air fryer will give you ultra-crispy tots in half the time!
Get the Air Fryer Broccoli Ranch Tots recipe.
Strawberries 'n' Cream Granola Bars
These strawberries 'n' cream granola bars are so much better than the store-bought kind. Packed with rolled oats, coconut flakes, pepitas, and freeze-dried strawberries for a hit of tart flavor, these are perfect for breakfast or an on-the-go snack.
Get the Strawberries 'n' Cream Granola Bars recipe.
Air Fryer Everything Bagel Avocado Fries
Meet the love child of two iconic breakfasts: toasted everything bagel with cream cheese and savory avocado toast. Their superpowers combine in these irresistible avocado fries, which rely on the magical air fryer for their crisp texture, rather than deep frying.
Sour Patch Grapes
Put down that bag of candy! This magical recipe transforms green grapes into a sweet-and-sour snack that tastes suspiciously like Sour Patch Kids.
Get the Sour Patch Grapes recipe.
Steamed Edamame
Simple, steamed edamame is an amazing snack that is nutritious and comes together really quickly. The little soybeans are endlessly poppable and are a fun, hands-on hors d'oeuvre (especially with the addition of our homemade chicken-salt).
Get the Steamed Edamame recipe.
Kettle Corn
Kettle corn is popcorn that is topped with sugar and salt. The combination makes for an addictively sweet, high-fiber treat that’s perfect for movie night, an afternoon sugar craving, or on the snack table at your next picnic or BBQ.
Get the Kettle Corn recipe.
Roasted Chickpeas
Chickpeas are good for so much more than just creamy homemade hummus. (Though that's definitely a good use of them!) They also make for a particularly good, fiber-ful salty snack and are infinitely adaptable based on what you've got in your spice cabinet.
Get the Roasted Chickpeas recipe.
Chocolate Keto Cookies
Double chocolate = double happiness, as far as we're concerned. If you’re a chocolate lover, you’re going to love these perfect keto-friendly cookies, all with fewer than 10 ingredients! We’re impressed.
Get the Chocolate Keto Cookies recipe.
BLT Egglets
Looking for an easy, quick low-carb snack? Look no further than these BLT egglets. They’re kind of like a cross between a BLT sandwich and egg salad, but portable, and we are here for it. 🙌.
Get the BLT Egglets recipe.
Peanut Butter Protein Balls
When you need a little energy boost, these peanut butter bites will give you new life. We wanted these protein balls to taste a little bit like cookie dough (😈), so we added some mini dark chocolate chips. Skip them if you're trying to limit sugar.
Get the Peanut Butter Protein Balls recipe.
Curry-Lime Cashews
Sure, a handful of these tasty nuts curbs hunger pangs, but they’re more than just a snack. Try these chopped up as a crunchy topping on your favorite roasted vegetables or atop a spoonful of vegan yogurt.
Get the Curry-Lime Cashews recipe.
Air Fryer GF Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
You won't believe these little cookies only have six ingredients, not including a pinch of salt (most of which you probably already have on hand!). We made 'em mini for snacking and easier packing in lunch boxes for emergency work snacks. 😊
Get the Air Fryer GF Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.
Apple Chips
Making your own apple chips is extremely easy—even without a fancy dehydrator. Our best tips for success are to pick the crispest apples you can (think Honeycrisp or Pink Lady, not Red Delicious or Fuji) and slice them as thinly as possible.
Keto Cookie Dough Bars
Is there anything more comforting than edible cookie dough. These crazy good keto cookie dough bars are the perfect dessert or midday pick-me-up—especially with a freshly brewed cup of coffee.
Get the Keto Cookie Dough Bars recipe.
Creamy Garlic Hummus
Hummus is a Middle Eastern dish made of chickpeas and tahini. Garlic or roasted red peppers and other spices are common additions. It's great as a veggie dip or with pita chips for a midday snack, and the protein from the beans will keep you full 'til dinner.
Get the Creamy Garlic Hummus recipe.
Sweet 'N Salty Chocolate Bark
This chocolate bark is endlessly adaptable. Feel free to customize and make it your own, but don’t forget the flaky sea salt—it'll help pull all the flavors together.
Get the Sweet 'N Salty Chocolate Bark recipe.
Camille Lowder is the digital food producer at Delish, otherwise known as our resident queen of recipe galleries. Previously, she attended the Natural Gourmet Institute for culinary school and worked at/managed a number of New York restaurants. She loves anything vegan, foods masquerading as other foods (hello, cauliflower), and a well-used Oxford comma.
Mackenzie Filson is a food writer and contributing digital food producer at Delish. Her favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate-pine. If wine was an astrological sign she'd be a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. She's never met a bag of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos she didn't eat in one sitting.
