Need at-work and after-work snacks for adults? Here are some easy, healthy snack ideas that can give you a mid-afternoon energy boost or tide you over until dinner.
*Originally published 2/2015. Updated 8/2024*
Hi Friends!
Let’s talk about adult snacks, shall we? Specifically at-work snacks and also after-work snacks. As a mom, I’ve spent a lot of time lately focusing on snacks for kids.
In case you’ve missed any of those posts, check them out here:
- 60+ Healthy Packaged Snacks For Kids
- Peanut & Tree Nut Free Packaged Snacks
- Healthy After-School Snacks
- Healthy Toddler Snacks
Great Snacks For Work
I recently was asked for some adult snack ideas. A lot of my readers work outside the home and are looking for snacks that they can either pack to take to work or prep and eat quickly when they get home from work as they get dinner ready or shuttle kids around to various activities.
So here are some ideas for at-work snacks and then after-work snacks when you get home:
Best At-Work Snacks
Here are a few snack ideas that are easy to pack and eat at work:
- Cottage cheese with fruit– There are pre-packaged options available at the store like Breakstone’s Cottage Doubles but you can easily make them yourself by portioning some cottage cheese into a container and topping with your favorite fruit!
- Nuts & Cheese – Pair your favorite nuts with a cheese stick or some cheese cubes (and dried fruit if you want!) Or grab something like Sargento Balanced Breaks from the store.
- Jerky or meat sticks – Shelf stable and comes in tons of flavors. Most are high in sodium so I recommend them in moderation but a great option to have on hand. We love Chomps.
- Popcorn – A whole grain and a good source of fiber! Here’s how to make healthy microwave popcorn, or you can buy a large bag at the store and portion into individual servings. It also makes a great addition to trail mix.
- Edamame – It’s a great source of protein and can be served a variety of ways. Grab some steamable bags from the freezer aisle – shelled or in pod and enjoy with a sprinkle of salt. Or try crunchy roasted edamame. The Only Bean makes several flavors!
Healthy Snack Foods For Work
I always recommend prioritizing protein at snack time to avoid spiking your blood sugar. If you can add some healthy fats and fiber, that’s even better!
- Turkey Sandwich – Choose your favorite deli meat (here are some of the best deli meat brands), pair it with a whole grain bread (here are some of the best healthy storebought bread brands) and then add things like cheese, avocado, pickles and mustard for flavor. If you’re making the sandwich ahead of time, put things like pickles, tomatoes etc between the cheese and meat to keep the bread from getting soggy.
- Tuna Salad with Crackers– Make a big batch at the beginning of the week and pack it for a snack with your favorite crackers all week long. Here are some healthy crackers for adults. And here’s my favorite tuna salad recipe!
- Hard Boiled Eggs – So easy to make a batch on Sunday and pack a couple every day for snack. Here’s my tried and true method for how to make hard-boiled eggs in the instant pot.
- Egg Wraps – These are so easy to make and can be filled with anything you want! My favorite combo is thinly sliced chicken breast and avocado. These egg wraps are good hot or cold!
- Protein Bars – There are tons of store-bought options. Look for one that’s low in added sugar with simple ingredients. Or try these homemade No Bake Peanut Butter Protein Bars.
Ideas for best healthy snacks to munch on at work
Sometimes you just need a good crunchy snack, am I right? Here are a few ideas:
- Roasted chickpeas – They’re super easy to make at home, or grab some at the store from brands like Biena. If you don’t like chickpeas, try roasted edamame or fava beans (from Bada Bean Bada Boom).
- Plantain chips with guacamole – Plantain chips are a fun change from traditional potato chips and guacamole adds healthy fats! Or try dipping jicama sticks in guac for another option.
- Popcorn Trail Mix – A super easy trail mix to make yourself. I like the combo of popcorn, roasted chickpeas, plantain chips and chocolate chips. Or try this Roasted Chickpea Snack Mix.
- Veggies and Dip– Choose your favorite crunchy veggies- celery sticks, carrots, bell pepper strips or mini peppers, raw broccoli florets, snap peas etc and pair them with a dip like hummus, Greek yogurt ranch dip or Spicy Red Pepper Feta Dip.
- Rice Cakes with Avocado – If you crave crunchy, rice cakes can be a great vehicle. Top them with avocado and add hard boiled eggs or smoked salmon. Or try turkey and cheese or peanut butter and jelly for other toppings.
Find more healthy crunchy snacks here.
Great After-Work Snacks To Have Before Dinner
Here are a few more easy options that are great to grab when you get home from work while prepping dinner:
- High fiber muffin – We love Lentil Banana Muffins or Sweet Potato White Bean Bars. Pair it with a glass of milk for a quick snack!
- Yogurt with granola – To keep the sugar down and add some texture, try plain yogurt topped with granola and fresh fruit. Or for flavored try one of the Best Low Sugar Yogurt options.
- Trail Mix– Buy it store-bought or make your own. You can use popcorn or cereal as a base, or just a mix of your favorite nuts, seeds and dried fruit.
- Apple with peanut butter – A classic snack for a reason. Never gets old! For a nutrient boost you can mix some ground flax or hemp seeds into your peanut butter before dipping.
- Smoothie- Did you know you can make a big batch of smoothies and store them in glass jars in the fridge? Then just microwave as needed! Try adding some pumpkin seeds and cereal for a little crunch!
Healthy Treats For Work
Sometimes you just want a little treat for a snack and that’s ok! Here are a few ideas that might help curb your sweet tooth but still have some nutritional value:
- Dates with peanut butter: Dates are like nature’s candy. So sweet and delicious. Plus they’re a good source of fiber. Add some peanut butter in the middle for a dose of healthy fats.
- Energy balls/bars: These are so easy to customize and you can really throw in whatever you want. Use dates and nuts as the base. Add seeds, oats or protein powder if you want, nut butter and chocolate chips. My favs are My Go-To Energy Balls. Or try Pumpkin Energy Balls in the fall or Gingerbread Protein Balls in the winter.
- Chocolate Power Bark – Melt some dark chocolate and nut butter in a bowl, stir in some chopped nuts and seeds and spread into a thin layer on parchment paper. Top with a few more nuts, some dried fruit and a sprinkle of salt. Freeze and break into pieces! You can also make a similar bark with yogurt instead of chocolate if you prefer!
- Chocolate Avocado Pudding – Easy to blend up but packed with more nutrients than your typical pudding. Try this Chocolate Avocado Pudding recipe.
- Other options: Kettlecorn, apple chips, banana slices with pb in the middle, dipped in chocolate, dried fruit strips, cinnamon and sugar pumpkin seeds
Best Healthy Non-Perishable At-Work Snacks
If you have a snack drawer at work that you’re looking to stock with non-perishables, here are a few ideas:
- Roasted nuts and seeds – chickpeas, fava beans, edamame, lentils, almonds, peanuts etc
- Tuna pouches with crackers
- Trail mix
- Beef sticks
- Popcorn or Harvest Snaps
- KIND bars, Larabars, RX Bars or other bars with some protein and fiber
Best Storebought Snacks For Work
If you’re looking for store-bought snacks specifically, here are a few lists to check out:
- Healthy Costco Snacks
- Healthy Walmart Snacks
- Best Trader Joe’s Snacks
- Healthy Snacks at Target
- Healthy Amazon Snacks
- Individually Packaged Snacks
And if you have a long commute or spend a lot of time in the car and need snacks for the car ride check out my Healthy Road Trip Snacks.
Snack Recipes For Work
Here are few more of my favorite recipes on the blog that make great snack recipes for work:
Healthy Black Bean Brownies
These Healthy Black Bean Brownies are full of fiber and make a great snack!
Chia Seed Peanut Butter Pudding
This Peanut Butter Chia Seed Pudding is packed with protein and healthy fats and is easy to prep ahead of time.
Lemon Energy Balls
Bursting with citrus flavor, these Lemon Energy balls make the perfect snack. Made with just 5 ingredients, they’re are perfect for stashing in the fridge or freezer!
Best Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins with Flax
This Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins recipe with flax are lightly sweetened and packed with fiber. They make a great addition to breakfast, lunch or snack time.
Tuna Quinoa Cakes
These Tuna Quinoa Cakes are a great way to add some extra protein to your day. Eat them plain, put them on a bun, or use them to top your salad or grab a few for a post-workout snack.
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
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I am sometimes when I don’t eat a snack earlier in the day and dinner seems so far away. I like nuts, fruit or veggies with almond butter or hummus with gluten-free crackers. That’s the current rotation!
As a mother of 5 and now a grandmother I am always looking for great snack ideas as kids mostly eat small snack like meals all the time. This is a great list of snack ideas. Having a list is a great idea. I did this a while ago with meals for the family by asking each person what was their favourite 3 meals. Anytime I can’t think of what to cook I look at the list which is posted over the phone in the kitchen. It also helps with the shopping list.
great idea!!
I’m definitely a snacker. Usually it’s granola but these days I’ve been loving apples or bananas and nut butter. Thinking it’s time to change it up though, so thanks for the suggestions! 🙂
I’m the big snacker at my house too and have your husband Beat! Now just 2 cups of nuts, I’ll eat the whole bag after work – I literally feel as though I’m staring to death! Which is ridiculous because I’m not exactly wasting away to nothing around here. I’m going for your veggie and hummus option so I actually fit into my Spanx suit! After all, Spanx will do me no good if I can’t even fit into it for Spring break! ha.
you’re welcome! happy eating!
Oh I need these for after school for the child.
shes picky and Im out of ideas.
I feel your hubbies pain! Nuts are always a go-to snack for me. It fills me up! But like you said, 2 cups of nuts a day is not good! I’m always looking for good snacks for myself and the kids. Thanks!
hope this list helps!
So.Many.Ideas.
I definitely have to have a snack. I have long commutes and don’t generally eat dinner until 7pm. A homemade muffin, granola bar or apple is usually my snack on the run.
Love the options. Thanks!
i’m a TOTAL snack monster after work!
This post couldn’t have come at a better time for me! I have been all about trying new snacks and spreading out my eating over the day. I have saved and will definitely use this list! 🙂
yay! hope you find some good ones!
Great and needed post!! Thanks!
I find I always need a snack after work since I have a fairly long commute and don’t get home until quite late. Thanks for sharing since I’m sure I can find something here!
yay! hope you find some you like!
Great ideas in here Lindsay! I am a BIG fan of the sweet potato and nut butter combo. It never ever gets old, and it’s perfectly filling!
Ah, sweet potato bites are a good option! I’m surprised you’re a big snacker! I am not!
What a great list! I love tuna salad (made with greek yogurt) fresh out of the can but I’m not sure I could stomach tuna cakes a day later.. But the sweet potato bites I’d love to try! Thanks for sharing!
xo Rachel
they’re one of my favorites!
This is making me feel less-guilty for pounding nuts after work like I’m being paid to do so.
haha you’re not the only one!
Lindsay! Thank you so much for linking over to my roundup of no-bake bars and bites. I’m so glad we’ve gotten to know one another through social media 🙂 You’re fabulous!
you’re quite welcome 🙂
Love all of these ideas! We are big snackers at our house too. Recently I’ve started keeping hard boiled eggs, sliced veggies, and hummus in the fridge. It helps having a variety of healthy foods to choose from!
I love telling clients about edamame! When I show them the food label they are so shocked how much protein it has. It is also great for those who love to just chew and have something to much on like ex-smokers!
me too! great protein source!
I’m a big snacker too! These are some great options. My go-to snacks are trail mix, Greek yogurt and healthy protein bars, but I’ve always wanted to start making my own protein bites. I need to get on that! Thanks for the ideas, Lindsay! 🙂 (Oh and we eat around that time too, I like to eat late, but it does require snacking before you get to dinner-time!)
yay for late eaters!
These are great recommendations. I really like fueling with real foods, it satisfies so much more than a bar or a protein shake.
Thanks sarah! glad you liked them!
I would rather eat three square meals a day than snack, but sometimes if I do a cardio-heavy morning workout I find myself reaching for protein bars around 3pm – usually ThinkThin or Quest. I think I’ll make more of an effort to set aside “real” food next time I know I’ll be hungry in the day!
yay! hope it goes well!
You rock!!! THX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These are great!
I eat a lot of apples during the work day and have to have some sort of snack by by the late afternoon…otherwise when I get home, I eat too much before dinner.
i hear ya! me too!
If I couldn’t like Mr.Bean anymore, I now do- Cottage cheese with tomato and pepper! YES!
I am a huge snacker too, moreso in the afternoons. Love homemade energy bites and…handfuls of nuts. Oops.
he loves that tomato cottage cheese combo, especially in the summer!
cottage cheese with black salt! (and pepper). it’s a common indian ingredient, thats acually pink, but it is SO GOOD. if you like your cottage cheese savory, try it 🙂
(opt. add ins- tomato, oregano, cucumber or zucchini)
I love snacking and always hate when I don’t have enough healthy ones around. I try and keep a lot of variety, but I don’t always do the best job. I like to make homemade almond butter and eat it with either dates or apples. So good.
Thanks for so many options!!
yesss the best combo!
Thanks so much for the great snack ideas!! 🙂
I love all these ideas so much! Especially the frozen yoghurt bites, off to checking out your no-bake protein bars right now 🙂
they’re delish! we have a batch in the fridge right now!
Thanks for these ideas! I’m excited to try those frozen yogurt bites – yummmm. And I already love grabbing some edamame after work already, so I’m glad you included it so other people will try it too.
yep! i think it’s underrated 🙂
i love these ideas! i always have snacks on hand, whether i want them or not. and so i dont go overboard on one thing (ie, nuts!) living in a dorm, it took a lot of adjustments. and sometimes, i do go a bit overboard… but hey, ya live & learn, and they’re here when i need them!! now i’m also adjusted to do some “meal prep” when i can by making some extra veggie dishes, to reheat for snacks or add to meals 🙂
I am a BIG fan of snacks! Between having a toddler, teaching multiple BODYPUMP classes a week, and having a husband who often works nights, our family THRIVES on snacks. Great round up!
Wow. That is a comprehensive list. Thanks for sharing so many great healthy snacks. I love having some fresh, new ideas and healthy swaps.
These snack ideas are perfect for keeping energy levels up during busy workdays and after hours! Love the variety and healthy options. Can’t wait to try some of these. Thanks for sharing.