Everyone loves snacks, right? The presence of a well-placed snack before a meeting has the power to do a few things: make attendees perk up a bit and engage earlier in the meeting, create a positive association in attendees’ minds between the meeting and the small but potent happiness that comes with snacks, and give people an energy lift just when they need to be at their sharpest. Not all snacks are created equal, though: What’s easy to grab at Sam’s Club (think: Doritos, sugary granola bars, candy) may not be the right choice for your meeting, especially if it’s a recurring one.
Instead, the next time you lay out snacks for a meeting, consider these healthier options that’ll give your attendees a pick-me-up without zapping their energy.
Fresh Fruit
A quick logistical note about fruit: Those raspberries may look appetizing, but they’re not very practical to quickly distribute, consume, and dispose of in a meeting setting, especially if not everyone has enough space where they’re sitting. Bananas and apples are self-contained, easy to grab, and fast to dispose of.
String Cheese Sticks
Rich in protein, low in saturated fat, easy to distribute, and fun to peel, string cheese sticks are a surprisingly nutritious go-to meeting snack, and easy to consume while taking notes and taking in information from the meeting.
Hummus with Pita Bread
Hummus is gluten-, dairy-, and nut-free, making it a nice choice for a group with mixed dietary intolerances. It’s also full of plant-based protein, which means it’ll help keep attendees’ energy levels up. Consider swapping pita bread for gluten-free pretzels, which also make for a tasty pairing.
Low-fat Popcorn
Popcorn has a surprising amount of benefits: It has no cholesterol, is low in fat and sugar, contains protein, and is high in fiber, to name a few. Skinny Pop has quickly become an office favorite around the country.
Low-Sugar Granola Bars
There are some granola bars – we all know them – that taste good but have so much sugar they might as well be called a dessert. Still, they’re a convenient work snack because they’re individually wrapped, satisfy your sweet tooth a bit, and fill you up just enough. Spoon University put together a good list of the healthiest granola bars, like the Annie’s brand, which doesn’t have nearly as much added sugar.
Veggie Platters
Veggies like carrots, celery sticks, snap peas, and sliced cucumber are wonderfully healthy meeting snacks if attendees have room to grab a small plate, set it down where they’re sitting, and still take notes or otherwise engage in the meeting. A dip like ranch dressing or low-fat sour cream is a necessary addition.
Mixed Nuts
It’s common knowledge that nuts are extremely nutritious. Distributing them in a workplace setting can be a little awkward, though, as nobody wants to be digging out of a bowl that everyone else’s hands are in. The solution: a bowl of mixed nuts with a stack of small paper cups next to it. Attendees can scoop the nuts out of the bowl into their cup and snack on them throughout the meeting.
