What are some good "primal" snacks for cube dwelling IT guys? page

[rimam1]

Ok, so I'm starting to rethink my reliance on edamame, greek yogurt, and sprouted bread as a healthy snack option. It's too bad because I kept these high protein items at work to keep me from snacking on the cookies, brownies and chips my coworkers bring in.

I'm also starting to workout (high intensity intervals with strength training) and know that I need to eat lots of protein to build muscle.

The question is, what can I eat that easily can be kept at my desk (or fridge)?

*hard boiled eggs (I already eat these after working out)

Anything else?

Thanks,
Raza

[RaeVynn]

Why snack? If you are eating a healthy, primal breakfast, and a good lunch, why snack?

I personally go from 5am breakfast + buttered coffee until noon lunch without a single hunger pang. Lunch is more of habit than necessity, and I have no trouble going from noon until 6pm for dinner. This is way, way different than it was when I was not eating Paleo/Primal.

[Purple Leather Couch]

I'm still new too and I know that at first it's not that easy to just "not snack." I work in an office and before, when I was eating conventionally, I would bring a ton of food with me to work each day - yogurt with granola for mid-morning, lunch (salad and lean protein), and then an after-lunch snack (usually a Kind bar) to hold me over until dinner and when I would get home I would be starving again).

When I switched over, I started to snack less, but still felt like I needed food - so I would bring egg cups. Baked eggs with bacon and spinach and peppers cooked in muffin tins. They helped me out a lot because it satisfied my urge to eat and also filled me up!

Now, it's gotten to the point where I don't need to snack. I workout in the morning and have my coffee, but don't feel the urge to eat until lunch. Then I'll be full until dinner. That's about it for the day - unless I want dessert and eat an apple with almond butter (DELICIOUS!) or a paleo-ised treat or bit of dark chocolate.

Just keep feeding yourself primal food when you're feeling "snacky" and eventually you'll get the urge less and less! Try beef jerky! Or make soup at home (it's easy!) and bring in some to put in the fridge to have if you just have to eat something. (A small amount of) Nuts. Carrot or celery sticks with almond butter. Get creative!

(Oh, and eventually people eventually WILL stop offering you the office sweets. It took a few months, but most of my co-workers don't even ask me anymore )

[sbhikes]

Ok, so I'm starting to rethink my reliance on edamame, greek yogurt, and sprouted bread as a healthy snack option. It's too bad because I kept these high protein items at work to keep me from snacking on the cookies, brownies and chips my coworkers bring in.

I'm also starting to workout (high intensity intervals with strength training) and know that I need to eat lots of protein to build muscle.

The question is, what can I eat that easily can be kept at my desk (or fridge)?

*hard boiled eggs (I already eat these after working out)

Anything else?

Thanks,
Raza

Here's my desk food:

That's an empty container of almond butter. I ate it with a spoon (bad me!) There's also some salted duck eggs in the fridge (never tried those, we'll see.) Sometimes I have sweet potatoes instead of russets. Wrap them in a paper towel and nuke in the microwave for 3-4 minutes. I keep a can opener on-hand for the cans. Sometimes I have canned chicken. The oil and vinegar is so I can buy a salad and have decent dressing. Most of this stuff isn't exactly "snacks"; it's more what I eat for lunch or breakfast.

To this paltry pile you could add just about anything inside of Trader Joe's that isn't frozen and doesn't need to be cooked and meets your definition of primal. That place is basically a snack food cornucopia.

[primalrob]

nuts are great, but it's easy to overdo it; i would go with the ones still in their shells. canned fish is also a great snack to have. the greek yogurt isn't bad, just make sure it's not sweetened with a bunch of sugars. just drop a few berries in there and you're good to go. those hard boiled eggs are just about the best thing for you though, and will keep you sated.

are you snacking because you're hungry, or are you eating to stay awake/be distracted/etc.? if it's hunger, i'd say Raevynn has it right...focus on making your meals better. if it's the other stuff, a good 5-10 minute walk will do way more for you than any food.

[Leida]

I would just brown a large tray of ground beef. Fish is an ideal snack, but unfortunately, lost of people hate the smell, and I have been upbraided by management at least 3 times by now about bringing fish to work. The last time I was told that my food (wild broiled sockeye salmon) smelled like stale menstrual blood. I am reluctant now to bring any more fish to work ever, since I don;t feel like having my food being insulted by pizza and muffin eating population.

[gopintos]

I like these ideas for DH. He is CW by day, Primal by night. He doesnt have alot of time, but seems to find just enough time to grab some kind of crapola out of a vending machine. I try to send a banana and an apple with him every day, and he has nutbutter at work, but that is about all I send and some days (like today) I forget. I guess a good Christmas gift would be a little frig for his office. I know it would be better to get away from snacking but if he is going to, it should be good snacks.

[Unicorn]

As you transition into primal you will feel less of a need to snack. Until then, I would go with high protein foods and snack only if you are REALLY hungry, as opposed to habit. Boiled eggs, a chicken leg, some veggies to go with it. You might check out Steve's Original for paleo kits with beef jerky. I learned to avoid nuts and dairy because it was just too easy to overeat on them as a 'snack' and consume way too many calories at a time.

[rimam1]

Thanks guys. I'm brand new to Paleo, and still feeling it out... trying to understand the philosophy, etc.

I snack on "healthy" stuff to avoid being tempted to eat the junk food around me. Plus, I'm trying to build muscle and am conscious of getting adequate amounts of protein. Canned tuna, salmon, and almond butter are doable though.

Is fruit a part of the primal diet? I really like mangoes, strawberries, bananas, and dates. I know they're high in sugar but I don't know if that's "bad" according to Paleo principles.

[primalrob]

yeah, fruit can be high in sugar, but it's better than a lot of stuff out there. it's also got tons of good stuff, it's filling, and it usually takes care of a sweet tooth. don't go crazy with fruit, but keep some at work if that means you're going to stay away from crappy granola bars and hostess cupcakes.