Nine to Five 911: Guilt-Free Snacking Solutions for Office Emergencies

Posted Tue, Sep 23, 2008, 5:08 pm PDT

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If you spend 8 hours a day at the office, chances are you're facing a slew of food-related temptations there. Don't worry, Hungry Girl's in your corner (er, cubicle)...

Office Dilemma: A morning meeting is called, complete with breakfast pastries, bagels, and other enticing AM eats.

HG Solution! Eat breakfast before you get to the office. Studies show that eating within the first hour or so of waking up means you'll consume less throughout the day. If you're in a rush, toast up a Western Bagel Alternative Bagel (only 110 calories and loaded with a whopping 7g of fiber!), and then eat it on your way into work. We love to slather ours with fat-free cream cheese, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spray (with a little cinnamon & sweetener or some garlic powder), or a wedge of The Laughing Cow Light (35-calorie, low-fat, soft 'n spreadable cheese... so good!). Or keep a few 4-oz. VitaMuffins handy, and gobble one down before your staff meeting. Each of those giant, low-fat muffins (which come in flavors ranging from AppleBerryBran to DeepChocolate) has only 200 calories and delivers 8 - 12g fiber. By eating fiber-packed, guilt-free versions of decadent b-fast items beforehand, you won't feel hungry or deprived when the fat-filled food spread is unveiled.

Office Dilemma: Lunch is long gone, but dinner is still hours away. The vending machine is desperately trying to become your new BFF.

HG Solution! Those carby, sugary treats may seem convenient, but they'll only leave you bloated and burnt out (sugar crashes are no fun). Instead, create your own in-house arsenal of satisfying snacks. Fill up the fridge with low-fat string cheese, fresh fruit, and crisp veggies with fat-free dip (perfect for midday munching). Stock a snack drawer with junk food craving-kickers like Nacho Cheese Quaker Quake Rice Snacks (chips don't stand a chance), Fiber One Chewy Bars in Oats & Chocolate or Oats & Peanut Butter (only 140 - 150 calories, and they taste like candy bars!), Curves Bars (100 calories, 5g fiber!), and mini bags of 94% fat free microwavable popcorn in butter or kettle corn flavors (you get a huge amount for only around 100 calories).

Office Dilemma: It's holiday season, and assorted pies are living it up in the breakroom.

HG Solution! Kick a pie craving by keeping a permanent supply of pie-inspired Yoplait Light yogurt cups in the breakroom fridge. These fat-free, indulgent yogurts have only 100 - 110 calories per container, and they come in Boston Cream Pie, Key Lime Pie, Lemon Cream Pie, Banana Cream Pie, and (Hungry Girl's fave) Apple Turnover! They're crazy thick 'n' creamy, and they really are a stellar swap for their high-calorie counterparts.

Office Dilemma: Two words...happy hour.

HG Solution: If you're craving a cocktail, do not cave to those oversized frosty margaritas and daiquiris. Each one of those can easily exceed 500 calories. Instead, stick with a single-shot mixed drink made from seltzer or diet soda. Then add a bunch of fruity garnishes (oranges, lime wedges, even pineapple if they've got it!) for extra flavor. One of these Hungry Girl concoctions will only cost you about a hundred calories. And if you're really craving frozen drinks, host your own happy hour! Serve HG's Magical Low-Calorie Margaritas and Pina Colada Freezes!

For more tips, tricks and food finds, plus recipes, fun food news and more, visit hungry-girl.com to sign up free daily emails!

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58 Comments

1. Posted by paintballa954 on Wed, Sep 24, 2008, 6:32 am PDT

except for the Quaker snacks that have MSG in them, these are good tips although restraint may be a bit hard to stick to especially with the cocktails!!
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2. Posted by mommywoo on Wed, Sep 24, 2008, 7:52 am PDT

Can't deny yourself EVERYTHING tho... Moderation is the key
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3. Posted by silancedogz on Wed, Sep 24, 2008, 10:57 am PDT

We have doughnuts every Friday morning, a couple of boxes of munchkins. I have no issue with eating 4-5 of these once/week. But I do work out like a fiend 7 days per week, and generally live on protein bars and shakes the rest of the time.
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4. Posted by BurtonFan on Wed, Sep 24, 2008, 12:42 pm PDT

Mardi G- Happy hour takes place at bars- not the actual work place. Several of these bars offer drink and appetizers for 1/2 price to unwind after work. You can find more information by searching the internet for the term. Also, my work has a "coffee club" which offers bagels and cream cheese everyday. Vendors also bring in doughnuts, pastries, etc. I am surprised this is such a foreign concept to some.
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5. Posted by karajay_karajay on Wed, Sep 24, 2008, 2:56 pm PDT

MY OFFICE THERE IS A WAITING ROOM FOR THE CUSTOMERS FILLED WITH DONUTS EVERY MORNING, MUFFINS,DANISHES,CHIPS, CRACKERS, AND PEANUTS!! AHH!! BUT I DO VERY GOOD AND EAT YOGURT!!
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6. Posted by chewbachaman on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 1:49 pm PDT

I'm embarrassed to even be seen by one of these machines, that only keeps me from buying this junk. But I wonder who this article was intended for?
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7. Posted by chewbachaman on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 1:49 pm PDT

I'm embarrassed to even be seen by one of these machines, that only keeps me from buying this junk. But I wonder who this article was intended for?
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8. Posted by Vegan Vindicator on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 1:51 pm PDT

I worked at an office where a tiny little PE would bring in HUGE boxes of donuts, so often that I began to associate the smell of frosting with him! I kept a stash of Luna Bars and Kashi chewy bars (tons of protein & fiber, yummy and very satisfying) in my desk, and managed to stay away from Mr. Frosting. Hungry Girl, you always have such great suggestions - thanks!
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9. Posted by rockstarmike@att.net on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 2:19 pm PDT

eat well excersize die no matter what in 5000 years it wont matter if you weigh 120 pounds or 500
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10. Posted by healthysnacker on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 2:30 pm PDT

Great tips HG! Our company made a great move and brought in a YoZone healthy vending machine from YoNaturals. If I forget to bring something healthy to snack on from home, I can still eat well from a vending machine - I'm so thankful for this. Check it out: http://www.yonaturals.com
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11. Posted by ED U on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 2:32 pm PDT

People who eat badly just want you to join them so they don't feel guilty, just look at there waistline! Stop feeding your candida with all this sugar and alcohol before you end up with one a headache two overweight and three cancer,did you all know sugar is the number one fuel for cancer cells, just stop and eat fruits and veggies!!! Please for the benifit of our health system it starts with you!
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12. Posted by Denise G on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 3:04 pm PDT

never amazes me how people will argue about anything and everything. HG, great tips... i remember back when i worked for the pd.... happy hr every day @ 6 at El Torito's... with a FREE buffet!! wish u'd been around back then! now the problem is working two jobs and eating on the run!
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13. Posted by FERNAND G on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 3:22 pm PDT

The yogurt is a great idea to suppress you hunger cravings. It also works as a digestive agent. What you ate earlier in the day will digest quicker to give you that full stomach feeling. But stay away from crazy toppings like a cup of m&ms or sugar sprinkles that could give you that sugar high and quick sugar crash.
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14. Posted by TK on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 5:30 pm PDT

Gosh! How come I don't work at a place where they have all these goodies...
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15. Posted by raysny@sbcglobal.net on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 5:59 pm PDT

could ehnotsomuch42 let me know where they work, this place sounds great. My husband used to work for a place that supplied lunch everyday but this place sounds wonderful......
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16. Posted by kristie h on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 6:12 pm PDT

It is not easy.....it takes a lot of will power because all that food tastes soo gooddddddddddddd.....I tend to be an emotional eatier which I need to stop
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17. Posted by Gat on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 6:39 pm PDT

Go work for a radio station if you want to booze it at work.
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18. Posted by Tassellady on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 6:48 pm PDT

It's alot easier than it sounds. At work we have this problem all the time. The Staff wants to feed me the residents of the nursing home want to feed me. What is a girl to do?????
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19. Posted by SaltRiverGurl on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 6:59 pm PDT

I work at a Hospital and everyday it seems there is nothing but high fat food! Luckily I have three good friends I work with and we help each other to stay away from the fatty foods for example, everyday one of us brings something healty to share with each other! It really helps and works!
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20. Posted by Michelle on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 7:08 pm PDT

Thanks for the tips! I'm a high school student that has even longer school hours, and am stuck with a cafeteria that sells nothing but french fries, churros, and waffles LOADED with syrup and whipped cream. I absolutely LOVE the Curves bars. And those bagels are awesome, great spread ideas! Another suggestion is Special K bars. 90 calories, 1g of fat, loaded with sweet flakes and strawberries, and even has drizzles of icing on top. Thanks again!
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21. Posted by Smart Mom on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 7:44 pm PDT

I wish our office was like these. Our office is one gang raping short of being in prison, not even one morsel of food anywhere. It sucks. Glad to know there are decent places to work in the world tho.....
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22. Posted by Nate on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 7:45 pm PDT

i couldn't help but notice that comments for this article range back to november of 07. why has this article been regurgitated as a major headline on my yahoo page? and for those of you who have debated the topic, there very well might be a happy hour at the offices where the writer of this article works. picture an elitist type staff of pretentious persons who work at a facility that publishes material that caters to a specific type of person much like themselves. wealthy brainless number counters. not that their words don't reach the rest of us, who fall slightly below their economic status. it is perfectly legit to think that in their secluded upper crust office space that happy hour is a must before wasting company time shortly preceding departure.
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23. Posted by Craftygirl33 on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 7:52 pm PDT

this sounds sooo good; but sometimes when you don't have a little slice of Maggy's pie there are hurt feelings. I think moderation is the key here. See it happen...
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24. Posted by William S on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 7:59 pm PDT

Just do Like I do and keep a bottle of tequila in your desk. Then it's cocktail hour every hour.
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25. Posted by wholefood on Fri, Sep 26, 2008, 6:28 am PDT

Being nutritionally depleted is the main reason why most people snack all day. Something that is not addressed in this article. Eating sugary yogurts, as suggested here, is not the way to feed your body. Stop eating junk for breakfast, lunch and dinner and you won't feel the need to "snack" soo much.
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26. Posted by mommygiordano on Fri, Sep 26, 2008, 12:28 pm PDT

I think this article was brought back b/c the last article was about what not to eat in the vending machine and people did not like the article. This one is definitely helpful. Thanks!
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27. Posted by tim w on Fri, Sep 26, 2008, 2:46 pm PDT

wow! That was so helpful! My favorite tip was about the pie flavoered yogurts! My office brings a lot of sweet treats and it is very easy to get tempted. I decided to go and get some of the yogurts to stock in the break fridge. Thanks for the great tips! Keep them coming!
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28. Posted by Kathy H on Fri, Sep 26, 2008, 3:10 pm PDT

I work in one such office. We get fully catered meals every day and tons of deserts too. I just joined WW a few weeks ago, and my only hope is to bring my own lunch and stay out of the kitchen when it's lunch time. When you sit at a desk all day and are given free food, you are bound to gain weight like I have. Ugh.
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29. Posted by redbootie2 on Sun, Sep 28, 2008, 6:30 am PDT

Tassellady we're on the same page. I'm in nursing were Reps. will always bring in sandwich platters for meetings which also includes chips and maybe brownies. I may not eat it at the meeting I'll take to back to my desk(because I already have breakfast or lunch)I have a terrible sweet tooth, sometimes I'll take it home to the kids.Once a week there is always a reason for a party or luncheon.
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30. Posted by grrlalala on Sun, Sep 28, 2008, 10:26 am PDT

I eat every two hours. If I don't, all hell breaks loose. You can't fit that much food in a lunchbox.
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