By :
Mark Etinger
We're all had those moments when we've forgotten to bring lunch and spending $10 on a meal just doesn't seem like a viable option. Your only option? The vending machines at work or school. But for many of us, that seems like a terrible idea despite how cost effective it is. The word "healthy" doesn't exactly come to mind when we think about office vending machines, unless your building decided to spring for a machine full of smoothies and fresh fruit. Trying to find the healthiest option in the vending machine can be very difficult since you cannot actually see the nutritional value of anything in there. Of course it doesn't take a genius to realize that the Snickers bar and the Coca-Cola are probably the two worst options. Although there might not be healthy options per say, there are healthier and smarter choices you can make. So if your entire day consists of purchasing only from the office vending machine, here is what you should choose. For breakfast, stick with a granola bar/energy bar. Most contain plenty of whole grains, which most Americans don't get enough of anyway. It can help you reach your 3 ounce whole grain goal pretty quickly. If an energy bar is an option, that can give you a great amount of protein and it will help you feel full so there aren't frequent trips to the machine. Some energy bars even contain healthy unsaturated fats and fiber -another plus. To curb the mid-morning hungers, choose almonds, peanuts, or any package of plain nuts. Nuts are packed with protein and for the most part, contain the healthy unsaturated fats. If you can find walnuts, even better because they provide omega-3 fatty acids which, as most of us already know, are great for heart health. With a good dose of fiber in there as well, it's an excellent choice. Just exercise portion control because they can be high in calories. Lunch can be difficult if you don't have a machine that offers legitimate meals. If a tuna salad kit is available, go for it. Tuna not only provides omega-3 fatty acids, but also healthy fats and protein. What you should shy away from, or more like run from, are ramen noodles. It's loaded with fat and an extreme amount of sodium. But if your choice is ramen noodles or a candy bar, the noodles are a "better" choice. For a refreshing drink, the hierarchy is milk, juice, juice drink, and soda. You can finish the day with a mid-afternoon snack of trail mix or Sun Chips, which at least contain whole grains.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.nextlevelarticles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
