How to Eat and Snack Smartly When You’re Working From Home All Day

If the coronavirus is forcing you to work from home for the first time, it can be difficult to know how to eat (and snack) in a smart way. Maybe you’re used to going out for lunch or eating in your company’s cafeteria. Perhaps you have an afternoon coffee-shop routine, and now you have to adjust to brewing your own. After close to a decade of working mostly from home—and talking to several certified nutritionists and food professionals—I’ve learned a few tricks that help me get through the day without grazing (at least not constantly) or eating just a bowl of cold cereal for lunch.

Don’t buy food low in nutrients

It makes a huge difference in my diet if I don’t have snacks like processed foods or candy in the house. If they’re not there, I can’t eat them; if they are, I absolutely will. It’s totally normal to pick up some chips or your favorite snack while grocery shopping, but if you’re stuck in the house, there’s a good chance you’ll tear through the bag faster than you might expect.

“If you are going to snack, make it intentional—much like a meal—and portion out your snacks and make them as healthy as possible,” said Sara Peternell, a board-certified holistic nutritionist in Denver. “Think protein and veggie, like a hard-boiled egg and some carrot sticks. These choices will not slow you down when you are trying to work and stay focused.”

And if you do get some treats, be mindful of where you put them. “Don’t have boxes of crackers or bags of chips on your workspace,” said Las Vegas-based dietitian Andy Bellatti. “Keep them in a cupboard so that you actually have to get out of your seat to grab a snack. This makes you more aware, rather than mindlessly snacking in front of your laptop.”

Schedule meal times

Snacking is not a sin, and no one is going to say that you should never grab a bite between meals. But try scheduling snack breaks. Once you get used to having them on a set schedule, you’ll know they’re coming, and it may be easier to limit yourself than it would be if you didn’t have a plan. “Setting up snack breaks is important, especially because it provides a semblance of routine,” Bellatti said. “In general, try to prevent nervous snacking. In times like these—where people experience uncertainty, worry, anxiety, and fear—food can act like an emotional pacifier.”

Peternell recommends sticking to a regular eating schedule. “Plan for three meals per day, plus one or two snacks if necessary,” she said. “Having a schedule will allow people to break up the monotony of being at home and have more control over the quality and quantity of the foods they are consuming.”

Buy in bulk, cook in bulk

I often have more time on Saturday or Sunday than I do during the week, so I like to cook up some big batches of base foods that I can mix and match for meals. Rice, beans, and veggies can all be prepared in volume. “If you have the time and resources, batch-cooking at the beginning of a time period is the best option for grab-and-go meals that you can put together quickly,” Peternell said. “Think steamed brown rice and beans, or oven-roasted veggies and cooked protein, like a taco bowl with rice, black beans, chicken, and some toppings.”

She added that while batch-cooking saves time, it’s important to cook only what you know you and your family will eat. “Trying not to make more than you need to avoid waste will be helpful when doing so much cooking and eating at home,” Peternell said.

Also consider soups, stews, and chili, which freeze well and can be cooked by the potful. A slow cooker or pressure cooker is your friend here, and you can pack everything up in portion-sized storage containers.

Think outside the slow cooker

Working from home can be a blessing if you like to cook. It’s easier to prepare a fresh meal when you’re feet from your kitchen than to pack it up and carry it into the office. “If you like cooking, here’s your chance,” said Marion Nestle, professor emerita of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University. “All the time that you spent commuting to work is suddenly yours. This is an opportunity to think about how you can stay healthy in a situation in which your whole world is turned upside down.”

Use your lunch break to actually prepare lunch. If you can’t take a full hour, prep your ingredients (chop vegetables, measure your seasonings, and so on) the night before, and bring it all together when you’re ready to eat.

Order in sometimes, if you can

While many restaurants across the country are closed (or at least not offering dine-in service), delivery and takeout are still an option in some areas. If it fits in your budget, ordering in will be a treat—and a way to support a business in need. Break up your work week by getting food delivered from your favorite local place.

“You could do healthy prepared meals, you could do healthy salads, you can do vegetables, you can do fruit, you can do all of those things,” said Nestle. “And, you know, have an occasional comfort food that makes you feel better, because these are very hard times.”

Life is stressful right now. If you or someone you know is dealing with an eating disorder, contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) online or at 800-931-2237. If you have an emergency, text NEDA to 741741.