In 2024, I had a serious health scare, a heart issue that landed me in the hospital. That moment changed everything. I had to get healthier and fast.
But the truth is, I didn’t know how to start, despite being bombarded with information from specialists. All of which covered where I needed to be, but not how to start from where I was.
What helped was keeping things simple. My journey began with one small swap: trading regular chips for veggie chips. It wasn’t a big move, but it gave me the crunch I craved without all the bad stuff.
From there, I started swapping other things I ate for healthy snacks I could keep right at my desk, as binge eating and sugar cravings late in the day were a catalyst for many of my problems.
What I’ve learned from many nutrition and heart health experts is this: doing something, even something small, is better than doing nothing at all.
I didn’t leap straight into fruits, grains, and veggies, or strict diets. Instead, I focused on snacks that were easy to grab, didn’t need a fridge or nuking, because any hurdle at that point was one I might not get over. And making this transition to heart healthy foods was life-threateningly essential.
The following healthy snacks require no effort outside of clicking “buy now” online. No chopping, peeling, or prep. No microwave meals. Just smart, online, or store-bought snacks that satisfy. These are the snacks that helped me stop reaching for junk and start choosing better.
1. Mixed Nuts and Dried Fruit
At the beginning of my health journey, I honestly didn’t like mixed nuts or dried fruit. They tasted kind of bland. But after about 3 or 4 months of cutting out a lot of unhealthy sugar, something strange happened: my taste buds changed.
Suddenly, nuts and dried fruit didn’t taste empty anymore. They started to taste rich and flavorful. I think it’s because I was so used to overly sweet foods, I couldn’t taste the real flavors before.
Now, I keep a small bowl of mixed nuts and dried fruit at my desk every day and have done so for several months. I attribute much of my weight loss to the fact that I’m snacking on this bowl of goodness daily.
I try to keep it simple and go with unsalted almonds, walnuts, cashews, and raisins. I also go with extras that are on offer, like sunflower seeds, and, if I can find them on sale, dried coconut flakes. Coconut chips are full of fiber and antioxidants, and they add a sweet kick that’s still healthy.
Why this snack is healthy: Mixed nuts like almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and cashews give you healthy fats, protein, and fiber. These help keep you full and give your body good fuel.
Dried fruit adds a touch of natural sweetness and can help stop sugar cravings. Together, they make a great snack that won’t go off while open on your desk, or in a pouch in your pocket.
Also Read: 6 Superfoods That Help Reduce Inflammation Naturally
2. Baked Veggie Chips
This is where it all started for me. It was the one obvious change I could make that didn’t sound like I was swapping something delicious for something I’d hate.
I began with sweet potato veggie chips. At first, we had to go to natural food stores and spend more than we were used to on chips. But that was the only way to get versions without artificial flavors, unhealthy sugars, or extra salt. The good thing is that sweet potato chips tasted great, and they had the crunch I craved.
One surprise benefit: because they were often double or even triple the price of regular chips, I had to make the bag last. A sharing-sized pack would need to stretch over a few days. That helped with initial portion control and stopped me from eating too much in one go.
Eventually, I started trying other veggie chip types, like beets, and this one swap led to a lot of healthier habits.
Why this snack is healthy: Veggie chips made from sweet potatoes, beets, or carrots are usually baked or dehydrated instead of deep-fried. That means they have less oil and fewer calories than regular chips.
Plus, they still give you that crunchy texture without the greasy feel. When you choose ones with low salt and no added sugar, you’re getting real veggies with more fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. They’re a great way to satisfy that chip craving.
3. Roasted Chickpeas
While I was trying to find cheaper alternatives to the pricey veggie chips, someone at a natural food store suggested roasted chickpeas. I’d never thought of them as a snack; they’re usually used as a salad topping, but I gave them a try.
For about a month, I mixed roasted chickpeas in with my veggie chips. I’d pour a few of each into a bowl and snack on them during work. It was a smart move. They added crunch, a different flavor, and helped make the snack last longer.
Over time, as I started cutting out unhealthy sugar, salty foods, and anything loaded with saturated fat across my diet (simply by swapping unhealthy foods for something healthier), I noticed something important: my portion sizes naturally started getting smaller.
I don’t think roasted chickpeas or veggie chips were the reason I started losing weight, but they helped me on that journey from where I was to healthier eating. More than anything, they helped me explore new foods and learn what tastes good to me.
Why this snack is healthy: Roasted chickpeas are high in both protein and fiber, which means they help keep you full and stop cravings. They’re naturally low in fat, and when you buy them without too much added salt or oil, they’re a great crunchy alternative to crisps.
Plus, they last a long time on your desk or in a bag, so they’re easy to keep on hand.
4. Wholegrain Popcorn (Air-Popped)
Before I got into my go-to mix of nuts and seeds, there was a time I swapped out roasted chickpeas and veggie chips for something even simpler: raisins and wholegrain air-popped popcorn.
Raisins are ridiculously cheap, and I could find bags of plain wholegrain popcorn, unsalted and air-popped, for a fraction of the cost of the other snacks I’d been trying from natural food stores.
I’ll be honest, the popcorn didn’t have much flavor. But it did have that texture and crunch I seemed to crave. When I mixed it with raisins, I got some of the flavor back. Eventually, I did get a bit bored with it, but looking back now, I think it was just missing variety. If I’d added some more dried fruit or nuts into the mix, I probably would’ve kept it going longer.
The truth is, air-popped popcorn is one of the best desk snacks you can have. It’s cheap, healthy, and gives you that “snacky” feeling without loading you up with calories or bad stuff. And now that I’m writing this, I might just add it back into my daily mix.
Why this snack is healthy: Air-popped popcorn is a whole grain, which means it’s packed with fiber that helps you stay full and supports digestion. It’s naturally low in calories and fat, especially when you skip the butter and salt. And because it’s dry and light, it’s easy to keep at your desk or carry in a pouch.
5. Rice Cakes with Single-Serve Nut Butter Packets
If you’ve ever been to a diet or nutrition talk, chances are you’ve heard someone mention rice cakes or oatcakes. The problem is, on their own, they don’t taste like much. And if you start piling on toppings to add flavor, things can get unhealthy fast.
One day at a wholesale store, my wife and I spotted a big pack of nut butter pouches on sale: almond, peanut, and cashew butter in small, single-serve packets. We didn’t have a plan for them at the time, but we were tired of opening jars we’d never finish, so it seemed like a smart buy.
Several days later, when looking for something healthy to snack on, I grabbed a rice cake and added a pouch of nut butter. It was surprisingly good. Maybe my taste buds had changed, but it worked. For a while, rice cakes with nut butter became my go-to snack, even little “sandwiches” with two cakes and some nut butter in between.
Why this snack is healthy: Whole grain rice cakes are low in calories and fat, and they’re shelf-stable, so you can keep them in your desk drawer. Nut butters add healthy fats and protein, helping you feel full and energized. Using single-serve packets keeps the portions controlled and makes things super convenient, no fridge or knife needed, just squeeze and snack.
6. Beef Jerky (Made with Grass-Fed Beef)
There was a time when I decided, “I’m going on the carnivore diet!” I gave it a go for a few weeks, but I quickly learned that kind of strict eating wasn’t for me. It was hard work, and my willpower just wasn’t ready for it, not after years of living off unhealthy snacks and sugar.
What I really needed were simple, smart swaps I could make at the store level. Not full-on diet overhauls, just healthier versions of foods I already liked. That’s where beef jerky came in. It was something I tried during my short carnivore phase, and weirdly, it stuck around even after I dropped the diet. It became one of my regular snacks, and I still buy it and have it weekly.
The key is choosing the right kind: beef jerky made from grass-fed beef, with low sodium and minimal processing. The great thing about it is how long it lasts. You can keep an unopened pack at your desk or even in your pocket. Once it’s opened, you can still snack on it throughout the day, though I wouldn’t leave it out overnight.
Why this snack is healthy: Grass-fed beef jerky is high in protein and low in sugar, which helps keep you full and supports muscle health. When you choose low-sodium, minimally processed versions, you avoid the additives and excess salt found in cheaper jerky.
Also Read: 7 Simple Ways to Add More Omega-3s to Your Diet
7. Seaweed Thins
This one might seem a little odd, but it was part of my journey from unhealthy processed foods to better choices.
Seaweed thins are paper-thin, super crispy, and the texture reminded me a lot of veggie chips. That’s probably why it felt like a natural step, from chips to veggie chips, to seaweed snacks.
I didn’t stick with seaweed snacks for long, mostly because they were expensive, and I was starting to mix them with other things like nuts, seeds, and roasted chickpeas. But while I was eating them, I genuinely thought they tasted fantastic, better than chips, nuts, or seeds in some ways. They had a salty, savory flavor that hit the spot.
In the end, my need for a bit of sweetness won out, and I went back to snacking on dried fruits and nuts. That mix was more affordable and easier to keep in rotation. But seaweed snacks remain a food I always look at when I occasionally step into the natural food stores.
Why this snack is healthy: Seaweed snacks are low in calories but rich in minerals like iodine, iron, and magnesium. They’re naturally salty, so they satisfy those savory cravings without all the added fat or sugar you’d find in crisps. And their crisp texture makes them feel like a real treat.
Small changes like swapping out crisps for healthier, shelf-stable snacks made a big difference in my journey toward better health. These simple options, and having them on hand at my desk while working, helped me stay on track, curb cravings, and build better habits, one bite at a time.