Eating healthily at work is mostly about planning ahead and changing your environment. Bring a balanced lunch, keep healthy snacks in your desk, take a proper break to eat away from your screen, keep a water bottle within reach, and have a plan for the office cakes, vending machines, meetings and late shifts that make healthy choices harder. Most adults spend a large part of their waking hours at work, so small changes there have a big effect on your overall diet, energy and concentration.
Why work makes healthy eating hard
- Long hours and busy days lead to skipped meals and grabbing whatever’s nearby.
- Office treats: birthday cakes, biscuits in meetings, and sweets on the desk.
- Vending machines and canteens with limited healthy options.
- Sitting for long periods and eating at your desk, which makes it easy to lose track of how much you eat.
- Stress, which can drive cravings for sugary, salty and fatty foods.
- Shift work, which disrupts meal timing and sleep.
12 ways to eat healthily at work
- Eat breakfast, or bring one. Starting the day fed helps you avoid mid-morning snacking. Our guide to healthy breakfasts on the go has portable ideas.
- Bring your lunch most days. Our list of healthy lunch ideas for work has 15 options.
- Take a proper lunch break. Step away from your desk and eat without your screen, so you notice when you’re full. Our guide to mindful eating explains why it helps.
- Keep a water bottle on your desk. Mild dehydration can feel like tiredness or hunger. The NHS recommends 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day.
- Stock your drawer with healthy snacks: unsalted nuts, oatcakes, fruit, or a small pot of seeds.
- Plan for the afternoon slump. A snack with protein and fiber, such as an apple with a few almonds or yogurt with berries, keeps energy steadier than biscuits.
- Watch your drinks. Large flavored coffees, sugary soft drinks and energy drinks add a lot of sugar. Tea, coffee without syrup, and water are better choices.
- Have a plan for office treats. Decide in advance, for example one slice of birthday cake a week, or a small piece rather than a large one. You don’t need to refuse every treat.
- Suggest healthier meeting food, such as fruit platters, vegetable sticks and hummus, alongside or instead of pastries.
- Choose wisely in the canteen: look for vegetables, salad, grilled protein and whole grains, and go easy on fried foods and creamy sauces.
- Move during the day. Take the stairs, walk at lunch, or stand for calls. The NHS recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week and reducing time spent sitting.
- Don’t arrive home starving. A late-afternoon snack can stop you overeating in the evening.
Healthy desk snacks
| Snack | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Fruit: apples, bananas, satsumas | Fiber and natural sweetness |
| Unsalted nuts, a small handful | Protein, healthy fats, filling |
| Oatcakes with nut butter | Whole grains and protein |
| Plain popcorn | Whole grain and low in calories |
| Vegetable sticks with hummus | Fiber and protein |
| Plain yogurt (if there’s a fridge) | Protein and calcium |
Our list of healthy snack ideas has more.
Eating well on shift work
Night and rotating shifts make healthy eating harder, but a routine helps:
- Eat your main meal before your shift, for example in the early evening before a night shift.
- Have lighter meals and snacks during the night, such as soup, sandwiches, yogurt or fruit, rather than heavy, fried or very sugary foods, which can make you feel sluggish.
- Bring food from home, as options at night are often limited.
- Stay hydrated, but cut down on caffeine in the last few hours of your shift so you can sleep. The NHS suggests avoiding tea and coffee for at least 6 hours before bed if you have trouble sleeping.
- Have a light snack before sleeping if you’re hungry, so hunger doesn’t wake you.
Working from home
Working from home brings different challenges: a full kitchen nearby, and no natural breaks. Set regular meal and snack times, keep tempting foods out of sight, eat away from your desk, and use breaks for a short walk. Planning lunch the night before helps here too.
Making changes at work
Workplaces can make healthy choices easier for everyone, with fridges and microwaves for packed lunches, water fountains, healthier vending and canteen options, and fruit at meetings. If your workplace has a wellbeing group or HR contact, suggest small changes. Our guide on healthy food swaps has easy ideas you can share.
Business travel and long days on the road
Travel makes healthy eating harder, but a little planning helps:
- Pack snacks such as nuts, fruit, oatcakes and a water bottle.
- At service stations and airports, look for salads, wraps with lean protein, sushi, yogurt and fruit, rather than pastries and crisps.
- At hotel breakfasts, choose eggs, porridge, yogurt, fruit and whole grain toast, and save the full cooked breakfast for an occasional treat.
- At conferences, fill your plate with vegetables and protein first, and choose water between sessions.
- Keep moving: take a walk at lunch or use the hotel gym, even for 15 minutes.
Working with others
Shared food culture at work can make healthy choices easier for everyone. Suggest a fruit bowl for the office, a team walk at lunch, or a rota for bringing healthy snacks to meetings. Many colleagues will welcome the change.
Common questions
How can I avoid snacking at my desk?
Keep only healthy snacks within reach, eat regular meals, and drink water. If you’re bored or stressed rather than hungry, a short walk or a break can help.
Is it OK to skip lunch when I’m busy?
Regularly skipping lunch can leave you tired and less focused, and more likely to overeat later. Even a quick, prepared lunch is better than nothing.
What should I eat before a long meeting?
A snack with protein and fiber, such as yogurt and fruit or nuts and an apple, helps keep you alert and less tempted by meeting pastries.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before making big changes to how you eat, especially if you have a health condition, take regular medication, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
