Five things to eat at 3pm that are not chocolate.

You know how sometimes, usually around 3pm, you’re staring at your computer trying to do some work, and the lines start blurring in front of your eyes?

You’re not going crazy. You’re probably hungry. Bro. Do you even snack?

It’s easy to get into a bit of a rut when it comes to snack food. Even more accurately, it’s easy to just reach for the nearest free biscuit and shove it in your gob. We’ve all been there. But if you need a bit of a snack overhaul (and let’s be honest, you probably do), then you have come to the right place.

When my 3pm hunger pangs hit, I tend to reach for the cheese. I mean, it’s a highly acceptable snack. It’s got calcium, it’s got protein, it’s recently been proven to aid digestion, blah blah blah — mainly, it’s delicious.

So, here’s a few snack ideas for you cheese-lovers. All of these are desk-friendly — i.e. minimal preparation and maximum joy.

1. Get back into crispbread.

There’s something funny about the word ‘crispbread’ (mainly because I’ve just said it ten times in a row in my head). But crispbread is a serious snack, and there are healthier options than there used to be. Go to the crispbread aisle of your supermarket and you will see all kinds of rye, wholemeal, low sodium, low fat, organic options. Top it with some creamy Laughing Cow cheese, a slice of tomato, and a twist of pepper (cut the tomato up at home, pepper it, and put it in a container, for quick assembly at work) and Bob’s your uncle. In fact, Uncle Bob will probably try to steal a bite.

2. Wrap that.

Don’t just stop at bread-based wraps. Wrap a piece of cheese in lettuce or kale, or even a piece of shaved ham. If you’re trying to stay away from carbs, lay a piece of crisp lettuce on your plate (or desk, if it’s clean), a piece of ham or turkey, and a triangle of smooth cheese, and then wrap that baby up. Mmmm. Mmmmmmm. Sorry, excuse me while I wipe the drool off my keyboard.

3. Stalk some celery.

This one is not only delicious, it’s really fun. Grab a celery stalk with a nice hollow centre. Squish in some creamy cheese. Sprinkle on something yummy, like walnuts and cranberries, for a bit of sweetness. And then crunch that munchy-munch. Your colleagues will prooooobably ask you to keep that snacking noise down, but they’re just jealous.

4. Cucumber sandwich.

There’s something very posh about this snack, dahhhhling. Slice up some cucumber (again, if you want to be able to assemble it in a hurry, slice up half a cucumber at home and bring it in a container) and put in a good wedge of cheese, like the delicious little triangles from Laughing Cow. If you want to make it even more fancy, sprinkle on a dash of paprika. And then fight off all your office mates, because it’ll look so pretty, they’ll think you’re making hors d’ouvres.

5. Sweet tooth.

If it’s a bit of sweetness you’re after (and who could blame you?), try this one. Slice up a pear, put a portion of soft cheese on top and add a pinch of cinnamon. The cheese will fill your tummy up enough to stop the hangriness, and the pear + cinnamon + cheese combination will taste like a delicious crumble dessert, without the guilt.

Don’t forget, snacking regularly has all kinds of benefits on your mood, brain function, metabolism, and general happiness in life. Be organised, because tossing a few goodies in your handbag in the morning will go a long way in the afternoon. Go forth, snack buddies. Enjoy.

What are your favourite snacks?

Here are some more snack ideas for all you cheese lovers…

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