Short on Time? What to Pack for a Filling Mini-Meal

Maybe you are stuck at the office working on a deadline project. Or perhaps you are sitting through your child’s sports practice. Either way, it’s mealtime and you’re nowhere near a kitchen.

How to resist the temptation to hit the vending machine or the fast-food drive-through? Those “meals” might be quick, but they are almost certain to sabotage your goal to eat healthy.

With a little planning, you can have a mini-meal tucked away in your desk drawer, tote or backpack to get you through these times in a healthy, satisfying way.

Here, courtesy of registered dietitian Anna Taylor, MS, RD, LD, CDE, are suggestions for mini-meals that can hold you for three to four hours until it’s the next scheduled time to eat.

None of these foods require refrigeration. Nor do they include protein bars or shakes.

“Protein bars and shakes really aren’t my favorite since they tend to be so heavily processed and they typically don’t provide the same phytonutrient and fiber benefits,” Ms. Taylor says.