15 Snacks and Meals for Working Professionals on the Run

​Style My Soul Explores…

“What are your favorite nutritious snacks that working professionals can prepare within fifteen minutes?”

Chia Pudding
Working professionals often have little time to craft nutritious meals and snacks throughout their busy day. An uncommon — yet balanced and healthy — snack they can create in fifteen minutes or fewer is a chia seed pudding bowl. This involves combining chia seeds with non-dairy milk, such as almond or coconut, along with fresh fruit and nuts of your choice. Chia seeds provide an array of essential vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other compounds that are beneficial for optimal health. The sweetness from the fruits paired with the crunchiness from the nuts makes for an enjoyable fortified snack that can easily be made when short on time crunches! -- Michael Alexis, CEO, swag.org
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Chickpea and Couscous Salad
​This uncommon dish is a simple, healthy, and vegetarian-friendly meal that doesn’t take long to make. Chickpeas are full of fiber and protein, which provide energy throughout the day, while couscous provides carbohydrates for sustained energy levels. The addition of fresh vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and onions adds both nutritional value and extra flavor to this savory dish. Preparation time comes to around 10–15 minutes, depending on how much you would like to chop the veggies. It’s always a great idea to make a large batch near the start of the week so you can eat it multiple times during your workdays!
-- Tasia Duske, CEO, Museum Hack

Stir Fry
When I’m in a rush, cutting up a range of vegetables, lightly frying them in olive oil in a wok, and splashing over some soy sauce is a tasty, filling, and nutritious meal that I can make in under fifteen minutes. To note, it takes me even less time to eat it; it’s so delicious!
-- Joe Flanagan, Founder, 90s Fashion World

Huevos Rancheros
​Ranch-style eggs, frequently known by their Spanish translation (huevos rancheros) appear to be a time-consuming breakfast, but they’re surprisingly quick and easy to make. Lay down some tortillas on a pan and add canned black beans and shredded cheese. You can cook the eggs any way you like. I prefer a sunny-side-up egg, but scrambled eggs and over-medium or fried eggs are fine, too. Heat the tortillas and black beans and cheese while you cook the eggs and once the tortillas are done, lay the egg on top. You can add a second layer of cheese on top if you’d like, along with chives or any other topping you want. You can even add a dash of salsa. You’re likely to have enough for leftovers, so be sure to refrigerate them and have them ready to put in the microwave the next time you need a quick breakfast. -- Brittany Dolin, Co-Founder, Pocketbook Agency

Steak Fajitas
​For professionals who have only a few minutes to cook dinner before getting back to work, steak fajitas are one of the easiest and most flavorful. Many professionals want a meal that is low in carbs and high in protein, but unfortunately, many pre-packaged dinners also contain the unhealthy qualities that often come with processed foods. Steak fajitas only require the prep time of chopping up a few vegetables, such as onions and peppers and slicing a small steak. Then, throw it all in a pan with a little olive oil and seasoning to taste, and in about 7 to 10 minutes of cooking time, you have a healthy meal. If you are looking for a flavorful meal that also registers high on the health scale, then steak fajitas are hard to beat. -- Cody Candee, CEO, Bounce

Avocado Toast With Whole-Grain Bread
Go to a bakery or your local grocery store and find some whole-grain bread. Then go to the farmer’s market (or simply move to the produce aisle of your neighborhood grocery store) and find some ripe, delicious avocados. Mash the avocados into a guacamole-style blend, coat it with some lemon juice, and store it in your refrigerator. Every morning, toast some bread and spread that avocado on your toast. Add a little sea salt and a slice of tomato — and if possible, a fried egg. It’s a quick, easy, and healthy breakfast, one that you can whip up in a matter of minutes. -- Rachel Blank, Founder and CEO, Allara

​Steel-cut Oatmeal
This grain is high in fiber, protein, and vitamins and is easy to prepare. All it requires is a few minutes of simmering on the stove. To make it more exciting and flavorful, top it with fruits like banana slices, blueberries, or strawberries; nut butter; cinnamon; and a touch of honey for sweetness. This combination provides long-lasting energy to help manage the day ahead!
-- Carly Hill, Operations Manager, VirtualHolidayParty.com

Breakfast Egg “Muffins”
It’s called a muffin, but it really isn’t — not in the traditional sense. There’s hardly any sugar content in this type of muffin. It’s a breakfast consisting of eggs, spinach, bacon (or sausage), and cheese. Whisk those ingredients together and pour the mix into some muffin tins. You can bake them for 15 minutes and they’re ready to eat (but give them a few minutes to cool off). You can put the remaining muffins in an airtight container and store them in the fridge, and you will have a pre-made breakfast to last for days. All you would need to do is zap them in the microwave. It’s a hot, delicious, healthy, and protein-packed meal — the perfect kind of meal to kick off your day. -- Sean Doherty, GM, Box Genie

Roasted Chickpeas
A non-perishable food that is rich in protein, fiber, and several vitamins and minerals is roasted chickpeas. These have 5 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein in 1/2 cup (125 grams). Because they contain most of the essential amino acids, their protein is said to be of greater quality than that of other legumes. Eating legumes with high-quality protein might enhance feelings of fullness and may help with weight loss, according to research. Drain and pat dry a can of chickpeas before roasting them. They should be tossed with olive oil, sea salt, and other seasonings of your choosing before being baked for 40 minutes at 350°F (180°C) on a prepared baking sheet. -- Brian Clark, Founder, United Medical Education

Mediterranean Cod With Roasted Tomatoes
For a good nutritious meal on the go, I love to make Mediterranean Cod and roasted tomatoes. I typically keep frozen fish on hand and pull it out in the morning to thaw. Then, when I am ready to cook, I combine oregano, thyme, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. I sprinkle this on both sides of the cod before placing it on one side of a non-stick pan and adding chopped tomatoes and garlic. After, I cover it with the remaining mixture of spices and olive oil on the other side of the pan. Within about 10 minutes of baking at 450 degrees, I have a plate of tasty food ready to eat. -- Andrew Adamo, VP, Bullion Shark

Simple Soups
​An uncommon example is curried red lentil soup; this high-protein soup takes only fifteen minutes to make with canned lentils, vegetable stock, curry powder, and other spices, garlic, onion, and tomatoes. The prep time is minimal, as it just involves chopping the ingredients before putting them all together in a pot to simmer. This bowl of soup packs a punch of nutrients while appealing to the palate at the same time — an ideal snack or meal for busy working days!
-- Grace He, People and Culture Director, teambuilding.com

Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich
Anyone can easily prepare a peanut butter and banana sandwich within 15 minutes. Toast two slices of whole-wheat bread, spread peanut butter on one piece, and slice bananas on the other. Put the two slices together to make a sandwich. This filling snack provides protein and healthy fats from the peanut butter, and fiber and vitamins from the bananas.
-- Matthew Appleton, E-commerce Manager, Appleton Sweets

​Grilled Cheese Sandwich With Avocado and Tomato
Toast two slices of whole-wheat bread and spread mashed avocado on one slice and top with cheese and sliced tomatoes. Put the two slices together and grill in a pan until the cheese is melted, and the bread is toasted. This sandwich provides fiber and healthy fats from the avocado and fiber, vitamins, and minerals from the tomatoes.
-- Alice Hall, Co-Founder and Creative Director, Rowen Homes

Turkey Spinach Wrap
​For individuals who don’t have a lot of time but are looking for a quick, nutritious meal, a turkey spinach wrap is a great option. Purchase good smoked turkey from a deli, along with spinach wraps, and your favorite veggies. Personally, I prefer romaine lettuce, spinach, bell peppers, and tomatoes with a bit of light mayonnaise or Sriracha sauce. In just a few minutes, you can create a healthy and filling meal. -- Mary Kay Bitton, Head of Product Innovation, FLO Vitamins

Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are an easy and fast snack to prepare and then keep on hand for grabbing and going. They stay good for a while and take almost no time to make. I typically create mason jars with 1 part oats, 1 part milk, and 1/4 part chia seeds. Then, for sweetness, I add some honey, jam, fruit, or Greek yogurt topped with a high-protein granola. -- Taylor Ava Smith, Athlete, Taylor Ava Smith