Prairie Fare: Is Your Desk Snack-Safe?

After taking some vacation days around the holidays, I returned to my desk hungrier than usual. Maybe I was in “snack mode” after being surrounded by holiday goodies at home.

At work my desk drawers were bare. I began scavenging for food. Food of some sort generally lurks on office counter tops or in break rooms. I found some snack bars in my storage area, so I didn’t go hungry. Unfortunately, my snacks were past their prime.

This started me thinking about eating in an office environment from food safety and nutrition standpoints. Let’s consider safety and sanitation. If you’re among the many who eat at a desk, think about the last time you washed and sanitized your desk top. If you’re like most, it doesn’t happen often, if ever.

Charles Gerba, a University of Arizona microbiologist, concluded that desktops rank among the most germ-laden surfaces in an office. He and his associates swabbed office surfaces and determined approximate numbers of germs on the surfaces. In the average office space, the phone ranked highest for number of germs, followed by the desktop, computer keyboard and computer mouse. Rounding out the top five was the office toilet seat. Consider that.

According to Gerba, cold and flu viruses can live about three days on surfaces. So, what can you do? Consider wiping office surfaces with disposable chlorine-based disinfecting wipes. The researchers found that wiping office surfaces daily nearly eliminated illness-causing “germs.”

You can also reduce your chances of getting sick by washing your hands frequently and thoroughly. While you may have a barrier (wrapper, napkin) between your desk and snack, there’s a possibility for cross contamination: You probably touch your desk, phone or computer mouse and then touch your snack. Disinfecting wipes aren’t meant for your hands, so find a sink and scrub with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before snacking.

How about nutrition? While “office grub” can be enticing, consider some healthier options. Fruits and vegetables are always good snacks, but most have a limited storage life. Office refrigerators can become “stockpiles” of forgotten lunches and snacks, so it’s best to clean them regularly, too.

Nonperishable items in your desk drawer can provide a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, but check the “use by” dates for best quality, and opt for single-serving, individually packaged items when possible to retain freshness. Alice Henneman, an extension educator in Nebraska, offered these tips for shelf-stable “emergency office munchies”:

• Whole grain crackers
• Nuts
• Soynuts
• Juice boxes (look for 100% juice)
• Microwave popcorn (consider reduced fat varieties)
• Pudding snacks (preferably reduced fat)
• Low-fat granola bars
• Shelf-stable boxes of milk
• Dried fruits like cranberries, raisins or dates

Here’s a tasty recipe from the Wheat Foods Council Web site: www.wheatfoods.org Your coworkers would appreciate a batch left in the break room.

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