I have issues (don't we all! LOL) I like to eat at my desk at work because sometimes I like to do something else during my actual allotted time (like take a walk or other things). The office is open concept and very quiet. Therefore, I have ruled out anything too smelly or crunchy due to my self consciousness. I've been eating carrots and apples and things like that, but somebody new is coming in and sitting very close to me. I sound like I have mental problems (LOL) but I just can't enjoy my food if I feel like people can hear me eating. I've thought of some things like raw mushrooms, grape tomatoes, oranges, bananas (not my favorite), berries etc. I can come up w/quiet and non-smelly sandwiches (LOL) but it's the produce I'm having issues with. Everything is so crunchy! Maybe I could give my carrots a quick zap in the microwave? OMG I sound like a nut! Can anybody else relate? And any suggestions? TIA!!!!

Fruits seem pretty simple. You've already mentioned a bunch, and you can add maybe sliced peaches, pineapple, strawberries, plums, clementines, cut up pieces of watermelon...if you want something firm without the crunch, I LOVE frozen grapes. As for veggies, I'm likely not much help since I don't like many veggies, but what about sliced cucumber?

Oh, and you don't sound too crazy I just started a new job and had a little bag of chips with my lunch yesterday at my desk. I felt sooooooo loud, like everyone in the other cubes could hear me. I know if I heard someone else eating something crunchy, I wouldn't care, but I just can't shake the feeling that they're all thinking I'm so loud, not to mention thinking things like that, gee, the fat girl is eating again. I know it's crazy and they're not likely thinking anything like that at all, but call me paranoid. No more chips for me! So I understand where you're coming from

I had to reply to this post... because it made me smile

Oh lord... if you zap those carrots in the microwave, they WILL smell. And limpy, cold carrots? Yucky!

I love to take a container with mixed fruit... grapes, cantaloupe, honey dew melon, strawberries... mmmmm (no bananas, they turn mushy & brown).

Produce... yeah, that's a little trickier. Most of its pretty crunchy. What about marinated veggies? I used to make up a dish with all different things, brocolli, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, baby zucchini, cherry tomatoes etc... I'd pour over a small bottle of Italian dressing and let it sit for several hours. Not sure what kind of plan you're using... If you can't use the dressing... (which I don't anymore). Make something with oil and vinegar perhaps. Not ALL the crunch is gone out of the veggies - but they aren't AS crunchy.

Good luck!
Shauna

Thanks for the ideas! I'm not on any plan. I'm just trying to watch my caloric intake. I'm maintaining and eat whatever I want as long as it doesn't add up to too many calories at the end of the day. Microwaved carrots smell? I wasn't aware of that. I guess I never paid attention to that. If I ate a banana, it would still be in the peel before I ate it, so browning isn't a prob.
It's so funny that I really don't care if I can hear someone eating unless they're being totally obnoxious about it, but I'm totally conscious of my own chewing!

Maybe they don't smell all that bad... I seem to have a heightened sense of smell & to me... they do.

KIWI is my new favorite snack item. It's delish and super quiet.

I like to eat cooked vegetables cold. Either with a little dressing, as a salad, or just as I would a raw vegetable. You have to make sure they're not overcooked. There are some veggies I prefer this way to raw: broccoli, summer squashes (zuchini and Crook-neck yellow), green beans. Cabbage is good this way also. Make sure they're drained really well so you don't drip over your papers.

Of course, low-fat/no-fat cottage cheese is quiet and so are nuts. (As long as you're not cracking the shells in your office. )

I can definitely relate to the feeling of paranoia! I work in a VERY small office and a VERY quiet environment. I've gotten over my fear of crunching since I started working here but the fear sure was strong at first!

I also love cooked veg cold. (I don't really like raw veg with the exception of leafy greens.) A little lemon pepper on crisp-tender cold broccoli... mmm! Cauliflower is another that tastes great cold/cooked to me.

There are those little zip n steam bags... I personally don't use them but I've heard people rave about them. They might be good for packing up veg in to steam in the microwave at work?

Soup is very not-crunchy, you could make a big pot o' soup full of veggies and eat that quietly. Well, unless you slurp.

You could even puree it and drink it.
Thinking gazpacho here.

Thanks again for the ideas! I forgot about kiwi! What a great idea! And super nutritious! I've done the soup thing and of course get all the "what's that food smell?" questions, which won't kill me, but they make me uncomfortable. I just wanna be sneaky! I suppose the cold cooked (yet still slightly crispy -meaning al dente) vegetable idea is a good one. I love vegetables all ways, and with a touch of dressing might be devine.

Thanks again for the ideas! I forgot about kiwi! What a great idea! And super nutritious! I've done the soup thing and of course get all the "what's that food smell?" questions, which won't kill me, but they make me uncomfortable. I just wanna be sneaky! I suppose the cold cooked (yet still slightly crispy -meaning al dente) vegetable idea is a good one. I love vegetables all ways, and with a touch of dressing might be divine.

Oooh, I forgot V-8. A little high in sodium but so good and quiet. (Heh Heh, cold soup in a can.)

What about canned beans--you could try a mix of different beans (black, pinto, garbanzo, etc.) in a low cal Italian dressing. It would be like three-bean salad. Or refried beans spread on a low calorie wrap (or by themselves).

Or try blanching your veggies in boiling water for one minute (you could do a big batch on the weekend and the keep individual portions in the fridge). That would make them less crunchy.

Cherry tomatoes make a great, non-crunchy snack!

Here is a great recipe for a veggie salad that isn't very crunchy:
Yogurt Vegetable Salad
- 1/4 cup garbanzo beans
- 2.5 oz diced cucumber (about 1/2 cup)
- 1.5 oz halved cherry tomatoes (about 1/4 cup) (sub sun-dried tomatoes if no cherry tomatoes are available)
- 1 tsp minced fresh basil or mint (more to taste)
- 1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- sea salt and pepper to taste

This makes one serving @ about 80 calories. Not very crunchy at all.

Are non-veggie/fruit snacks a possibility? Here are a few ideas:

• A hard-boiled egg makes a great snack (sometimes I devil it by mixing a little dijon mustard with the yolk) and isn't crunchy at all.
• Hot cereal, like oatmeal is also a favorite of mine. You could make it in the microwave--no smell and no crunch.
• Meg's Fiber One Muffins--I make a batch every other week and eat one every day during the week.
• A low carb wrap spread with laughing cow cheese wedge.

How about edamame? I like the steamed kind that comes in the pod. You sort of suck them out. Totally silent, but you do have to dipose of the huge pile of pods.

Edamame is/are? a soybean and sounds like health food. My son bought some at Costco and shared with me. I really like them and they satisfy a need to eat things like nuts with far fewer calories and fat. They are just a bit salty.

I like to pop 94% fat free popcorn th enight before and put it in baggies. That way, it doesn't smell as strong, and you can eat quite a bit of it...atleast on WW.