As a college student, you are always busy. Between all your classes, all your homework, all the social events you try to make it to, work, and finding time to sleep; finding time for food prep can be challenging. We are all guilty of avoiding it and heading to the nearest vending machine for a snack during those late-night study breaks. But it doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are 5 quick, easy, and relatively nutritious snack ideas to keep you full and focused:
Dorm Room Guacamole
A healthy alternative to pre-made store bought guacamole, this delicious dip gives you a healthy dose of fat from the avocado and some Vitamin C from the tomato. Use whole grain tortilla chips for dipping and you get an easy and healthier alternative to chips and dip for those late-night cravings. For detailed recipe, click here.
Trail Mix
Throw together mixes of your favorite nuts (almonds, pistachios, cashews, peanuts, or walnuts), seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, or flax seeds), dried fruits, grains (whole grain cereals or pretzels), and a small amount of something sweet (your favorite kind of chocolate in small pieces is always a good choice) for a delicious, easy, and healthy snack for on-the-go.
Bonus tip: when you’re running so low on time you don’t even have time to throw a simple trail mix together, consider getting a box of healthy snack bars. Brands like Kind and Health Warrior tend to have healthy options for on-the-go eating. Just be cautious about the sugar content and be sure to get something with a decent amount of protein and fiber with low sodium.
Frozen Banana Poppers
Instead of reaching into the freezer for a fattening ice cream bar during those stressful study sessions, spend a little time making a bunch of these healthy frozen banana poppers. Bananas contain no fat, contain helpful vitamins, and the added carbohydrates found in bananas will help give you energy for some extra studying. Dip banana pieces in your favorite flavor of healthy yogurts, freeze, and enjoy. For full recipe, click here. Peanut Butter Treats
All college students should keep a jar of peanut butter on hand always. It’s just so useful for easy snacks and lunches. Use two tablespoons of peanut butter to dip everything from pretzels to celery sticks to apples in for a quick and healthy snack.
Bonus Tip: Always keep pre-washed and pre-cut up servings of veggies and fruits on hand for quick healthy snacks on-the-go. Examples include: bagged baby carrots, pre-bagged celery sticks, pre-bagged pea pods, pre-bagged grapes, apples, and bananas.
Healthier Muddy Buddies
Instead of making traditional muddy buddies for those late-night cravings, consider this healthier alternative to this classic snack. Combine ½ tablespoon of honey, 1 ½ tablespoon of peanut butter, and 1 ½ tablespoon of dark chocolate chips. Then melt the mixture stirring as you go. Then use the mixture to coat ¾ cup of Chex cereal (use wheat Chex for added fiber). Finish it off with ½ tablespoon of vanilla protein powder.
