Snacking!

Snacking is hard in college. Your mom sends you with chips and candy and home made sweets and you feel like you have to eat them before they go bad, I have been there! And I am here to tell you, if your mom sends you with home made cookies by all means eat them! I am also going to give you some quick tips for healthy snacking.  

The prime time for snacks are between lunch and dinner, around 3 PM and after dinner before bed (whenever bed may be). These are the times when the food from your meal has been all digested and your body is ready for some more energy. Snacks are all about giving you a burst of energy before the next time you can eat. 

Tip 1: In the Cafeteria.  
Some of the cafeterias on campus are open all day, so you can go up there whenever for a snack. There are some really great options in the cafeteria for snacks. One of my favorites is yogurt, granola and fruit. This gives you a great blend of protein, fiber and carbohydrates. Another option is cottage cheese and fruit. Many cafeterias offer pita and hummus which is an AWESOME option, probably one of the best. Hummus is a nutritional POWERHOUSE because of the amount of protein in there. Sometimes you can also find dried fruit, nuts or trailmix which is another option. It is great if you combine it with some milk or cheeese cubes. If you look around in the caferia you can find some great options.  

Tip 2: At Sparty's.  
If you live on campus, you probably know all about ComboExchange. (If not, ask someone at Sparty's to tell you about it and you will be really excited). So let me tell you really quick about some of the awesome options with Combo. This year you can get hummus and pita (remember how awesome hummus is?). You can also get yogurt, granola bars, dry cereal, cheese sticks, juice (go for the apple, orange or grape because these are 100% juice) , water bottles and fresh fruit. ALL of these are really great options.  

Tip 3: In your Room.  
All of the foods I mentioned above that you can find in the cafeteria or at Sparty's you can also of course buy for your room. I love keeping cheese sticks, cereal and dried fruit in my room. But of course you have more options since you are buying your own snacks! Some great options are any type of dry roasted nuts (almonds, pistachios, peanuts, walnuts, soybuts etc) or peanut butter if you like it (it keeps forever!) I keep whole grain crackers in my room too to snack on. Another option are pretzels, baked chips or pita chips. Last but not least, of course, is POPCORN! Did you know its a whole grain and has a good amount of fiber? Go for 94% or higher fat free and you are good to go.  



Happy Snacking! :)