Eating Healthy on a College Budget

The worst feeling in class is when the pain builds up in your chest and your stomach starts to gurgle. You quickly look around to make sure no one heard the embarrassing warning of your stomach telling you it’s about to eat itself from the inside out. But now, you can’t help it and you start sifting through your bag to find a mint, piece of gum, Hershey’s kiss, or anything with even the smallest molecule of sugar to hold you over. Well guess what? I’m here to tell you that there are healthy snack options that have kept me energized and attentive in even the most boring of lectures. These snacks not only keep you attentive but also keep you full. So, although they may seem to have a high calorie count it’s because you wont have to eat ten or an entire bag to raise your blood sugar. Just one or two servings do the trick. Here are a few!
 
Dark Chocolate: A few (2 or 3 squares of a bar/ Hershey’s kisses) solid dark chocolate pieces can be beneficial in several ways. Dark cocoa powder is high in antioxidants. It also relieves tension in your head, so this could be a migraine saver if you don’t carry around a travel sized Advil bottle. Also, the sugar content in the chocolate is small enough to fit in between your Calorie counted meals. Candy, dark chocolate, 1.3 oz bar, 192 calories
 
Unsalted Trail Mix: Read the label carefully. A lot of Trail Mix has salts, vinegars, sugars, and artificial flavoring added to them. What to look for, nuts and dried fruits. (Okay, M&Ms are fine too). The proteins of the nuts and natural carbohydrates from the fruits will quickly raise your blood sugar, prevent those hunger pains we dread. Small bags can often be found at U-Mart, Highland Market, and Park Student Union. Snack packs can be found at Costco.
Trail Mix, regular, unsalted, 173 calories, serving ¼ cup
 
Kashi Snack Bars: I promise these do not taste like cardboard! Kashi has a lot of different snack bars you can choose from. Most of them are high in fiber allowing you to have a full feeling for up to an hour after you’ve eaten it. Also, they have lots of natural sugars that will modify your mood if you have extreme blood sugar drops and tend to snarl at anyone or thing that gets in your way when you are hungry. But if eaten at the right time of the day and when you need that last push, grab one of these bars and you will receive your gold star for the day.
Kashi Bar, 140 calories, serving 1 bar
 
SmartWater: I have made the mistake of letting desert heat get to me more than once, and finally a doctor prescribed Smart Water. This water has been infused with electrolytes. It is the same secret ingredient of our sugary favorites, Gatorade, Vitamin Water, and concentrated juices. This water is highly purified and can be a lifesaver if your morning latte has completely dried you out. The electrolytes will give you a mini boost of energy, prevent dehydration, and does not contain any sugar. You can find smart water at U-Mart, Core, Highland Market and Park Student Union.
 
*Shopping Tip: When looking for a healthy snack, check the sugar and salt content. Also make sure you can recognize, let alone, pronounce all of the ingredients on the label.
 
Next time you do your shopping keep these options in mind as well (but it may take more than a single serving to fill you up):
Grapes:Concord, fresh, 62 calories, 1 cup
String Cheese:Mozzarella, string, sticks, reduced fat, low moist, 50 calories, serving 1
Baby Carrots:Fresh, baby, med, 4 calories, serving 1
 
 
A Quick Food Calorie Counter that doesn’t entail registration or a million questions!
 
Sources:http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-food-calorie-counter