Reading period and finals weeks is coming up, which means that we’ll all be sitting in the library studying or writing papers for hours on end, and will inevitably want to bring snacks. In addition to avoiding gaining extra weight from eating too many Cool Ranch Doritos, it’s important to eat healthy and beneficial snacks to increase your productivity as you study. Now is the perfect time to stock up on study snacks for the upcoming weeks, and prepare your study and paper-writing schedule accordingly.
Instead of chips or pretzels….. have air-popped popcorn. You can add your own amount of salt or, my favorite, sage, to avoid the overly buttery or overly salty pre-packaged popcorn. Because you probably don’t have an air popper, you can put about 1/3 cup popcorn seeds into a brown paper bag (like the express lunch ones) and fold the open end once and put one staple in the middle. Or pop it on the stove (measure out 2 shotglasses full of popcorn seeds for a medium sized pot and add 1T olive or vegetable oil).
Instead of chocolate candies… try roasted almonds. You can buy almonds in the bulk section at Hanaford and roast them yourself in an oven or on a pan in the stove. Be sure to watch the almonds AT ALL TIMES because they burn easily. Almonds have protein, which helps brain function, as well as numerous other health benefits. But just because almonds are healthy does not mean you can eat them by the pound, they still contain a significant amount of fat, so limit yourself to 1/3 cup per serving.
Instead of fruity candy… try actual fruit! Either dried or fresh, fruit is a fantastic snack. You can take apples, bananas, pears or oranges from the dining halls or go to Hanaford for a wider selection. In the bulk section at Hanaford, you can find unsweetened or sweetened dried mangos, pineapples and apricots. These are great snacks because they’re portable, loaded with vitamins, and fat free!
Instead of soda…have a flavored seltzer! I always prefer Grapefruit Polar Seltzer to Diet Coke when I’m working on a paper; water will always be better for you than non-water beverage. Reward yourself for milestones in your studying (like giving yourself the new black cherry flavor of seltzer when you’ve reached 1500 words on your paper or gone through all your notes up to the first midterm). But alas, when we need coffee, we need coffee. To account for the extra intake of caffeine, it’s important to stay hydrated…all the more reason to drink more seltzer! (or actual water, but seltzer is more fun)
Instead of a to-go cup of cereal… grab a to-go cup of celery and hummus. It’s tempting to take a to-go cup of Cracklin Oats when you’re leaving the dining hall, but insteat opt for a healthier choice to snack on as you study. The crunchiness of the celery feeds your craving for something to bite into and the hummus provides sustenance by way of protein. Hummus is in the salad bar in Moulton and in the jam station in Thorne.
The key things to remember when it comes to snacks for finals is to try to avoid excessive salt and sugar. At meals, try to opt for lean proteins like fish and tofu at meals for optimal brain function. You wouldn’t want to ruin that bikini body you worked so hard in the gym to get by mindlessly eating those bags of chips from the C-Store…
Good luck with finals!