It’s the end of the school year and with it, comes one of the most stressful weeks for many: finals week. Whether it be exams, essays, or projects, there is always something going on as professors get ready to wrap things up and put the finishing touches in the gradebook. I know for me, with so many due dates in the near future, I can find myself looking to do just about anything other than studying when I’m stressed. However, after a lot of time spent stressing the little things, I have found taking a deep breath, fixing myself a snack, and going up to my room to get some work done while listening to my current favorite playlist to be my way of destressing. Here are a few of my favorite healthier snacks that have not only gotten me through this quarantine, but also have saved me from a meltdown about schoolwork. I’ve learned that for me, there’s nothing like a little food to cheer me up.
- Banana Bread
-
I feel like everyone and their mother have made loaves of banana bread in the last few weeks, and who’s to blame them? I often find bananas laying on the counter, ripe and ready to eat, but never touched. Banana bread is not only the perfect way to use up a few bananas, but also a way to add some chocolate chips to the loaf for the perfect snack! There’s always a loaf sitting in my kitchen for the family, and heating up a slice everyday is the perfect amount of sweet to get me through a load of schoolwork!
- Greek Yogurt
-
Greek yogurt is known for its high amount of protein, but it also has a reputation of being tangy. I know that for me, I never wanted to go near it, because the thought of tangy yogurt doesn’t exactly sound appetizing. However, sometime last summer, my sister got me hooked on Dannon Light and Fit Strawberry Cheesecake-flavored greek yogurt. In my opinion, it reminds me a lot of the strawberry Gogurt I ate as a child, and I can hardly taste the tanginess. Being high in protein, greek yogurt is the perfect food to eat after my workout and it fills me up just enough when doing homework before dinner!
- Dark Chocolate
-
When I was younger, I wasn’t a fan of the bitter dark chocolate my dad would always buy, but now, it is my go-to when I’m looking for a quick snack to satisfy my sweet tooth. I highly recommend the Icelandic dark chocolate at your local Whole Foods! My sister and I will buy a bar and it lasts us a good few weeks! Sucking on one or two squares a day is the perfect snack while doing work. I love the way the creamy chocolate just melts in my mouth and satisfies my chocolate craving.
- Popcorn
-
One of my favorite things to make lately has been popcorn! While I’m definitely a fan of the extra buttery microwave kind, I have found just pouring a few tablespoons of kernels with a little bit of oil into a microwave safe popcorn bowl makes the most cripst, perfect popcorn! With a sprinkle of salt, it is the perfect warm, salty snack without the extra calories from the microwave! Just a couple of tablespoons easily fills me up and leaves me satisfied while studying!
- Hummus and Pita Chips
-
Hummus and pita chips is one of my favorite combinations and the perfect salty and healthy snack to munch on while studying! I also like to add baby carrots to the mix to add some freshness to my snack. This snack is super simple and perfect for if you want to throw together something quickly and get back to studying!