Smart Snacking and Eating for the Busy Collegiate

Feel like you never have time to cook?  Confused about what to eat while on a budget and want to get all of the proper nutrients in?  How the heck do you make it through long days without starving yourself until you have the chance to get lunch or dinner?  After freshmen year, most college kids realize that it’s not always all about pizza, pasta, donuts, and waffles topped with powdered sugar, ice cream and fruit syrup.  By the time the first summer after freshman year comes around, a lot of us get on top of our eating habits because we realize how much of an affect “freshmen fifteen” had on our bodies!  Sometimes, it doesn’t have to do with what we have for the actual meals either. What we eat in between meals as a snack to hold us off until the next meal can also be the killer. I have observed lots of different choices people make to hold themselves over during the long days. Just to reiterate what professional dietitians and others stress; breakfast is a key element of a healthy diet, and helps with maintaining and/or losing weight.

‘90’s kids who have stayed true to their generational upbringing seem to have this one in the bag.  It’s a pretty good idea to have breakfast in the morning, and if you don’t have time to make yourself an egg sandwich, grab yourself a good ole bowl of cereal.  Stay away from the sweet cereals like Lucky Charms, or Frosted Flakes because that extra sugar along with the carbs will only make you feel hungry faster.  So with cereal, you have already contributed to your carb and dairy product for the day in one bowl.  An egg sandwich with turkey bacon and cheese can contribute nutritionally as well with the addition of a meat product. Also, the latter may hold you off longer than the bowl of cereal (unless you go for seconds, of course). Before you get around to having lunch, you may feel the hunger coming on, so be nice to your body and drink some water, eat fruit, grab a granola bar, or have some yogurt.

Lots of college gals have come to enjoy snacking on humus and pretzels or celery and carrots with ranch dressing/dip. Healthier choices tend to hold you over until the next meal much better than a donut, cookie, or any other pastry would.

A pretty smart snack to consider is trail mix.  A mixture of nuts, raisins, cranberries, even chocolate and other ingredients is quite filling and creates smiles inside and out!  The goal is to find smarter and healthier snack choices.  The biggest mistake is taking in tons of carbohydrates for every single meal of the day.  Yes, it’s college, and yes carbs are always cheaper. Unfortunately, they’re not healthy or beneficial to your body in the long run if overeaten.  The more heavy foods you eat like pizza, pasta and lots of bread, the more fatigued you will get and the less likely you will feel awake and motivated to do homework and/or study on those nights when you may be bogged down with assignments.  Try to eat breakfast, snack on fruits, grains, and nuts, and grab a salad here and there!  This will all help especially if you have ditched the full meal plan option.  Test it out, and don’t be afraid to try new things and break old habits.

Photo Credits: 

http://beyondbreakfast.org/mar…

http://kitchenability.com/category/kitchenability-college-tips/.

http://www.pepsicoschoolsource.com/products/sabra%C2%AE-grab-n%E2%80%99-go-roasted-red-pepper-hummus-pretzels.