I don’t know about you, but I love to snack. There is nothing I love more to do than sit down in front of the TV and eat a bag of sour cream and cheddar Ruffles or pig out on some cookie dough. Although I love to snack, my waistline does not love it so much. With spring approaching, I have one main goal in mind: beach body. As college students, we are extremely busy and it gets hard making time for healthy food and snacks. Here are some healthy snack alternatives and strategies to try out:
Hummus, the worlds best dip
Hummus is made with chickpeas and is the perfect combination with veggies or some pita chips. Many people hate to eat veggies, but they taste so much better when you’re dipping them in hummus. Who doesn’t love a good carrot smothered in some hummus?
Were nuts for nuts
Even though nuts are high in calories, they are good for you heart and your health, not to mention they are so easy to pack on the go. There are so many combinations of nuts you can try so that the snack doesn’t get so boring. Throw in some almonds, peanuts, and cashews, and you have the perfect snack.
Veggie chips
Everybody loves to snack on chips. Whenever I am at a party and I see chips, I gravitate to that area and stuff my face until I cannot eat anymore. I always say I am going to have “one more hand full, ” but I find myself not being able to stop eating that delicious, salty snack. So for all you chip lovers, veggie chips are an amazing alternative to potato chips. And in my defense, taste way better. They have way more nutrients and you do not feel guilty eating more than the required serving!
Other tips
A lot of our days are long and we are on campus from 8-5. In those 9 hours, we get hungry and want to run down to the vending machine to buy the first thing we see. This is not only bad for your health, it is also bad for your wallet. Take some extra time on Sunday evening and prepare some snack bags for the week. Get your mixture of fruits, proteins, and nuts, and there you go, a healthy, easy snack.
The easiest way to avoid unhealthy snack is if you do not have it around! Train yourself to resist the urge of walking down the chip or pasta aisle in the store. If you do not have these items lying around, you won’t be tempted to eat them and will have to snack on something else (preferably fruits or veggies). Remember ladies, this is not saying you have to cut out all your favorite treats, just remember moderation is key. You can still enjoy some mac and cheese; just try to eat smaller portions of it!