We’ve all been there. It’s 1:30 AM during exams week. You’re up to your eyeballs in printed out slides, drowning in charts and tables and concepts. You surface from the academic swamp to breathe and happen to take note of your surroundings. All around you is a graveyard of candy bar wrappers and empty bags of chips. How did you eat so much without realizing it? It’s a growing phenomenon affecting college students everywhere: mindless eating while studying. You don’t even realize you’re doing it, but you always wonder why your jeans feel a little tighter around exam time.
Eating while studying is not a bad thing. It gives you energy, keeps you awake, and helps you focus. It’s what we eat that makes it bad. Below is a list of healthier choices to replace your favorite study-time snacks, without sacrificing taste.
1. Craving something salty? Swap potato chips with baked pita chips. They’re salty, low in fat, and have a wonderful crunch. Add hummus and veggies if you’re really hungry. Pretzels are also low in fat and deliciously salty and come in a glorious array of shapes and sizes. (*pretends to smoke pretzel cigar while studying*)
2. Craving something sweet? Try cocoa powder-covered almonds. You can buy them or make them on your own at home (find the recipe here); they’re the perfect amount of sweet with all the protein and healthy fats of almonds.
3. Craving cookies? Skip the Oreos and try Fig Newtons instead. They’re lower in fat and the fiber in figs will keep you full for longer.
4. Craving peanut butter? Instead of Reese’s Pieces, try carrots dipped in peanut butter. It sounds weird, but is surprisingly delectable. The carrots have a satisfying crunch (and other great stuff like Vitamin A and antioxidants) and the protein in peanut butter fuels your ferocious studying.
5. Craving ice cream? They sell all kinds of delicious yogurts these days that will satisfy your craving for something creamy. Or, throw the yogurt and your favorite fruits into a blender with some skim milk or orange juice and ice and you have a delicious (and vitamin-packed) smoothie.
Snack away, my friends!