Whether it be the cold weather, the start of midterm season, or successive nights in watching the Bachelor, I have been recently craving more snacks throughout the day. While blue room muffins are undoubtedly delicious, they are definitely packed with sugar (and they consume my valuable points), so I wanted to share some of my favorite healthier alternatives to classic snack staples. What’s even better is that all of these items can be purchased at Whole Foods, which is a nice short walk from anywhere on campus.
Crackers/Chips:
Photo Credit: https://sietefoods.com/products/sea-salt-grain-free-tortilla-chips
Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips– These tortilla chips are paleo (completely gluten and dairy free), use clean ingredients (no more canola oil), and come in tons of delicious flavors (lime, nacho, ranch, sea salt), making them a great alternative to traditional chips.
Photo Credit: https://www.simplemills.com/products/farmhouse-cheddar-almond-flour-crac…
Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers– These crackers are made with recognizable ingredients, are gluten free and non-GMO, and have the same delicious crunch as your favorite crackers. My favorite flavor is the farmhouse cheddar, which is a great alternative to classic Cheez-Its.
Photo Credit: https://www.lundberg.com/product/organic-brown-rice-cake-lightly-salted/
Rice Cakes/Rice Thins– I love to use rice cakes as an alternative to toast to make yummy breakfasts and snacks in my dorm. My favorite toppings are avocado, nut butter and bananas or strawberries, and hummus.
Photo Credit: https://www.target.com/p/skinnypop-174-original-popcorn-4-4oz/-/A-16654901
Popcorn– Popcorn is a great snack, as it contains few ingredients and is fun to share with friends. My favorite brands are Boom Chicka Pop and Skinny Pop (while the kettle corn flavors are also delicious, they have a significant amount of added sugar).
Photo Credit: http://www.seasnax.com/SeaSnax-Organic-Classic-Grab-Go-6-Pack_p_24.html
Seaweed– While seaweed is an acquired taste, it is full of vitamins and minerals and is salty and delicious!
Candy:
Photo Credit: https://yumearth.com/products/gummy-bears
YumEarth– While YumEarth candies contain traditional cane sugar, they are free of artificial flavors and dyes, making their gummies and lollipops a good alternative to your favorites.
Photo Credit: https://hukitchen.com/products/simple
Hu Kitchen Chocolate– While this chocolate is definitely more expensive than most, it is vegan and also gluten free. It contains no cane sugar, all while maintaining a rich chocolate flavor.
Photo Credit: https://paleonola.com/products/the-original
Granola– Granola is a delicious sweet snack or dessert. Just make sure that it is naturally sweetened, as many brands are loaded with sugar. My favorites are Purely Elizabeth and Paleonola.
I hope you enjoy some of my favorite snacks and good luck with studying!