Dorm Life: Healthy Snacking Options
By: Sophie Bubrick
It’s late on a Tuesday evening and you’re cranking out the last of your homework. The next episode of This Is Us on Netflix is only a chapter away. Which snacking options will you choose this time? Instead of popcorn or Top Ramen for the hundredth time this week, try one of these three healthy, quick, and easy snacking options in your dorm!
DIY Acai Bowl
For an early morning wake up call, try giving yourself ten extra minutes before the 8am to make your own acai bowl. The best part about this dish is that you can tailor it to your liking. Choose any fruit, a splash of honey or maple syrup, granola, frozen acai, and maybe even sprinkle in a few coconut flakes to recreate your own version of acai! Besides all the healthy fruits you add to your bowl, the acai alone does wonders for a healthy diet. They are packed with antioxidants that cleanse your body and leave you feeling energized for the day and despite their delicious taste, are low in sugar. Interestingly enough, they also help improve sleep, and I think all us college students need a little bit more of that in our nightly routine;)
Peanut Butter and Rice Cakes
This quick and tasty snack is an excellent substitute for those cookies sitting in the back of your desk drawer. Grab a jar of peanut butter (Jifs extra nutty is a personal favorite) and a package of rice cakes from the grocery store for a low cal snack that tastes like a treat! Quaker offers a variety of flavored rice cakes from plain to caramel or even chocolate. Main difference between your beloved chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter snack? It is jam packed with fiber and protein that will keep you feeling full for the rest of the day. If the rice cakes still push your classification of a “cookie,” substitute it out for apple slices or add a little something extra on top (you won’t be giving up that sweet taste!)
Tuna Bowl
An excellent mid-day snack can be found in your mini fridge. A couple of canned tunas and mayonnaise can go a long way. Mixed in with some edamame, celery, lemon juice, avocado, tomato, and even a pinch of salt all thrown into a bowl is a light snack with filling results (you don’t even need to make it into a sandwich!) A tangy, refreshing flavor to soothe you taste buds while still keeping you full for the rest of the day. These ingredients are easy to find at the supermarket and can also be used on their own or for other dishes, and what could possibly be more healthy than edamame and celery? While this snack requires a little more preparation, it is more than doable before that inconvenient class that is just far enough from dinner where you need something to tide you over. Give it a go!