I grew up with home-cooked meals each night and an abundance of restaurants near me, so adjusting to the food scene at college was a struggle. While Mizzou has a lot of options for on-campus dining, after a while, I felt like the food wasn’t making me feel good. Whenever I went to the dining hall, I felt like my only options were pizza, burgers or pasta. It all felt too repetitive, and everything was making my stomach hurt. I’ve had problems in the past with my stomach, so it was really a struggle finding food that made me feel good. I’ve begun to rely on snacks and drinks from my dorm, so this is for all the girls out there who are feeling the same way.
SNACKS
Overnight oats: At this point, I’d consider myself an overnight oats expert. This has been a favorite snack/meal for me since I was a sophomore in high school. To start off, why I love them so much is because you can make them with pretty much anything. I commonly used bananas, Greek yogurt, oats and peanut butter to make them. If you want to make it even more fun, add in some chocolate chips. I also loved using flavored yogurt such as strawberry, then throwing in some milk, honey and fresh fruit. I love this snack as it’s a pretty filling option without making you feel overly full. It’s also a great way to add some fruit to a meal, but keeping fresh fruit in a dorm can be tough. Another great option is the brand Oats Overnight. This brand sells packets of oats in different flavors, and they’re incredibly easy to make. All you have to do is pour the packet into a small container along with some milk, then throw it in the fridge overnight. And when I tell you the flavors are amazing, I’m not kidding. I have a couple of favorites; first off is the flavor fruity cereal because it tastes exactly like Froot Loops. For coconut lovers out there, the coconut cream pie flavor is the perfect amount of sweet for coconut flavoring. Lastly, the chocolate banana is so good, I inhale it every time I make it. This brand is also gluten-free, which can be helpful on Mizzou’s campus where gluten-free options can be limited. Overall, I’d say overnight oats are a great way to quickly get some good fuel in your body without overdoing it.
Bobo’s Oat Bites: This next snack is perfect for whether you’re in class or need quick fuel before going somewhere. I discovered these back home when I was nannying. The kids I watched were obsessed with these and got me hooked as well. They are little oat balls and they come in a ton of different flavors. My favorite is the bites version, although the brand also offers bars. They remind me of little protein bites but better, and I say if kids like these, you’ll like them too. My favorite flavor is chocolate chip, which is a classic. Another flavor I recommend is the strawberry version, which has a yummy strawberry jam in the middle. This is another gluten-free snack, so it’s overall great for many.
LesserEvil popcorn: I hadn’t discovered this brand before coming to college. Sitting at home, I was scrolling through videos on TikTok trying to find snacks to keep in my dorm that wouldn’t make my stomach explode. This brand kept coming up and I decided to give it a go, and now I’m obsessed. It’s great in class or just lying in your room kinda snack. It honestly reminds me of SkinnyPop but saltier, and I’m a big savory girl, so I loved that. It also has tons of different flavors. I recently tried its pumpkin spice popcorn, and it was interesting for sure, but I’d recommend it for the fall lovers!
Purely Elizabeth granola: I’ve always been a big yogurt lover, but adding in this granola always makes it better. It’s such a quick and easy breakfast option that always makes me feel so good after. Not only is this brand another great gluten-free option, but it also includes so many good flavors. My favorites are the vanilla chocolate chip and the chocolate sea salt. This brand is also very good at balancing the sweet and salty flavors in the granola. So once again, for any other savory lovers like me, this is a great light breakfast or snack option.
Zbars: You might laugh at me for this recommendation, just like my friends do every time I pull one out, but trust me. I have been eating these things for years and they never get old. They have so many good flavors like chocolate chip or s’mores. They’re also made by the same people who make Clif Bar, so you know they’ve got some nutritious value. On the plus side, they don’t crumble into pieces like Clif Bars do. I’ve found these to honestly be the perfect dorm snack. They’re great to grab if you don’t have time to eat breakfast or if you just need something in your system. They’re a 10/10 in my book.
TruFru: Now, don’t think I’d forget to recommend a sweet treat as well. Once in a while, we all need one and TruFru has always left me feeling pleasantly full. These chocolate frozen fruits are to die for, honestly. They have so many different options, some of my favorites are the dark chocolate blueberries, raspberries and cherries. For the peanut butter lovers, it has chocolate and peanut butter banana bites. It also offers freeze-dried options, although I prefer biting into the cold chocolate.
DRINKS
Hey Girl Tea: This first option might not be for everyone, but for all my tea-loving people, I would highly recommend this brand. My mom actually introduced me to this brand. She told me that Taylor Swift uses it, so if that doesn’t influence you, I don’t know what will. The brand offers different flavors and they’re supposed to help with different things as well. I haven’t tried them all but I have tried a few, and trust me they work. The ones I have tried include a tangerine flavor that helps you sleep, a honey lemon flavor that helps with cold and flu symptoms and a citrus flavor that helps with bloating and digestion. When my mom first told me about it I didn’t believe that it would actually work, but decided to give it a try to see if it would help my stomach problems and I was shocked. The bloating one is delicious, and actually worked and helped calm my stomach pain. Then, a few weeks ago, when I was trying to survive my first college illness, I pulled out the cold and flu tea and my sore throat went away instantly. I would highly recommend this brand if you need help with any of these issues.
Bubbl’r: As a recovering Alani Nu addict, these have been my saviors. Alani Nu and Celsius used to make my stomach hurt so bad, but the flavors were too good. Not only that, but I found myself relying on the high caffeine content in them. Then one of my friends introduced me to Bubbl’r and I haven’t looked back. Bubbl’r only contains natural caffeine, so it doesn’t make my stomach hurt like the other energy drinks out there. It’s also sugar-free, which is crazy to me considering how good the flavors are. Some of my favorites are tropical dream, which is pineapple mango, the twisted elixir, which is raspberry and lime, and pitaya berry nectar, which is papaya and strawberry. So if you’re ever needing a quick pick me up, I’d highly recommend it.
Fresca: This last drink is for the soda lovers out there. I’m a big Dr. Pepper person myself, although I can’t drink them all the time. If I’m just looking for a fun drink with my lunch in my room or need a refreshing drink after class, I’d recommend Fresca. It’s a sparkling citrus drink, and if you can’t tell from my other recommendations, I’m a big citrus person, so I absolutely love these. If you don’t like citrus, this isn’t for you, but I love these especially when it’s warmer outside. It’s also sugar-free, so if you’re looking for a nice drink after class, I’d recommend it.