Health Beat
For most students, college is the first time they have to make most decisions for themselves-including dietary ones. Snacking is no longer as easy as walking a few steps into the kitchen and opening the pantry; instead it requires a little bit of planning ahead. The first year of college is also a time for the dreaded “freshman 15″-the extra 15 pounds many students gain from the change in food options. Lucky for you, I have compiled a list of what I consider the top seven dorm room snacks. These snacks have been evaluated based on popularity, taste and health benefits and they can be found at on-campus stores and dining halls.
1) Popcorn. Popcorn is an extremely popular snack because it is easy to store, non-perishable and tasty. Plain popcorn is the healthiest, but most microwaveable brands add butter and salt to enhance the taste. Doing so can pack in hundreds of extra calories and about 12 grams of excess fat. Instead of buying “homestyle” or “butter-blast” popcorn, I recommend trying the new 100-calorie pop bags. Each bag has about 3.5 grams of fat and only 100 calories and they come in both butter and kettle corn varieties, making them a healthy and tasty alternative to other types of microwaveable popcorn.
2) “100-calorie bags.” The second snack I would recommend are those 100-calorie bags of Wheat Thins, Cheese-Its, Chips Ahoy, Oreos, Graham Crackers, etc. They are easy to throw in a backpack or eat in a dorm room and their pre-measured amounts help reduce the risk of overeating. Organic and healthier varieties of these snacks are now being sold at stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, so if you’re really a health nut, like I am, you should check out the natural varieties; they are free of trans fats and made from all natural ingredients. Also, if you have crackers, chips or pretzels, you can make your own “100-calorie bags” by placing a small portion of the snack in a plastic baggie.
3) Cereal. Once the staple of your breakfast, it is also a great dorm room snack. Any of the Kashi cereals are great, but so are many of the “mainstream” cereals like Cheerios, both regular and Honey Nut, and Honey Bunches of Oats. Just remember, when looking for a cereal to snack on, try and choose one made with whole grains that has lots of dietary fiber, to both fill you up quickly and keep your digestive system healthy.
4) Fruit cups. As far as fruits are concerned, fresh fruits are the best. The more colorful the fruit, the more minerals and vitamins it provides. When fresh fruits aren’t an option, try fruit cups (they come in tropical, mandarin orange and pineapple) and are the perfect snack size.
5) Carrot sticks. Baby carrot sticks, although not sweet or salty, are sometimes the perfect snack. A serving of carrots (baby carrots are now available in individual snack-size packages) can be very satisfying and filling. To add a little more flavor without significantly increasing the amount of calories, try dipping baby carrots in a low calorie dressing.
6) Yogurt. Yogurt is an easy way to pack extra calcium and protein into your diet while still enjoying a sweet snack. If you are looking to maintain or reduce your current weight, try light yogurts. Most brands of light yogurt contain only 60 to 100 calories per container (regular yogurt can have over 200 calories), which makes them a perfectly acceptable snack to satisfy your sweet tooth between meals.
7) Cheese snacks. The most popular cheese snack, string cheese, isn’t only for little kids anymore. String cheese is extremely popular with college students, and for good reasons. Cheese, especially in the low-fat and reduced fat varieties, is a healthy, convenient and portable snack that, like yogurt, has plenty of protein and calcium. If you find yourself getting bored with the traditional mozzarella string cheese, try Monterey Jack cheese sticks, cheddar cheese bricks or Gouda cheese circles.
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