Dorm Dash: Healthy snacks

Staying healthy, especially when living on campus, can be difficult. Between actually making time to eat between classes and schoolwork and the not-so-healthy cafeteria options, choosing to eat healthily can easily fall to the backburner. Here are some snack ideas that you can store in a mini-fridge in your dorm and take on the go with you to class while still keeping your health in mind:

·      Carrots and hummus

Hummus has healthy fats and protein, while carrots help you get your carbs and vegetables in. They even make individual serving hummus containers so you don’t have to portion out of a large container and create dishes for yourself. You can sub the carrots out for celery, mini bell peppers, cucumbers, or your favorite raw vegetable! 

·      Turkey roll-ups 

Repurpose your hummus for turkey roll-ups! Grab your favorite brand of tortilla, spread hummus on it, add turkey, cheese, and greens, and then just roll it up.  You can add other veggies like cucumbers and tomatoes if you’d like. It’s an easy way to get almost all of the food groups into one snack that you can hold in one hand and will keep you fueled through your classes. 

·      Berries and Greek yogurt 

Greek yogurt is a great option for a snack due to the protein, healthy fats, and probiotics. There is more protein in Greek yogurt than there is in regular yogurt so it will keep you full longer. Add some berries to it for some added sweetness and nutrients. You can dip strawberries in the yogurt or mix some blueberries in. Switch up the flavors of Greek yogurt and fruits you mix in so you never get bored of this snack.  

·      Popcorn

Due to its high fiber content, popcorn will keep you full and satiated. You can buy popcorn kernels and a microwave popcorn popper to keep this snack even healthier. This way you can add whatever toppings you want to the popcorn while being conscious of the serving size. Microwavable bagged popcorn tends to have a ton of salt and butter. However, if making your own from scratch sounds like too much work just try to find a brand with lower fat and salt content. SkinnyPop is a good option that comes in a variety of flavors. 

·      Mixed nuts and dried fruit

Nuts are an excellent source of healthy fats and protein. Keep a few different kinds in your dorm like almonds and cashews so you can change this snack up. Throw ¼ cup in a Ziploc bag with ¼ cup of dried fruit for a sweet and salty snack you can take on the go. When buying dried fruit, try to find some without a ton of added sugar. Golden raisins or dried cranberries are good options but just choose your favorite dried fruits.