Food for Thought: Study Snacks of Champions

by AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

I think it’s been hitting us all recently: the end of the semester is basically HERE. I know, I know, it felt like we were battling the summer heat yesterday, but now it’s time to be buying Christmas presents, eating Thanksgiving turkey, and….studying for finals.

Ho ho ho.

This time of year gets intense for everyone, what with final projects, essays, tests, end-of-the-year events, and things piling up at work. I get it, it’s stressful and all you want to do is be home and drinking hot cocoa with your dog.

So, in this high-intensity time of year, I notice an area of life we forget about is often our health. We skip breakfast, or have donuts three times a day, or drown our sorrows in loads of cheesy fries. No one loves food more than me, but it’s important to keep healthy especially in these last weeks; nothing gets that brain going more than some good ole spinach.

Ha, sorry Marie Antoinette, I’m not letting these hungry students eat cake!

So, since you’re oh-so busy thinking about other things than health, I’ve thought about health for you! Here’s a guide to your best and easiest and healthiest study snacks.

Disclaimer: I’m not a certified nutritionist, but I do know tasty and healthy food. Thanks, mom!

If you’re running around all day:

-If you truly need a snack, you should grab a piece of fruit like a banana or apple. They’re so sweet and delicious, you’ll feel like you’re eating a Snickers bar! (Sort of).

But, while nutritious, fruit isn’t always satisfying if you’re so hungry that you feel like you could bite somebody’s head off.

-If you really need to fill that tummy fast, I recommend a granola bar. But not just any granola bar—those Chewy bars might as well be a Snickers bar, health-wise.

-Look for bars with all-natural ingredients and natural sugar replacements like molasses or agave, and bars with whole grains like oats, wheat, quinoa, or millet. I like any Kashi-brand bar (particularly the Pumpkin flax, but anyone who knows me knows I have a weakness for pumpkin).

 If you want to munch on chips while working watching Netflix:

Fill the void with something else crunchy and flavorful!

-Pistachio nuts are salty, satisfying, and tasty. Plus, they’re incredibly fun to eat, and very healthy.

-Dip carrots in something (hummus, salsa, guac). Sometimes I realize I eat chips for the dip, so replace that chip with something good for you and you won’t even notice the difference! Just stay away from the ranch. Sorry, but it’s the least healthy of all the dips. And I like carrots because they’re tasty on their own, have an incredibly satisfying crunch-factor, and make you see better! All the better to see your homework with, my dearie.

-If you really need that chip, go with a multi-gran baked pita chip. I’m all about those whole grains—they’re necessary for brain function! Dip in whatever healthy dip your heart desires.

-Popcorn! Yes, it’s true! Popcorn is healthy and filling and full of nice complex carbohydrates! That is, if you get all natural popcorn with no added butter or ingredients. But trust me, it still tastes as good as the movie theater stuff.

 If you really want dessert:

-Have a small piece of dark chocolate with 70% (or higher) cocoa. This type of dark chocolate is actually very healthy – it increases blood flow, lowers blood pressure, and has wonderful antioxidants for your skin! Of course, please enjoy it in moderation. But the good news is that this type of chocolate is so rich that a small piece is enough to satisfy any sweet tooth!

-Have a bowl of fruit with cinnamon, honey, and greek yogurt. It’s practically ice cream. Greek yogurt has the probiotics that keeps your tummy healthy, the fruit is fruit, and the cinnamon improves digestion! The honey is a natural sweetener, just to satisfy those sweet tooths out there.

-Have dark chocolate covered almonds. You know that dark chocolate is healthy, and almonds are too! Especially for women. Almonds have a lot of healthy fat in them that keeps your stomach nice and flat, and the inside of your tummy satisfied and full. With the chocolate, it feels like you’re eating peanut M&Ms or Snickers, but really you’re increasing your brain power and flattening your stomach.

 My MVP snack of the season: Apples dipped in peanut butter!

-I’ve been obsessing over this snack recently. It’s crunchy, it’s sweet, it’s salty, it’s filling, and you get all of the health benefits of protein, fruit, and the healthy fats of nuts! All you have to do is slice an apple and bust out your peanut butter

(PRO TIP: only pick peanut butter with just peanuts (or peanuts and sea salt) as the ingredients. None of that Skippy stuff – sorry!!).

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With all of this food in your belly, there’s no way you’ll fail your finals! That is, unless you don’t study. Please study.