Go-To Healthy Snacks for the College Student
I understand, we are college kids always on the go and many find it hard to eat healthy fast. However, there are plenty of healthy snack options you can stick in your bag or buy at a campus convenient store on your way to class or an internship. Try adding some of the following tasteful and nutritious snacks next time you're on the go.
Grab the Gold Bars
Grab the Gold Bars are my addiction. I literally grab them on the go. I’ll eat one before or after a workout. Each bar contains 11 grams of protein, 7 grams of fiber, and 25 carbs for the perfect satisfaction. They taste deliciously good containing chocolate, peanut butter, and oats. Yummmm.
Fun fact: Grab the Gold Snack Bars were created by a local Nashvillian Danielle Ontiveros when she was 16, and the company is now based in Franklin, TN.
Kind Bars
Kind bars are a great snack to have in your purse or backpack and eat at almost anytime of day between meals.Kind bars have antioxidants, fiber, healthy fats from the nuts, and certain “kinds” of 6-8 grams of protein. They have several flavors to meet your tastebud satisfaction. My personal favorite is the Sea Salt Dark Chocolate.
Other bars are very high in carbohydrates and sugar, but Kind Bars and Grab the Gold are better options for a fulfilling and nutritious snack.
Carrots and Hummus
Great for mindless eating. You eat the carrot crunch with metabolism boosting hummus. Carrots have lots of Vitamin A, which help your vision, hair, skin, and bone formation. Yes, carrots and hummus have carbs, but it is wayyyy better than a bag of chips. Get to snacking!
Banana & Peanut Butter or Almond Butter
The perfect snack post-workout or during mid-day if it is hard to grab lunch when hunger strikes. The banana has carbs, potassium, and fiber. Fun fact: Bananas are the most eaten fruit on earth! There’s a good nutritious reason! Eat it with 2 tablespoons peanut butter or almond butter for some healthy fats and protein, then there’s all 3 macronutrients in every bite!
Fruit (fresh or frozen)
Choose whole foods over candy bars. Fruit has antioxidants, natural sugar, and carbohydrates to give you energy throughout the day. My favorites are blueberries, Trader Joe’s mango, strawberries, and clementines. I try to always have fruit in my fridge to eat on the go or throw in a smoothie.
Fun fact: The sugar in apples are slow-digesting, which gradually gives your brain energy during a study session or while doing homework.
Shake it up... with Protein Shakes On the Go
Protein shakes are a great option if you cannot get enough whole-food protein on campus. Try to find a protein powder that tastes good and is preferably organic and/or non-GMO. For extra calcium and flavor, I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk when I drink protein shakes. If you have lactose intolerance, I advise not consuming whey protein. There are many plant based and egg protein options on the market.
I had to experiment to find a protein powder that taste good and helped me feel good. My personal favorite brand I have on my shelf is Aloha (chocolate and vanilla flavored), which is a plant-based organic protein powder. Aloha can be found at Target, a jar for $30, or 14 packets for $26.
Blend it! If you have a magic bullet or blender then you can make fruit protein smoothies for breakfast or for a post workout snack. I usually have frozen blueberries, strawberries, and mango in my freezer. I use frozen fruit so I don’t have to use ice, and it helps keep the natural flavor rather than adding extra sugar.
Raw Almonds
Almonds have so many healthful benefits, including fiber, antioxidants, protein, healthy fats, magnesium, and Vitamin E. Almonds can reduce hunger and the digestive system has to work harder (meaning the body burns more calories) breaking them down, which can contribute to weight loss.