The biggest question I keep getting asked is what healthy college snacks I’m into while being in college and what am I eating in college. I am sharing my favorite easy and healthy dorm room friendly snacks that I love!
Snacking Mindfully
When it comes to healthy meals and prep, I’ve got it down. It can be easy to copy, find recipes, and tailor them to individual meals (Breakfast food= smoothie). However, snacks can sometimes be a struggle, especially finding healthy college snacks. I try not to snack tons, but sometimes I do it without thinking.
While in college, I have found that I snack less mainly because I am a broke college student and I want to savor my money and food lol. With that being said, I usually have on average 1-2 snacks a day. Some people like to have designated snacks throughout the day and smaller meals. You have to find what works for you!
When I first began eating healthy I still found myself eating pretzels, goldfish, a couple of M&M’s here and there, and eating way too much pita chips with hummus (because well, hummus is healthy..right). Of course, it was all adding up, and by the end of the day, I wasn’t reaching my fitness goals because of it.
Now I am way more aware of what, when, and why I am snacking. I try to always ask myself “are you actually hungry or are you just bored and/or “emotionally eating”. Asking these questions is an amazing tool for helping avoid mindlessly snacking! If you find yourself not actually hungry but are bored opt for chewing a piece of gum or drinking some water! Side note: ask yourself when the last time you had water was because most of the time you are just dehydrated and your body is telling you this by craving other things such as a juicy apple.
Junk food No More
My biggest tip when trying to eat healthily is not to keep junk food and unhealthy snacks in your house/apartment/dorm. I understand this isn’t always realistic when living at home or with others but it will help you choose to eat healthy foods if that’s all that is available.
Which brings me to my second point, try to find healthy alternatives that you love just as much as the unhealthy option. After a while, you will begin to crave your healthy options. For me, I used to eat M&M’s all the time and could never say no to them. To work around this, I started keeping healthy quality dark chocolate and you know what, I now eat less chocolate and really savor the taste of the healthy chocolate because it’s true chocolate.
Example of unhealthly snacks to avoid:
Okay, so what are some healthy college snacks?
Hard-boiled egg
Super easy for when you are on the go, and it is a great source of protein. You can make a couple and have them throughout the week.
Raw almonds
This is my favorite snack to throw in my purse when I am out. Raw nuts are higher in nutrients and are not roasted in oils! Plus they won’t make you bloat as salted nuts would!
Carrots/bell peppers and hummus
My favorite is the baby carrots and Organic Hummus from Trader Joes. When I am looking for a good hummus I always check the ingredients on the back. If I don’t recognize multiple words on the ingredient list, usually some sort of preservative, then I don’t buy it. I look for minimal and clean ingredients that still tastes amazing, that’s why I love Trader Joe’s hummus.
Apple and almond butter
This is one of my favorite snacks because I LOVE apples. I usually have ½ an apple if it is a large apple and save the other half. The almond butter is a source of healthy fat that will also help regulate your blood sugar levels so they aren’t spiked, plus keep you fuller for longer.
Smoothie
Although I usually have a smoothie for breakfast, sometimes I will have it as a mid-morning snack instead. If I have already had fruit earlier in the day, I will opt for a no fruit smoothie, or minimize how much fruit I put in my smoothie. My favorite smoothie for living in the dorms is frozen blueberries, 1/4 a banana, ice, collagen protein powder (either Vital Proteins or Bulletproof-vanilla), almond milk and greens (if I have them which I don’t always do). Lately, I have been putting water in my smoothies and just a splash of almond milk, and I will top the smoothie with cacao nibs (which are super high in antioxidants). Here is a link to my Green Smoothie
Avocado
It seems simple but it’s a great afternoon snack. Avocados are filled with nutrients and are an amazing source for a healthy fat (which helps fill you up). I will eat 1/4 -1/2 an avocado and will always put a little seasoning on it. My favorite is the Trader Joe’s – Everything But Bagel Seasoning… I put this on everything (I even got my roommate to love it). I will also sprinkle on some pink Himalayan sea salt (helps balance blood sugar levels, hydrates the body by providing minerals, and detoxifies the body).
Coconut yogurt with fruit
I love this as a healthy breakfast or a mid-morning snack. Just like my smoothie, if I’ve already had fruit earlier in the morning, I will limit how much fruit I top it with. I will also put some granola on top. My favorite is the Autumn Golds Grain Free Granola or the Purely Elizabeth. Coconut yogurt fills me up for a while as it is filled with healthy fats… and is great for your gut because it is filled with probiotics! Make sure to check the added sugars on the label because most yogurts a filled with sugar!
Healthy packaged foods
Notice how I didn’t mention many packaged foods that are labeled as “healthy” such as bars. Those are good snacks when you don’t have many options or need to grab something quick. However be mindful, they are usually very high in carbs, sugars, or sodium. Now, I do eat some packaged goods but I first will reach for clean, fresh food first.
While being in college, I have found I eat way more packaged foods than I used to. So, I try to incorporate fresh foods such as fruit and vegetables, but I’ll admit it is much harder living in a dorm. I try to make sure my snacks are healthy, but also are nutrient dense (high in nutrients), which they aren’t always. I often find myself eating half the bag of Siete chips… if we’re being real here (or maybe the entire bag).
Siete Chips
My absolute favorite. I could write an essay about why I love these chips so much. My favorite is the Sea Salt and the No Salt added (if I am eating them with guac). Siete chips are grain free and made with real ingredients, almond flour, cassava flour, sea salt, etc. They taste like tortilla chips just thinner. They are my favorite snack… in fact, I often eat too much. When I’m home, I’ll buy Whole Foods guacamole from their fresh section, and eat with the chips. I have gotten many of my friends on this bandwagon and they love these chips too.
Siete Tortilla with hummus
Just like the chips, the tortilla’s are grain free. I love these tortillas because they help fill me up with a meal, and they are perfect for wraps, tacos, etc. My favorite way to eat them is to heat one up in the microwave for 10-sec then tear it into pieces and eat it with hummus. It tastes like warm pita bread and hummus… I love it!
Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers
These crackers are BOMB! They are essentially a healthy cheese-it. They have many different flavors but my favorite is the sea salt. Simple Mills also have great baking mixes, such as chocolate chip cookies, banana muffins, etc.M
Some other great healthy snack ideas
- celery with almond butter
- 1/2 a banana with almond butter
- 1/2-1 cup berries
- Rice cake with tablespoon of almond butter + blueberries/banana on top
- 1-2 cups skinny pop
- skinny dip almonds or a handful of raw almonds
- 2 squares of dark chocolate (For sweet tooth)
- Bars I approve of: Primal Kitchen, Bulletproof shortbread (my favorite and go to), RX (usually only eat half and save the rest), Go-Macro
Here are some of my favorite Healthy College Snacks below!
Hope you find this post on Healthy College Snacks helpful! You might also enjoy and find useful my post on Healthy Grocery List.
Until next time, thanks for Hanging with Haley!