For some, college can mean dining court meals, easy mac, and that same old bag of Doritos to snack on between class. But why not take a study break and get innovative with your snack? My own experiences with the same old college snacks started getting to me, so I started to experiment with my everyday snacks. 

Spice Up Your Snacks

macaroni, pasta, spaghetti, cheese, cheddar, sauce, vegetable
Jocelyn Hsu

You may prefer those 2-minute microwave mac and cheese packs, but there's so much that can be done to that plain old mac and cheese. This breakthrough came as I was microwaving my mac and cheese while making my way through a bag of Lime Chili Doritos. A part of me knew these two belonged together, and the crisp mac and cheese was made. Simply crush a bag of your favorite flavorful chips and dump it in your mac and cheese. It creates a delicious snack that will keep you fueled and your tastebuds excited. 

Treat your Sweet Tooth

coffee, candy, dairy product, milk, cream, sweet, chocolate, peanut butter, spoon, jar
Caroline Ingalls

Another one of my inventions came with the assistance of cashew butter. Rice Krispy Treats were always a favorite of mine and I was craving them like no other. For some reason, I always carry cashew butter to my classes so this invention was very spontaneous, but I spread the butter all over the sweet treat. It may not be the healthiest snack, but it was easy, filling, and satisfied my sweet tooth. 

For another sweet treat when your everyday yogurt gets boring, mix things up with some trail mix. I personally prefer a flavored yogurt with my trail mix of choice. Usually, some almonds, peanuts, raisins, and a fruit can really change the game. As a bonus, this treat is packed with nutrients and protein.

Bagel Hacks for Days

cheese, sandwich, bread
Lauryn Lahr

You know that bagel you eat every day with just a simple cream cheese spread on top? It's time to upgrade that. There's two ways you can go with this - the rich and savory way or the decadent sweet way, depending on how you're feeling at that time. The pizza bagel is my all time favorite. Take a plain bagel (or an onion one for more flavor) and add some sauce, mozzarella, a deli meat of choice and top it with more mozzarella to get an easy yet satisfying bagel pizza. Of course, this can be switched up to fit your desires. If you're a pineapple on pizza kind of person,  go ahead and add some sliced pineapple pieces on top.

The sweet bagel is made by simply spreading a nut butter all over and adding sliced banana pieces on top. You can even drizzle some honey over it. If you have a grill or toaster oven, heating the bagel to make the nut butter gooey will make it even more decadent. This one can be switched up by adding some crunch using crunchy peanut butter or even cornflakes on top, which will give it some extra flavor, too. Dried fruits like raisins go well with the sweet and rich combination of flavors. 

The next time you're headed to grab a snack, try one of these additions and you'll just realize how much better your college snacking life can be.