As finals week approaches students may start spending more of their day on campus… or perhaps you have a schedule that doesn’t allow you to go home during the day. Regardless of which category you may fit into here are six snacks that will keep fresh in your bag and make your school day much shorter.
1. Breakfast: Oatmeal
This is not another recipe for overnight oats. The ingredients are instant oats, coconut oil, coconut flakes (or any fruit of your choice), and agave nectar. First, add coconut oil to the bottom of your jar (it prevents sticking later). Then add your instant oatmeal, coconut flakes, more coconut oil, and finally agave nectar and water. Give the jar a good shake to mix everything around and microwave for 1 minute. Stir it again and then microwave for 30 more seconds.
2. Mid-morning: Smoothie
I know what you’re thinking. “You can’t take a smoothie to school in the morning and have it not get all gross and melted throughout the day!” That's where I can help you. If you make your smoothie the night before, place it in a container and then freeze it overnight, it will melt throughout the day to a normal smoothie consistency. Most of my smoothies include frozen strawberries, a banana, and orange juice, but you can use any frozen or fresh fruits you like.
3. Noon: Sweet Potatoes
These are a quick snack to make if you have all of the ingredients on hand. Take one sweet potato, cut it up any way you like, and microwave for 3-4 minutes with a bit of water to steam them. You can cook them for a longer or shorter amount of time depending on how soft you want them to be. Once that’s done, season them to taste, I like to use cinnamon sugar.
4. Mid-Afternoon: Veggies
I chose carrots and snow peas because they're usually always in my fridge. You can add other types of vegetables as well, or pick completely different ones. For this particular snack, I simply sliced the carrots, cut the ends off the snow peas, and cooked them in a pan with olive oil. Once they were done I transferred them into a container and seasoned them.
5. Evening: Protein Bar
The No Cow Bar is one of my favorite bars. It’s got lots of protein, isn’t overloaded with sugar like some bars are, and they come in several other flavors. The extra protein will help keep you energized and focused as your day is coming to an end. My favorite flavor is Raspberry Truffle, pictured below.
6. Anytime: Dried Mangoes
Mangoes are my favorite fruit and I will eat them any chance I get. These dried mangoes are great because they don’t contain any sulfur or sweetening. Also, since they’re already dried, they won’t expire quickly and can be eaten throughout the next week as well.
These snacks are a few of my staples that have kept me going during long days at school. I’ve found that bringing your own food instead of buying it on campus can save you money in the long run. So next time you head to campus bring along a few of these snacks and see if it can help make your long day a little easier.