Dec. 11, 2013

By Kayla Edgar

As college students, we tend to develop bad eating habits.  Whether we are too broke to afford good, healthy food so we just eat what we can get. Maybe it’s because we are just too lazy to pick healthy choices and just pick up the nearest bag of chips.  Either way, we probably don’t eat as healthy as we should.

With winter vastly approaching we tend to spend more time inside, not wanting to bear the cold bitter days.  It’s so easy to slip into bad eating habits; we should make sure that we are stocked up on some healthy options this winter to assure that we are in tip-top shape to begin the spring semester.

Here are a few healthy and relatively inexpensive alternatives for snacks that you can stack up on this winter:

• Apples & Bananas: fruits are always a great snack.  They are high on fiber and low on calories.  Another advantage college students can appreciate is that they are extremely portable.  You can take them to class, or you can enjoy them at home.
• Greek Yogurt: You can top this with some nuts or a tablespoon of honey and it can be a great alternative to ice cream.  Chobani is a great Greek yogurt and only has around 85 calories.
• Ginger Chews: Instead of loading up on sugary candy over the winter, this is a great substitute.  Two pieces of ginger chews is 40 calories and only have five grams of sugar each.
• Popchips: Everyone loves a good potato chip; however they are loaded with salt and fat.  Popchips has half the fat and only 120 calories per 23 chips.
• Nuts: A great source of protein and fiber.  Grab a handful of almonds when you are feeling a little hungry.

The key to most food selection is moderation.  For the most part, you can eat what you want, but don’t overload and stop eating when you are full.

Always make sure you are drinking enough water; it can help you boost your concentration and also keep you from overeating.  Try to limit sugary and caffeinated drinks such as soda and coffee.  They have reverse effects on your health, and can curb your energy.

You don’t have to cut out your guilt indulgences altogether, but you should limit them.  I’m not saying that everyone should go hungry all the time, but we should make healthier choices that can benefit our lifestyles.