Design Your Dorm

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You won’t always have time to go enjoy a delicious gourmet meal in your residence hall, and studying in the dorms can make you hungry! Snacking is important, but the difference between healthy snacks and junk food could help you avoid the freshman 15. Here are some healthy snack ideas.

	Pretzels	Contrary to popular new trends and the South Beach diet, carbs are not the devil. Pretzels are a good source of energy. Having these in your arsenal assures you of some healthy and low fat carb intake.
	Fruits	Always a good source of energy and nutrients, you can’t go wrong with fruits. Dried fruits for the dorms are also a good alternative, and won’t go bad on you before your first set of exams.
	Air popped Popcorn	With a whopping 31 calories and 0 saturated fat per serving, not only does this popcorn taste good, its healthy as well. A small bag should fill your cravings without the high fat found in regular bagged popcorn..
	Nuts	Nuts in general are rich in nutrients making these one of the best healthy dorm snacks available. Almonds specifically are extra healthy, and if you’re not eating for a while, the healthy fats in nuts are the best way to hold you over until your next trip to the cafeteria. Chocolate covered or candied nuts don’t count!
	Vegetables	We hate to sound like your mother, but EAT YOUR VEGETABLES! Carrots, celery, cucumbers, radishes, and broccoli are all great choices. Try to avoid rich and creamy dressings like ranch or blue cheese, and stick with either vinaigrette or low fat dressings.
	Whole Grain Cereal	You can eat out of the box (wash your hands!) like shredded mini wheats (not frosted) or any cereal from the brand Kashi, like Go Lean Crunch! These snacks contain lots of nutrients needed by your body and also go great with a bowl of low fat milk.
	Oatmeal	One of the easiest to make and healthiest foods available. You can pick up packets of instant oatmeal to make on the go for class. Again, oatmeal on its own is ok, but watch out for flavored oatmeal with too much sugar. For extra nutrients and great taste, try adding a spoon full of peanut butter!
	Yogurt	Yogurt contains live and active cultures, meaning it has live nutrients that aid in digestion for better health. In addition, yogurt is found in a large variety of flavors besides plain vanilla, like strawberry, chocolate and raspberry. Perfect for a midday snack or an early morning energy breakfast!
	Low Fat Cheese	While typical natural cheeses like cheddar are about 30% to 40%, cheese from skim or partly skim milk have fat contents between 7% to 15%. Harder cheeses usually contain more fat than soft cheeses, but you can cut back on your fat intake by choosing brands labeled “low fat” or “fat free.”
	Water	Not because it’s liquid it doesn’t mean you can’t consider it as snack. Remember that 2/3 of the human body is water, so hydrating yourself is one of the most important things for your health. Water will also increase your metabolism and energy levels to keep you going all day…and night!

Now you know the exercises, and the snacks to help you stay fit freshman year. Staying off the beer and avoiding late night fast food trips will also help keep away the freshman 15.

Tell us your favorite dorm room snacks in the comment section below, and we’ll feature our favorites it in an upcoming post.