7 Healthy Snack Ideas for a Busy Student Life

Spinach and apple smoothies can bolster your vitamin intake.

A busy schedule goes hand-in-hand with attending college or university, especially if you participate in extracurricular activities. All too often, we find ourselves skipping meals or eating on the run in order to save time. While this reality may be easy enough to digest when you’re young and healthy, there are hidden dangers to a bad diet. Lack of nutrition from the tendency to eat high-sodium/sugary foods and snacks won’t keep your body and mind fit for the physical and mental workout of a busy life.

If you’re out of time and out of ideas, consider a few healthy snack ideas that you can mull over as you rush to class.

Student Friendly Snack Ideas

1) Smoothies

Berries, like strawberries and blueberries, as well as other fruit such as bananas, make perfect smoothies. But vegetables such as spinach or kale can also be added to bolster your vitamin intake.

2) Yogourt

Get a taste of the dairy food group with a yogourt cup and add granola for some grainy goodness and the perfect crunch. Throw on some fruit to top it off.

3) Dried Fruits/Nuts

If you love sweets, dried fruits, including raisins and apricots, are as close to healthy candy as you’re going to get. Mix in some almonds or other nuts to help you get essential oils.

4) Healthy Spreads

Peanut butter is a powerful protein. Spread it on some whole grain bread for a super-filling snack. Substitute with almond butter or other spread products, some of which taste very similar to peanut butter, if allergies are a concern.

5) Hummus

A tasty dip like hummus makes gnawing on veggies a yummy treat. Add some wedges of whole grain pita for variety.

6) Muffins

Although this snack usually contains some fats, muffin choices like carrot, bran, oatmeal, cranberry or apple certainly add a helping of nutrients to your diet.

7) Cereals

Whole grain cereals can help you get a sufficient amount of fibre, folic acid and other vitamins and minerals. Many varieties can be eaten as a dry snack out of a sandwich bag – certainly a healthier choice than munching on potato chips. Watch out for sugar content though, as some cereals have a lot of sugars added.

Choosing healthy snacks usually takes a bit of planning and self-discipline. But the benefits, such as increased physical energy and mental alertness, are certainly worth the effort.

You’ll probably even find that ‘healthy’ tastes delicious.