Back to school means back to crazy schedules and some how managing to fit classes, jobs, internships, workouts, sleep and a social life into 24 hours a day. The first thing that tends to fall on the backburner is eating, and especially eating healthy.
If you’re going to power through crazy days you’ll need snacks that you can stash in your bag to pull out when your stomach starts rumbling but you don’t have time to visit the dining hall.
I scoured the shelves to find 5 snacks that are easy to tote around. I also added the criteria that each one should be under $5, have at least 5 servings per box or bag, and as a healthy bonus – have 5 ingredients or less.
Blue Diamond Natural Whole Almonds
$3.79 for 6 servings
Almonds are a great source of the good kind of fat that you need for your body to function as best it can. Snacking on almonds can even help with weight loss – or at least in keeping off the Freshman Fifteen. They also contain phosphorus, which helps keep your bones and teeth strong.
Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP Sea Salt Popcorn
$3.29 for 5 servings
As long as it’s not drenched in butter (or fake butter topping a la microwaves and movie theaters) popcorn is actually a great snack to keep on hand. Popcorn has the highest levels of polyphenols, which are essential in keeping your cells healthy from free radicals. Popcorn also has a decent amount of fiber, which will keep you full longer.
While the best kind of popcorn is the kind you pop yourself from a bag of kernels and then add a little olive oil and salt to, this brand is the next best thing. They even come in single serving bags if you don’t have time to portion it out yourself.
Larabar Fruit and Nut Bar – Chocolate Chip Cherry Torte
$4.59 for 5 bars
Bars are the easiest option when it comes to on-the-go snacking but if you look at their long ingredient lists you’ll likely see ingredients (chemicals or hidden sugars) you can’t pronounce. This Larabar has 5 ingredients (plus salt, but I’m letting that one squeak by). If this one doesn’t suit your tastes there are plenty of other options. The best part is the bars are gluten free, non-GMO, kosher, and never contain more than a total of 9 ingredients.
Dang Toasted Caramel Coconut Chips
$4.99 for 5 servings
Coconuts are all the rage for cooking, eating, and beauty. Again, this snack contains those healthy fats that do your body good. This product is also free from any of the 8 major allergens. Coconut is also a great energy booster as your body burns the lauric acid these chips contain as energy instead of storing them as fat. If you’re looking for something more savory there’s even a bacon flavored one!
BarkThins
$4.39 for 5 servings
When you get a craving for chocolate it’s impossible not to give in. BarkThins are made with dark chocolate, which is actually good for you in moderation, as it contains more antioxidants than other types of chocolate. They have 7 varieties available. and they all sound equally yummy. However, the pumpkin seed one sounds perfect for fall! These are also non-GMO and Fair Trade Certified.
Bonus: Fruits and Veggies
You can’t beat the simplicity of single-ingredient fruits and vegetables. Apples, bananas. carrot sticks, and snow peas are just the tipping point of whole food snacks that will keep you satisfied. If you have access to a fridge you could even pack some hummus or peanut butter for added protein.
