10 Great Healthy Snack Ideas For College Students
Snacking is an essential part of college, but a lot of popular snacks are super high in calories. If you’re looking for some great healthy snack ideas, then keep reading! This list presents ten options that can be bought in stores or made at home. You might even have some of these snacks in your fridge or pantry already! Luckily, there are a ton of delicious snacks available in stores, and it seems like healthy alternatives to your favorite snacks are coming out quite frequently!
1. Skinny Pop
Popcorn is one of the best healthy snacks out there. No matter how you prefer to make your popcorn, it’s definitely one of the healthier options when it comes to snacks, and it always tastes delicious! In recent years, Skinny Pop has been more popular than ever, and for good reason. It’s pretty wild that this snack tastes absolutely amazing but isn’t loaded with a ton of extra calories. One cup is only thirty-nine calories. It’s kind of hard to believe, but it’s true! Skinny Pop comes in all sorts of flavors, such as white cheddar, pepper jack, sweet and salty kettle corn, and of course, the standard Skinny Pop flavor. If you’re not already hooked on this snack, you need to be.
2. Protein/Granola Bars
When it comes to college life, protein and granola bars are pretty much a staple of the student diet. Here’s where most students go wrong, though — protein bars aren’t necessarily meant to be meals, and yet that’s how a lot of students treat them. I get it, okay? Maybe you have a huge block of classes from ten in the morning to five in the afternoon, and you only get a few minutes to walk from one building to the next. Sometimes you have to eat a protein or granola bar as your lunch, but this shouldn’t always be the case. Protein bars are a great snack to keep you powered in between meals. Do yourself a favor and eat protein bars as a snack — not a meal!
3. Halo Top
Here’s something beautiful about the world: ice cream is kind of healthy now. Wild, right? How did that even happen? In recent years, Halo Top ice cream has been a huge snack trend, for obvious reasons. First of all, it tastes delicious. It’s a light snack that still tastes sweet enough to satisfy your sugar cravings, and it comes in all sorts of amazing flavors. Here’s the best part, though: this ice cream is ridiculously low in calories. Not only that, but it also has very few grams of sugar and fat. Believe it or not, Halo Top is actually a good source of protein. If you haven’t tried it yet, you seriously have to change that!
4. Popcorners
If you’re looking for an underrated/new to the scene snack, Popcorners is just for you. A cross between chips and popcorn, this light and flavorful snack is delicious, addictive, and low in calories. Unfortunately, they aren’t yet sold in all major grocery stores, but you can find them in places like Meijer and Kroger. They have a ton of great flavors, but the best one by far is their Sweet Kettle flavor. If you happen to come by a place that sells Popcorners, you definitely don’t want to miss out!
5. Fruit
Fruit is one of the most classic healthy snack ideas. Whether you like it sweet or tart, fruit is absolutely delicious and healthful! One of the best things about eating fruit is that once you find something you really like, you can indulge in it to the max without worrying about any harm it’ll cause your body. If you’re trying to steer clear of artificial sugar but still have a craving for something sweet, eat fruit! Likewise, if you’re looking for something that will satisfy your hunger a bit more, try eating an apple or banana with peanut butter. It’s a classic snack combination that never really gets old.
6. Veggie Straws
Veggie straws were so underrated when I was a kid, but now, people are finally realizing how amazing veggie straws really are. You get the crunchiness and saltiness of a chip, but none of the oiliness. Instead, this is a light and filling snack that you’ll definitely want to keep in your dorm room. It’s arguable if this snack is actually healthy, but one thing’s for certain: it’s a healthier alternative to something like potato chips.
7. Dark Chocolate
There are a ton of health benefits to eating dark chocolate. It’s a good source of antioxidants, helps to reduce inflammation, can improve your blood circulation and lower high blood pressure, and even has certain benefits for your brain, too! You can find dark chocolate nearly anywhere, and it comes in a wide variety of different flavors. It’s definitely a good alternative to other types of sweets, making this one of the best healthy snack ideas.
8. Oatmeal
Oatmeal may technically seem like a breakfast food, but it’s a great snack to eat at any time of the day. Once again, oatmeal is rich in antioxidants and has tons of fiber. Additionally, oatmeal is a very filling food to eat, so it’ll reduce a lot of cravings you might have and make you feel less hungry throughout the day. It’s the perfect snack for college because you really only need a microwave to make it. You can add pretty much anything you want to give it more flavor. Some popular additions are honey, cinnamon, brown sugar, fruit, and nuts.
9. Trail Mix
Trail mix is a great snack to keep with you throughout the day. There are all sorts of trail mix available to buy in stores, and some options are definitely healthier than others. If you’re feeling crafty, you can also make your own trail mix at home. It’s super easy, and you honestly don’t even need to follow a recipe, but there are still plenty of helpful guides online if that’s what you prefer.
10. Pretzels
Once again, although pretzels might not be considered the “healthiest” snack, they’re still a much healthier alternative to foods like potato chips. They have fewer calories, but they are still rather high in sodium, so you might want to keep this in mind. Regardless, if you’re looking for something salty to snack on, pretzels are a pretty good option!
