I don’t know about you guys (but I could probably guess…), but I love to eat. I snack more often than I probably should. I usually keep a decent amount of food in my dorm room. It’s always the times that I decide not to grocery shop that I need a snack to keep me awake during a late-night project. I have learned that it’s a good idea to buy things that don’t go bad right away, like pretzels or cans of soup. Since I’m usually the only one eating the food I have in my room, there’s no telling when I’ll actually finish an entire big bag of something, so it’s good when I can keep munching on things for a while without worrying about them going bad. Here’s a glimpse into what I usually keep in stock!
My fridge is pretty empty right now. Usually, I have more, like a carton of lactose-free milk (for cereal and the occasional box of Kraft mac & cheese), coffee creamer, carrots, hummus, and whatever fruit is on sale at Meijer (it’s usually some sort of berry, yum!). I also make a conscious effort not to keep pop in my fridge, but my parents gave me a six-pack of Dr. Pepper, my favorite, when I went home for Easter and I couldn’t resist. I keep a can of whipped cream to top my coffee and a bottle of Powerade because that really hits the spot sometimes. The butter is for mac and cheese as well, chips and salsa is one of my go-to snacks, and the beautiful block of cheese is left over from a presentation I gave in class that I had to bring snacks to. Excellent leftovers if you ask me!
Unlike my fridge, my snack bin has gotten a little out of hand at the moment. Like I said, I tend to buy things that don’t go bad right away, so they’ve piled up a little. I have cereal and granola bars for breakfasts in my room (Jif peanut butter cereal is my favorite), tortilla chips, peanut butter, soup, pretzels, Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies (so much better than Goldfish! I like the extra cheddar kind!), rice, pre-popped popcorn, and crackers (Ritz roasted vegetable are the BEST). I try to avoid buying things like potato chips and Oreos because I know I would eat a whole package in one sitting. But really, I bought a bag of potato chips about a month ago and the whole thing was gone in less than 24 hours. It was very bad. I also often have Veggie Straws (GREAT with hummus) and some sort of dried fruits or vegetables (dried mango is my favorite!). I also always always ALWAYS have coffee K-Cups. Can’t live without those.
I’m just now realizing how full this bin is right now. I’m going to need to do some major snacking to get rid of all this before school gets out in three weeks!
Mostly, I try to keep enough of a variety of foods so that I am able to kick a sweet, salty, or savory craving if I really have to. I also have this weird tendency to nap through dinner, so I try to keep things like soup and rice so I can create a somewhat substantial dinner on my own if I need to. I avoid buying super unhealthy things like pop, cookies, and chips, but allow myself the occasional box of mac and cheese.
Most importantly, I drink a ton of water. I try to fill up my Nalgene at least three times a day. I keep my water bottle right in front of me on my desk in class so that I remember to drink my water throughout class. It also helps me wake up on those mornings that seem to come too early! Sometimes I drink all 32 ounces of my water in one class without even realizing it. It’s so easy to let your body get dehydrated, but I’ve realized that I feel way better, and more awake, when I drink the water that I need!
What’s your go-to snack? Let me know on Twitter (@hopekathryn17), Instagram (@kathrynekrieger), or via email at kathryn.krieger@hope.edu. Thanks for reading!
“You also will command nations you do not know,
and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey,
because I, the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.”
— Isaiah 55:5