Campus Conundrums: Student Alternatives

 

Loot from CVS after a joint trip with a friend.

     Ah, living away from home. It's amazing, isn't it. You can eat what you want when you want, you have money to spend, and you have your life to live. Compared to money and living life, quality and quantity of food doesn't seem like that big of a deal. However it's is as big of a responsibility as anything else. Trips to CVS, Target, and Walmart are to be expected, but here are some better snacks to stock up on.

1. Dasani's Fruit Flavored Waters

 

http://popsop.com/26067

      0 calorie drinks like these are great alternatives for fruit juice lovers. Although they don't have the same kick as Gatorade (which is basically dyed chemicals anyway), they are much healthier and don't give your body the same unhealthy boost of sugar, causing a spike in your energy and upsetting the stability of crucial things like your mood, your energy, and your attention span.

2. Fuze Slenderize Drinks

 

http://coolspotters.com/beverages/fuze-slenderize

     If flavored water just wasn't cutting for you - these are another great option. They come with only 10 calories, but they taste amazing. Seriously a great replacement for soda, and though the flavored waters are good because they contain NO empty calories, these only have 10 so they do not do much damage.

3. Baked! Lays

 

http://bestuff.com/stuff/baked-lays

     At around 110 calories per serving (14 from fat) the Baked! Lays originals are a super alternative to, say, Lays original non-baked, which have 150 calories per serving (90 from fat). Although I can't endorse chips as the Item du Jour, this is a lighter option with, in my opinion, a MUCH better taste. 

4. Quaker's Chewy 90 Calorie Bars

 

http://www.quakeroats.com/products/oat-snacks/chewy-90-calorie-granola/chocolate-chunk.aspx

    These super little snacks or mini-meals are a great choice as a dessert/treat/pick-me-up, because they are only 90 calories (18 from fat) and I think they taste amazing. Some nutrition bars can have up to 200 calories and taste like cardboard, but Chewy bars are really something to take to the bank, or at least put in your shopping basket during your next trip to CVS. 

5. Orville Redenbacher's 100 Calorie Mini-Bag Microwavable Popcorn

 

    1 whole bag of popcorn is 2.5-3 servings, TONS of calories, and sometimes leaves you hungrier than you were before and craving more salt. Mini-bags are an exact serving size of popcorn, so you can eat the whole bag and feel completely satisfied. Also they are only 100 calories! Who can complain?

     More Campus Conundrums will come, but for now I have to end this one as is. Muah, dears. More soon.