You’re between classes and the vending machine is tempting you full of its candy bars, bagged chips, sunflower seeds and trail mix packets.
For a brief moment, you think about making a good decision today and going for the nuts and seeds but the Twix is calling your name louder.
If you end up choosing the Twix, chocolate bar or chips, you’re satisfied for a short amount of time until you realize you are hungry again and maybe a little bit angry.
How you snack will have an effect on what you eat for meals.
You may or may not be aware that sugar is an addictive substance.
This creates cravings and it’s likely that if you snack on sugary foods then you will continue to snack on sugary foods and will shift your appetite away from not only healthy snacks but also healthy meals.
In my experience, it all starts with that blank stare into the vending machine and the decision that follows.
The first time you decide to snack healthier is always the hardest — you don’t believe you’re ready or you think that it’s an impossible task. Pretty much any excuse sounds better than snacking healthy as the Twix stares back at you.
Combating the junk food snacking ritual initially sounds difficult but try understanding it in this way: understand when and why you have cravings so that you can start to remove those temptations.
Once you recognize the temptations that may be more than the vending machine scenario, think up some substitutes and prepare ahead of time so that the temptations begin to diminish.
Being able to eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day instead of larger, less frequent meals will keep your body nourished and satisfied in a way that you won’t develop cravings.
Here are some snacks you can make ahead:
-Peanut butter boats: peanut butter on celery with almonds and raisins on top
-Mixed nuts, seeds, dark chocolate
-Edamame, sliced carrots and apples in hummus (try arranging in a mason jar for easy traveling!)
-Cubed cheese, grapes, and sliced apple on skewers
Short on time? Here’s what you can grab on campus:
-Piece of fruit
-Chocolate Milk
-Baked chips
-Pretzels or popcorn with 5% or less sodium content and minimal or no saturated fat
-Kind bars
Be willing to pick up your snacks at any of the cafés on campus to explore the Nutrition Fact labels, something you don’t have the freedom to do with the vending machine.
With each mindful snack choice you make will influence further snacking and meal choices in a positive way.
KAYLA MISERA
