Snack Ideas

Well, I know I have posted this a million times, lol. FiberOne bars are really tasty and filling. I also really like mixing almonds w/ cherry Craisins. Bananas and apples are great for throwing in your bag. Find a healthy cereal you like and eat it dry.

WHy buy at the drug store? Why not plan ahead for the week? Buy things at the grocery store and pack them in individual snack size baggies at the beginning of the week so you can grab a few snacks each morning to take with you for the day. You could bring cheese and crackers, fresh and dried fruit, mixed nuts, granola bars, pita chips with hummus, yogurt, boiled eggs, peanut butter and apple slices or celery sticks. I could go on and on. Try to choose things that have a good amount of protein and healthy fats. Those things will help keep you going and not give you the crash you get from high sugar, high carb snacks you get from vending machines or the snack aisle at the drug store. Remember to start off the day with a good breakfast too.

I agree w/ WishfulThinker:bowingpur. I would also suggest protein bars. Be sure though to spend some time comparing the ingredient list between the protein items in the grocery store - consider Fat, Sat.Fat, Sodium, Protein, etc. Shop at Wal-Mart or Target, those have the best prices. I don't remember what the names of the items that I buy, but I have bought SpecialK and they are the most cheap&high in protein. I don't like their protein water, too much sugar. I also don't like to eat the same things over and over for snacks so I shop around for other great foods in the "high protein" aisle. I like to switch things up a little w/ some of the items that WishfulThink described above.

I snack all day long at work (I'm pre-nursing so I still work an office day job). Wishful Thinker named a lot of my favorites. Cut-up crunchy veggies, pretzels, and crackers can be dipped into hummus, peanut butter, or Laughing Cow cheese wedges. I also like string cheese and Tilla-Moo mini-cheeses. Greek yogurt (or plain yogurt) can be mixed with preserves for a healthier alternative to sugary fruit yogurt; you can also mix in frozen berries, which will thaw by lunchtime. I don't eat a lot of dried fruit because the calories are rather high for what you're eating, but I do like to have a few bite-size dried plums each day. They have individually-wrapped ones now that are like candy! If you have access to a microwave, a broth-based soup is a great snack (although the sodium can be high). And of course, peanut butter sandwiches on whole wheat bread! You can add nuts or seeds for a little crunch. Sometimes I mix in ground flaxseeds. Homemade wraps with tortillas or flatbreads require a little advance assembly but are highly portable -- stick whatever you like in the tortilla (if you like a particular wrap at a restaurant, copy the ingredients), and wrap it up in foil. Voila! I do it the night before and just stick it in the fridge.

Almost every morning I take a smoothie with me to work. I measure out baggies of frozen bananas and other fruit on the weekends, so I can just grab them and toss them in with juice and soymilk on weekday mornings.

I have a Mr. Bento lunchbox, which is going to be my secret weapon against vending machines when I'm in school! It keeps things cold for hours, and has four containers so I can bring a lot of different food. I keep a lot of different components on hand and just mix and match each day (carrots + Laughing Cow, Laughing cow + crackers, crackers + peanut butter, peanut butter + celery ... you get the idea).

I am concerned about the weight gain that seems to happen in Nursing school also. I would suggest not take anything that is not low glycemic. Almonds (raw not salt), fruit, raw vegetables, and protein shakes would be your best answer. Best to keep the tongue free from too much sugar. The vegables will contain potassium and other nutrients which will help. I have read that apples actually help as an appetite supressant. I am sorry to say that I have seen really fat nurses in the hospital. Kinda reminds me of a fat P.E. teacher. P.S. stay away from the snack machines. We will overcome!!:hrnsmlys:

I am inspired by the great snack ideas here. I start school in 9 days, and am hoping to avoid the weight gain. I am going to stick to high-protein snacks, and I'm hoping that maybe a couple days a week, I can run up and down the Science Hall steps a few times (at CCSF, there are these KILLER steps from the street to the Science bldg... holy crap, they whip your butt into shape).

I'm thinking of packing veges, hard boiled eggs, nuts, fruit. I am seriously wanting a Mr. Bento, but I'm not sure it's in the cards quite yet... I still have to pay my tuition! LOL

Thanks for all the inspiration. This site is really making me feel like I'm [almost] ready for the wild ride ahead.

Joy

I definitely agree with everyone! I personally find that whatever has a lot of protein ALWAYS keeps you fuller, longer. My choice is always protein bars, but after a while, they can be pretty hard on the wallet. One day, I caught an episode on the Food Network (Alton Brown's Good Eats), that featured homemade protein bars. Not only were they delicious when I made then myself, but they were easy to make. I also found that in the end, the homemade bars ended up being around $.50 each, versus the more expensive in the store. I like that I can make them in big batches, and the recipe has room for creativity, so you can add chocolate and anything else you prefer! Here's the link, it was, and is, really a lifesaver:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/protein-bars-recipe/index.html

Why buy at the drug store? Why not plan ahead for the week? Buy things at the grocery store and pack them in individual snack size baggies at the beginning of the week so you can grab a few snacks each morning to take with you for the day. You could bring cheese and crackers, fresh and dried fruit, mixed nuts, granola bars, pita chips with hummus, yogurt, boiled eggs, peanut butter and apple slices or celery sticks. I could go on and on. Try to choose things that have a good amount of protein and healthy fats. Those things will help keep you going and not give you the crash you get from high sugar, high carb snacks you get from vending machines or the snack aisle at the drug store. Remember to start off the day with a good breakfast too.

She didn't say drug store...but your ideas are good!

Needing something more than snacks, I have devised the 3 baggie lunch...

1. handful of spinach or lettuce, slices of meats and/or cheeses (I add a squirt of italian salad dressing, my daughter likes ranch)

2. two pieces of bread, pita, hamburger bun, sandwich roll or orher to make sandwich (so not soggy)

3. baggie lined with paper towel filled with carrots, raisins, nuts, granola... *HI-protein bars are good) for snack.

Happy noshing:heartbeat

I am very interested in the protein bar recipe, thanks! I have been getting anxious thinking about starting nursing school next month and after reading some threads I'm getting quite excited. Thanks again for everyones input, it definitely helps us newbies!

I was a big fan of wrapping a cold drink in alum foil(doubled as a icepack), cheese and crackers, nuts, pb sandwich, chips in ziplocs, salads in tupperware and dressing in ziplocs.

I'm diabetic, so I am queen of the snacks! I usually munch something mid morning because I can't do heavy breakfast (usually some coffee and a bagel, or cereal.) My fave snack is a PB&J on wheat bread. I use 1/2 serving of the lower carb jam, and 1.5 servings of peanut butter. It keeps me going. I also do baby carrots, cucumbers, apples (I bring a knife with me because slices tend to brown), cheese and crackers, peanut butter filled pretzels, and trail mix. String cheese is great, too. I carry it all in a Thermos lunch bag, with an ice pack thrown in to keep everything cool. Invest in some plastic containers in all sizes. I've saved so much money by making my own snack sized portions in gladware! That protein bar recipe looks interesting - but is it truly easy? There's lots of ingredients and mixing bowls in it.

I also carry a liter bottle of water with me every day. Hydration is my friend Those single serving packets of Crystal Light (or the equivalent, I use the store brand) are awesome for those.

I'm intrigued about hummus! I'll have to try it some time. My BF says it's delicious but I'm leery about chickpeas :chuckle