We all know as students that we like to snack. Those long sleepless nights at the Library can leave us feeling lazy and refusing to cook a decent meal. However, snacking can sometimes turn bad and in turn make you unhealthy. Thus, depending on your exercise routine can make you gain weight and quickly! However, fear not my fellow students. There are a few companies which I have found that has managed to tackle some of those sweet tooth snacks for something else and with fewer calories – score!
PROPERCORN is popcorn “done properly” as they state from their website. They are passionate at creating the popular snack and turning it into something else with a twist, providing some great flavours to suit everyone’s tastes. Every pack of Propercorn is made using the best quality ingredients which can only be found within the home rather than sourcing from all over the place. The corn itself is GM-free and the only corn that is used is butterfly corn which explains its light and airy crunch and taste. The snack itself is gluten-free and is suitable for vegetarians made using the most natural ingredients, so all in all it suit’s everybody!
After reading about Propercorn from a review in a magazine, I set out to try their newest flavour ‘Smooth Peanut & Almond’ and I was not disappointed. Being a sweet tooth lover myself I could not wait to delve into the four packets in my box I was very grateful to receive.
The packaging first off is very bright and colourful and makes it look a lot more interesting than your bog standard packet of crisps. Secondly, the flavour is so intense that it left me craving more even after I had finished the very generous serving from within the bag! Thirdly, at only 120 calories from within the massive bag it made me feel a lot healthier than what I would do after a bag of crisps. They are non-greasy and light making you feel fuller for longer which is mainly what I liked about them, not to mention the mouth drooling smell and taste these were to die for!
Other flavours include; Fiery Worchester Sauce & Sun-Dried Tomato, Sweet and Salty, Lightly Sea Salted, Sweet Coconut and Vanilla and Sour Cream & Black Pepper which are some of my flavours that I shall definitely be ticking off next to eat. The calories vary from pack to pack but all are lower than 130 cals and with the same amount of Propercorn in each bag I think this is great for those all-night student snackers. It’s A LOT healthier than a chocolate bar or a slice of pizza and I even have other people asking me where they can purchase them from as they are such an eye catcher of a snack.
Overall, Propercorn gives your brain the natural boosting energy to be able to study and work hard for longer hours without the sugar rush that a chocolate bar might.
EAT NATURAL CEREAL BARS are “bars made with love and care” and I could not agree more with their unique slogan. With three different flavours to choose from; peanuts and chocolate, almond and apricot and Brazil and sultana (with peanuts and almonds too) they are suited to everyone’s tastes. I specifically enjoy the peanuts and chocolate bar, as this is best suited after or before a healthy workout as it contains more protein than any of their other bars. It provides a combination of delicious crunch and blends that include peanuts, coconut, soya crispies, honey and dark chocolate chunks which is easy to devour in one gulp (although I wouldn’t recommend it!)
Better yet, all their bars are gluten free, perfect for veggies and of course sourced and branded within the UK so you can see that everything is quite locally produced. All their ingredients and information is based directly on their website within easy reach so if you are counting the calories all the information provided is a great way to keep tabs on what you’re eating without the worry.
I find that they are great to snack on during those long hours at the library because they give your brain the healthy natural fuel it needs rather than saturated fats that won’t do your body any good in the long run! Not only are they good for long nights in the library but they are also really well suited for those 9am lectures when you want to stay in bed that little bit longer and fancy breakfast on the go. It provides you with the ability to ‘grab and go’ making sure that you aren’t skipping the most important meal of the day too!
I have spent tons on these healthy little bars and they really keep me going when I need them. I just pop a few in my bag and then I have them there for when I need one throughout the week to give me that extra boost. At least as well it’s putting something healthy into your body rather than something we all know we should be avoiding like crisps, chocolate or fizzy drinks!
BELVITA BREAKFAST BISCUITS are the perfect breakfast snack for when “you’ve got a lot on your plate” (literally). They are the nicest and easiest grab and go breakfast I have come across and I already know a lot of students who are tucking into them on a daily basis, simply because sometimes there just isn’t time to make breakfast in the morning, or, let’s face it, you want that extra 15 minutes in bed.
Not only can they be a great start to the day I have also found that they can be another great snack for those long days full of lectures and study. They are a healthier option to snack on rather than the bad stuff and again, they give your brain the fuel it needs to keep going for longer which has been proven to provide an extra whopping 4 hours of sustained energy release…that’s enough to keep you going until lunch time!
These nifty little biscuits are made with five wholegrains which are rich in cereal meaning it’s a great source of fibre, with no added colours or preservatives and what’s more they have a low glycaemic index (GI). When I was at University I only discovered the milk & cereals flavour, however I have no discovered (through working those long post-graduate hours) they come in 5 other scrumptious flavours too and yes, I have tried them all! Belvita aim to provide you with a decent amount of biscuits per box, 6 wrapped portions with four biscuits in each so they can last up to a whole week and I find sometimes only two biscuits is enough to keep one going depending on how hungry you could be when you get up.
Again, with Belvita all their dietary information is stored directly on their website with easy to find access so you can always check to see what’s in each biscuit conveniently. They also provide information and tips on why breakfast is so important for your body, especially as a student where a life of study can over-rule eating properly and healthily at the right times!
These are just a few top snacks which I felt provided me with the energy at University to keep going. It’s sometimes hard to balance study, sleep and socialising at university, but making sure you maintain the right balance and feed your body the fuel it needs can keep you going for longer whilst still being able to live a happy and healthy lifestyle! Even now as a post-grad I am still using these snacks to keep me going through the longer hours of working life and exercise.
Happy Snacking students!