By: Chelsea Davidson

It’s that time again; ads for back to school sales and lists of required text books are flowing through your inbox. We all must face the fact that summer is ending and it is time to head back to school, and for many newly graduated high school seniors, it is time to leave the comfort of home and experience college as young adults living on their own for the first time.

Living in a dorm is quite different from living at home with mom and dad; trust me, I think I learned the hard way. As the first child to leave home for a big university I had to figure things out for myself and eating healthy dorm-style was not something that came easily to me. I was tempted with fried foods, sweets, and greasy snacks in the dining hall and never seemed to have anything to eat when I was up late studying or on the way to class.

The solution is simple: Having healthy, filling snacks at hand in your dorm room can help keep your weight and nutrient intake on track. The following is a list of foods to stock up on before leaving for college. Try making a basket of your friend or family member’s favorite snacks as a great going away gift!

-Pretzels with different kinds of mustards for dipping. Try Newman’s Own Organic Hi-Protein pretzels, which have 5g of protein to keep you full until your next meal
-Granola or fruit and nut bars. Try KIND, Luna, Lara, SimplyBars, Pure Bars, TrueBars, ThinkThin, or even make your own
-Reduced-fat microwave popcorn. Try Whole Foods 365 brand, its low sodium as well but just as delicious!
-Raisins
-Pre-portioned cups of all natural peanut butter
-Pre-portioned bags of nuts. Try Planters NUTrition Mixes
-Trailmix. Try Whole Foods 365 Dark Chocolate, Raspberry, and Nut Mix
-Hummus and whole grain pita chips or petite carrots
-Original instant oatmeal. Try adding berries, nuts, a dash of cinnamon, or vanilla extract for added flavor

And don’t forget about the plates, bowls, cups, forks, and spoons! Many retail stores will sell these items in packs of four for only a few dollars. A BPA-free water bottle is also a great item to have on hand to stay hydrated throughout the day, plus you’ll save money on the disposable plastic water bottles.

For more tips on staying healthy, active, young adults in a new college environment, check out this article to see what one of our Dietitian, Kait Fortunato, has to say.

A special thanks to the following people for their snack suggestions:
-Ayla Withee, RD, LDN
-Liz Berry, MS, RD
-Katie Hamm, RD
-Rachel Zavala, MS