Snack/Lunch Ideas for School?

Court222010

This semester will be very different for me because of the way my schedule is arranged. Mondays and Wednesdays I have a class from 8am-9:30 and my next class does not begin until 12:30. I am going to be a TA this semester so during those 3 hours, I will occupy myself my homework, grading papers, meeting with students, etc. However, this will also be the time that I'll have to have snacks or lunch and I'd like some good ideas for foods that travel well, do not need refrideration, and aren't full of fat/sodium/sugar.

After my break, I won't be able to eat again until dinner because my next two classes go until 4pm. Does anyone have any ideas about snack/lunch foods that are good for stuffing in your backpack?

Bananas are out of the question because they bruise so easily. Anything that needs to be kept cold is not a possibility because I don't have a way of maintaining that (I'd rather not carry a lunch box or anything because I already have enough to carry).

I want to avoid the unhealthy cafeteria and vending machines because they're both a waste of money and full of bad choices. Any ideas guys? What do you carry around with you to snack on? What foods can you eat guilt-free at lunch? Any ideas are greatly appreciated!! :happy:

KrystalLight03

I'd love some suggestions for this as well. Right now I usually always bring a cup of unsweetened applesauce and some type of granola bar, and for the main part of my lunch I bring either a Starkist tuna lunch pack (I don't use the relish and only 1/2 the mayo, so in my mind this is okay) or a peanut butter and banana sandwich. I hate salad (the texture of lettuce gives me the heebie jeebies), so I have a hard time finding healthy meals that travel well.

mamathrash2

Apples, oranges, granola bars, protein bars, Special K chips, celery, carrots and 100 calorie packs are what I keep my desk stocked with at school.

MelHoneyRocks

Nuts. They are the perfect snack!

Court222010

Thanks everyone, these are all great ideas!

girllimberlost

Try a wrap spread with cream cheese (it does fine at room temp and is better for you than mayo) and shredded cheese and veggies, whole fruits like apples, oranges, and those little clementines, and whole veggies like cucumbers and carrots. I use meal replacement bars -- ones with protein cost a bit, but less than fast food. Kashi has some good ones. Make a "sandwich" using an apple cored and sliced into circles spread with peanut butter and a quality granola. Peanut butter on sandwich thins is also good for you. There are several canned tunas and chicken that come with pop tops. Combine that with some mayo and relish packets, scoop with whole grain crackers and you have chicken/tuna salad in a can.

Just a few ideas

AlabasterVerve

Nuts. They are the perfect snack!

Definitely. This is my first week counting calories and I think I'd be starving if it wasn't for eating pistachios. A serving is 49 nuts and has a 160 calories--which seems like a lot but they're extremely filling and satisfying to eat. They're high fiber, protein, potassium, antioxidants--the list goes on--and surprisingly low in sodium (only 115 mg or 5%).

Pistachios are really expensive at my grocery store so I order from Amazon. The Keenan Farms pistachios are around $28 for two big jugs of nuts and works out to be about a $1 a serving which seems pretty reasonable to me.

tseecka

Nuts are an excellent source of good fats and protein, and as has been mentioned, they are filling besides. I love pistachios, but almonds--raw, unsalted--are an excellent choice as well. I can't recall where I read it, so I don't know how valid this claim is, but I did see once that something in almonds can actually act as a natural craving buster--I used to eat 6 or 7 when I was feeling a craving for something particularly naughty, and it always helped. Could be a placebo effect, though.

I snack all day at work (I'm a grazer) and I don't have a fridge handy, so hopefully some of these will be options you can use.

I peel and slice up anywhere from 200 to 300 g of carrots--335 g is only something like 130 calories, but they're filling and satisfying to crunch on, and you can make them last. I also really like celery sticks, either plain or with a tiny bit of peanut butter (the protein and filling effects of nuts mentioned earlier). Celery is practically nothing calorie wise, but again--satisfying to crunch on, and fairly filling. Melba toasts are another snack staple of mine, I'll take 4 in my lunch, and either eat them plain or with a suuuuper thin spread of PB. I can usually get enough PB for 4 toasts out of 1 tbsp of peanut butter, which makes it about a 130 calorie snack. Satisfies my carb cravings, too, without sacrificing too much.

I'll slice up sweet peppers sometimes...apples are always good. (A really tasty option is to core an apple, not all the way through, then pop it in a microwave for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon and eat with a spoon. Super delicious )

eryn415

I am a nursing student who, as you can imagine, keeps crazy hours. I bring a cooler/lunchbox thing with me every day. In that cooler is tons of little tupperwares. This keeps everything cool or warm (depending on what's needed)., plus keep the items from getting squished or bruised. It also helps me with portion control. Here are some of my favorite things to grave on from this cooler...
-string cheese and crackers
-Baby Bell or Laughing Cow cheeses
-veggies (already cut up and washed)
-Clementines
-hummus, cream cheese, or almond butter to dip things in
-granola bars, Fiber One bars, protein bars
-lunch meat

Trader Joe's also has great pre-packaged salads (though they are pricey).

I can't think of anything else right now. Good luck!

mezzosoprano89

I have a pretty crazy school schedule w/ classes, rehearsals, and work but today my lunch/snacks consisted of: clementine, banana, cinnamon roasted almonds, a fiber one bar, a special k bar, a peanut butter sandwich (some days I pack turkey instead and I use 35 calorie wheat bread, natural peanut butter, and natural grape spread for my pbj's). I'm doing pretty well in regards to hunger, not starving for anything, bored at work so I want to eat, but I try to just munch on almonds or drink water instead.

momma2jillian07

Luna bars are yummy! Nuts. Make your own granola or granola bars to munch on. Then you can get creative by adding different dried fruits, nuts, seeds, ect.

Court222010

These are all really great suggestions and will definitely help! Thanks everyone! I'll let you guys know if I find anything else that works well for me too! Happy snacking everybody