Many students find it difficult to eat a healthy snack on campus.
"I always have trouble eating a healthy snack when I'm on campus," said Lindsey Heim, junior in biomedical sciences. "It seems like everything is so expensive, and there aren't that many options. It's really inconvenient."
However, Eric Smith, the director of Health Promotion and Wellness Services on campus, said various vendors around the university offer healthy options for students who are looking for them.
"There are some great things, you just have to look for it. It may not be the first bag of chips that jumps off the aisle at you," Smith said.
Smith said there are a number of points to consider when weighing options for a quick snack.
Smith said it's best to stick with natural foods and to try to eat as well balanced as possible between protein, carbohydrates and fat.
"Obviously you're going to want to steer clear of the processed foods like candy and chips," Smith said. "A well-balanced snack, whether it's almonds, whether it's pistachios with a little dried fruit thrown in there, that's a great way to go."
While it's important to have a snack to tie the appetite over until the next meal, Smith said it's also about maintaining energy.
"I do food a little bit differently. I kind of look at it as fuel," Smith said. "To me, it's more of an energy source. So if I start to get a little tired, sometimes I'll grab a little snack to fire up my metabolism and give me a little energy boost. To get through, a little bit."
As far as ideal caloric values for snacks go, Smith said it depends on weight management goals. On average, those who wish to maintain their weight should eat between 150 and 220 calories for a snack.
Smith urges that variation in snacks is key as well.
"I think one of the most challenging things people talk about when they talk about their food choices is people get stuck in these ruts and stuck in these patterns where every day at 10 a.m.
"I have this, this and this," Smith said. "And even if it's something healthy, it may not be the best thing. Just add some variety and pick out something else healthy."
Madeleine Holmes, senior in nursing, said she always has snacks with her because of her busy on-the-go schedule.
"I have to go to clinicals several days a week, so it's important to take lots of snacks with me because we're there all day. I like things like granola bars or the hummus cups that come with pretzels," Holmes said.
Even with seemingly healthy options like granola bars, Smith said it's important to look at the nutrition facts and serving size to check for hidden sugars or fats.
"Obviously campus does have quite a bit of the quick fix kind of snacks. Even quick fixes like CliffBars or stuff like that, those are chock-full of calories, fats and sugars, and those are really designed to keep you out there when you're riding your mountain bike," Smith said.
"If you're choosing something along the lines of a quick fix, realize that portion size is very important and eating half of it may be the way to go."
Here is a list of healthy options that can be found around campus. It's important to note that caloric values are based on one serving size.
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