– An Easy Spread –

I’m one of those fortunate people who can eat an inordinate amount of food and still maintain my figure.  I usually eat about 4 or 5 meals a day, no kidding.  When I go on a date, I don’t even pretend to look at the salads. I go straight for the steak and potatoes.  My capacity for food has always been a blessing…until I started taking three hour long classes.  To make matters worse, these three-hour classes are strategically placed during the dinner hours.  Don’t they know that dinner is the biggest meal of the day?

An hour into the class, I’m starting to feel hungry.  I’m licking my lips for any residual salt.  I’m twisting my fingers to keep myself busy, so I don’t think about the hunger.  Two hours in, I can feel my tummy churning away at the emptiness.  Gurgle, gurgle.  I look down at my paper to avoid my classmates eyes.  GURGLE.  Finally it’s break time – I run to the snack machines.

I glanced at the granola bars and quickly moved onto the other, more tantalizing, items.  My eyes gazed at the candy bars filled with hunks of chocolate and gooey bits of caramel.  Would the chocolate fill me up? Probably not, but I grabbed it anyway. Then I moved onto the next item – chips. These had lots of carbohydrates. They’d fill me up, wouldn’t they?

When I got back to class, I began devouring my bag of chips. As my classmates’ heads turned, I became awkwardly aware of the loud smacking coming from my mouth. I stared down at my grease-stained hands.  I greedily licked each salty, slippery finger. The worst part was that, by the end of my three hours, I was hungry again. I would forever be known as the greasy growly girl!

Common classroom snacks, like candy bars and chips, are noisy, messy, and unfilling. They contain little protein and fiber, which are two components that help you feel full. These types of packaged foods are high in trans fats. Trans fat can contribute to weight gain, certain cancers, and heart disease. For more information on fats click here.

When you’re looking for a quick classroom snack, try something high in protein and/or fiber, such as nuts, oats, and fruit.  Or you can try combining all three with a granola bar.  Here are two of my favorites:

Nature’s Valley Crunchy Granola Bars (all natural, 180 calories, no trans fat, 2g fiber, 5g protein)

Kelloggs FiberPlus Antioxidant Bars (20% DV Vitamin E and Zinc, 120 calories, notrans fat, 9g fiber, 2g protein)

Nuts and fruit are low in bad fats, such as trans and saturated fats, but high in good fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Nuts are also high in protein and vitamins

Nutritional Information on Nuts

Nutrition Information for Raw Fruits, Vegetables, and Fish

With nuts and fruits you’ve covered good fats, protein, and vitamins, but what about fiber? Oats are a great source of fiber, which will keep you filling fuller for longer. Granola bars are usually made with oats, nuts, and fruit, meaning that you get protein, fiber, and vitamins all in one little, easy to carry snack. This means that by the end of your three hour class you won’t have to worry about embarrassing stomach noises.

When you shop for a granola bar, check the nutritional information for fats, protein, and fiber. Also look at the sugar content, because many bars on the market masquerade as healthy, when they are really nothing more than glorified candy bars.

Granola bars come in a variety of textures and sizes. For the classroom, a softer, smaller bar may be preferable. They are quick, quiet snacks that won’t leave you hungry.

If you’re more creative and feel like making your own granola bar, here’s a great recipe to try:

• 3 1/2 cups oats
• 1 cup raisins (or dried cranberries if you want some zing)
• 1 cup nuts (any kind, but peanuts are my favorite)
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/3-1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2/3 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

If you have any other great recipes or brands you’d like to share, post them below!

Alyssa is an MFA student at GMU in Virginia. She is a fan of bar cuisine and live music.