Delicious Dorm Snacks

So I have a confession to make. I forgot to go grocery shopping.

I know this doesn't sound like such a big deal, but if you had a blog post due the next morning that was supposed to be about quick, healthy snacks, you would understand my dilemma.

Anyways, back to my story. So there I was, sitting on my bed, dreading the hike to McLanahan's, when the light bulb went off. My blog is meant to teach students how to use the dining commons to our advantage, so why wouldn't I just procure the necessary ingredients there? Excited about my idea, I quickly made my way over to the Pollock Commons (which is right outside my dorm) and jumped in line.

The three snack recipes I decided on after scouring Pinterest for an hour were banana dog bites, triscuits with a twist, and frozen yogurt grape pops. I was still lacking a banana, a whole wheat tortilla wrap, lunch meat, vegetables, yogurt, granola, and raisins. I quickly grabbed the fruit, granola, and yogurt (there was strawberry, so I obviously got that), and then I stopped by the station where they can make you wraps or subs. Ordering a honey wheat tortilla with ham, pastrami, and assorted vegetables, I specified that I didn't want them to cut it. Loading it all into my to-go container, I went back to my dorm room.

Because I knew I would have to freeze the pops for them to be perfect, I started on those first.

Frozen Yogurt Grape Pops

What you'll need:

• skewers (chopsticks from the Commons worked just fine)
• grapes
• yogurt (your choice of flavor)
• raisins/craisins
• granola (if wanted)

To complete this deliciously simple concoction, you first skewer the grapes. Then, ladle the yogurt over them, making sure to evenly coat all sides. Lastly, you sprinkle on the granola and raisins/craisins, and stick it in the freezer. In one hour, you'll have a scrumptious snack! This time limit will only freeze the yogurt. If you want the grapes to freeze you will need to leave them in for a few hours. I highly recommend doing this before bed, so when you wake up you'll already have your breakfast ready to go!

Next, I took on the banana dog bites. 

Banana Dog Bites

You'll need:

• knife
• whole wheat tortilla wrap
• banana 
• peanut butter

This was definitely the easiest recipe to do. You just coat the entire side of the wrap in a thin layer of peanut butter, wrap the banana in it, and cut it into wheels. Voila! A delicious, energizing snack!

Lastly, because I was making these recipes around dinnertime, I wanted to make sure I got my protein fix for the day (more than the peanut butter anyways). This is a great recipe that will provide you with a well rounded snack. The "twist" is that you melt the cheese, adding some warmth, and creating another dimension to the treat.

Triscuits with a Twist

You will need:

• microwave
• Triscuits
• cheese
• lunch meat of your choice
• vegetables

First, you melt the cheese in a microwave for approximately 30 seconds, stirring it up well when you take it out. Then, you put the cheese on the triscuits (hurry before it solidifies!) and rip up pieces of lunch meat to put on top of that. If you want to add some green to your crunchy, mini sandwich you can add whatever vegetables you like! This is an easy way to fulfill your food pyramid requirements, with less calories than a regular sandwich!

I hope you will find these recipes useful! They are a fun, easy way to eat something healthy in your dorm, and get you away from the monotony of Cup o' Noodles and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Thanks for reading!