In college, there are many situations in which I find myself completely and utterly vulnerable. It may be looking for someone in Zeus and not finding them, resulting in me standing around uncomfortably. It might be frantically looking for a seat in an overflowing lecture hall when I’m already late. However, my most vulnerable state by far is when I am snackless.
At any time of day, I usually have at least two snacks in my backpack: one salty and one sweet. These snacks are the cheapest insurance policy. On a good day, I won’t even need to crack into my arsenal. However, on those days when everything sneaks up, I am more than thankful to have packed several snacks I’ve bought in bulk before the semester started.
My Core Four
My “core four” consists of snacks that I always have in rotation. If you find me around campus, there is a 90 percent chance I will have at least one of these in my backpack, if not more than one. I call them my “core four” and not my favorite four because, to be honest, not all of them are my favorite tasting snacks, but they do provide the fuel I need to get through the day. These “core four” can be found at retailers like Target, Walmart and Amazon.
GoGo SqueeZ applesauce packets are not for kids, despite the advertising. They are for college students. I am very passionate about this. They require no spoons or teeth, are resealable to save for later and come in a plethora of flavors. You can find these at any major grocery store, such as Walmart, and at bulk stores like Costco for a better deal.
These are for the salty girls. The healthy snack industry is overrun by sweets. It’s always granola. It’s always some sort of tiramisu-caramel-dark-chocolate-40-grams-of-protein nouveau protein bar. Archer Grass Fed Beef Sticks are my favorite snack, period. Each mini stick has four grams of protein. Amazon, Walmart and Target sell these.
These are not my favorite sweets, but they have convenience and sustenance. They are enough to hold you over for about 45 minutes. Beware: Immediately after this threshold, you will be hangry. You can also find these at Amazon, Walmart and Target.
These are surprisingly delicious even though they are marketed as a “healthy” snack and they’re fruit (in some way). They are no-nonsense, sweet and come in a variety of flavors like mango, strawberry, and blueberry. Some Cornell cafes have these, such as Green Dragon, aside from the usual Amazon, Walmart and Target. That’s it!
Trader Joe’s Best Snacks
With a plethora of snacks, high-quality frozen meals and even items with a heavy cult following, Trader Joe’s offers a wide variety of affordable yet delicious foods. Only a 15-minute drive or a convenient bus ride on TCAT’s route 30, Trader Joe’s is a reliable option for college students and is a one-stop shop for all things non-perishable. I am somewhat protective of my favorite Trader Joe’s brand snacks due to their seasonality and the supermarket’s tendency to discontinue popular products. But with the constant variety, most things are worth a try. These supplement my “core four.”
There seems to be few who understand the appeal of the Crunchy Curl, an unseasoned snack made of lentils, and I am part of this group. Some may call these “flavorless,” or “bland,” but sometimes you need a snack that doesn’t really have a flavor and can be dug into without dirtying your hands. Crunchy Curls are just that.
These are so good! Generously coated in cashew butter, they almost taste chocolatey but are more protein-packed than candy. For those who need a sweet treat with them at all times and enjoy the silly idea of eating the same thing in two different forms, these are for you. Trader Joe’s has also offered Almond Butter Almonds in the past.
Trader Joes has regular corn chip dippers, which essentially are a large Frito, but my favorite are the elote corn ones. Seasoned with a spicy blend of elote-style fixings, they pair great with a dip, but if you’re on the go, are amazing on their own and pack a punch.
Aussie-Style Chocolate Creme Sandwich Cookies
These are Trader Joe’s best knockoffs of Tim Tams, an Australian cookie that otherwise has no American equivalent. These decadent biscuit cookies are slightly wafer-y, extremely chocolatey and truly iconic down under. Trader Joe’s iteration is very close to the original and will knock any Oreo or Milano. Experts (me) will tell you to put them in the freezer for the ultimate experience.
Super Sour Scandinavian Swimmers
If you know me, you know I love a good sour gummy. If you are a Trader Joe’s fan, you will likely know about these deliciously tart gummies. I’m sure that they’re not as amazing as what I’ve been seeing on Swedish Candy TikTok, but for what they are, I deeply enjoy chomping into a shark-shaped sour gummy.
Random(izing) Rations
Sometimes you hit a low and the food combinations become a little questionable, and that’s totally okay. Not everyone has time to meal-prep. For any tuna lovers, I highly recommend canned sardines as a shelf-stable and satiating protein source. Eaten with a slice of bread, tossed into a salad or (my favorite) with some Ritz crackers and chili oil, a meager can of sardines can become a fulfilling meal.
Chester’s Hot Fries are my go-to 7/11 snack! These are criminally underrated in the snack aisle and, in my opinion, way better than their sibling, Hot Cheetos. Airy, crispy and addictively spicy, I fear that Chester cooked with this one, and I am unabashedly licking my fingers each time.
How dare I end an entire article about snacks in college without mentioning ramen! Shin Ramen is the old reliable, but the Nongshim Kimchi Noodle Soup ones from the same brand are my favorite. The noodles have a great chewy mouthfeel, which is hard to come by with instant ramen. And they aren’t overwhelmingly spicy. These could easily be zhuzhed up with an egg or frozen veggies to make into a meal.
At the end of the day, everyone needs to eat. Amid a chaotic college schedule, it’s easy to ignore your hunger cues and forget to eat full meals. Snacks with sustenance don’t have to be overwhelming. Make use of your hangry insurance policy.
Eirian Huang is a second-year student in the College of Arts and Sciences. They can be reached at [email protected]