Snacks should be incorporated into busy schedules


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One of the worst things about being gluten-free? It’s hard to snack.

I’m not talking about those celebrities who say that their favorite snack is “celery.” Fact: Celery is not a snack — it’s just God’s way of saying, “Hungry? Here’s something awful for you to eat.”

No, when you’re a busy college student trying to go to four classes back to back to back to back and you barely have 10 minutes to get from VKC to Viterbi, let alone eat a healthy gluten-free snack, life gets difficult.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have the schedule mentioned above. With no time for breakfast in the morning, I often resort to scarfing down a banana between my second and third class and then using gum to satiate my grumbling stomach until 3:30. Once 3:30 hits, people better move out of the Campus Center because I tear up Lemonade like no other.

I know I’m not alone. Although I don’t like to put too much emphasis on what I eat so that it doesn’t turn into a disorder of some kind, when you have an allergy and a busy schedule it’s imperative to get at least some planning down. When you’re hungry, you can’t focus; when you can’t focus, class feels as long as The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

That’s why it’s incredibly important to keep snacks at the ready. If you don’t have time for breakfast, make sure you pack a banana, orange, small bag of kettle chips and water for the day. Easy snacks that you can finish during your walk from class to class will keep your mind focused on academics instead of your stomach.

Also, make sure that you stay hydrated. Being hungry sucks, but being dehydrated not only sucks — it’s incredibly dangerous. Odwalla products like Mango Tango are thick enough to keep you full and delicious enough to keep you happy.

When all else fails, remember to try and schedule your classes for the next semester a little bit better. Hey, even a 30-minute lunch break can do wonders.