Sheep dance through pastures inside your head, the cold A/C dulls the senses, your teacher’s lecturing lulls you like the ambient sounds of the ocean. The shores of sleep are just around the corner.
This is a scene high school students may be all too familiar with. Between AP classes, clubs, work, homework and more, students often find themselves stretched thin for energy. If students don’t get a good amount of sleep, they might find themselves struggling to stay awake in class. To help keep up energy and stay more focused in class, it’s a good idea to keep some snacks on hand, and an even better idea to keep the right kind of snacks.
Jerky: A source of valuable protein, there are a few types of jerky available. Beef, turkey and pork are most common. The key to eating jerky is that you should buy the kind that is lean. It has lots of protein and is low in fat. Check the nutrition facts too; MSG and high sodium can make it unhealthy. Slim Jims aren’t especially good for you with their fat and sodium content.
Dried Fruit: Many people talk about the benefits of eating fruit, but sometimes fruit can be messy and hard to deal with during the school day. Dried fruit is often forgotten about but it can be just as tasty as raw fruit without the mess. Apricots are high in iron and fiber, bananas have serotonin which can improve overall mood and there are many other types of dried fruits available.
Power Bars: Clif Bars are popular with their wide variety of flavors, but there are multiple choices of energy bars. The Clif Bar company makes Luna bars specially formulated for women, Builder’s bars high in protein, Crunch bars with granola and a few others. In addition to these, there is usually a section in grocery stores with several other brands as well. I like these bars because they have healthy ingredients, but often contain chocolate or something sweet to make them extra tasty.
Nuts and Seeds: Peanuts, almonds, cashews and other nuts contain lots of protein, which is necessary to get in some form, especially if you don’t eat breakfast. Seeds are another good option, especially sunflower seeds. Because they contain vitamin E and other important nutrients, sunflower seeds can prevent against heart disease, cholesterol and cancer.
You can always choose other things to eat than those on this list, and there are many other healthy options that are nutritious. Just make sure not to pick something loaded with sugar or caffeine, because while that will help you stay awake initially, the sugar crash may make you more tired than before.
