It’s no surprise women think about food more often than sex, is it? A study conducted by psychologists at Ohio State University’s Mansfield campus, reports that men think about sex 19 times per day, while women let their minds drift only 10 times per day. The close second for both men and women is food, with men thinking about their next meal 18 times per day and women, 15.
Tiffany Mathews, coordinator of Wellness Education for Keene State College, advised students to eat five small meals per day with snacks in between. But snacking can be dangerous territory—eating the wrong foods will be detrimental to your health and well-being.
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In an informal survey conducted on the KSC campus of 30 students, 96% said they snack throughout the day. 53% of those surveyed said they snacked in the afternoon, and 46% said they snacked late evening.
33% of these students said they snacked on things like crackers and pretzels. A tie for second was fruit and chips at 20%. 80% of these students said they had no guilt associated with their snacking habit.
“Snack to supplement your diet,” Mathews said. “Eat something that your body can gain from.”
Mathews made the point to tell students to avoid most pre-packaged snacks. Advertising can be deceiving, especially with these organic and “natural” trends.
Mathews suggested granola bars as a great snack containing natural nutrients. However, the coordinator suggested students make sure to check the ingredients label before purchasing.
“Keep it simple. The less ingredients the better,” Mathews stated. She pointed out some bars have a lot of ingredients and are marketed to make the consumer think the product’s healthy when it’s hardly beneficial. Mathews noted the first ingredient listed is the one used the most throughout the bar.
A majority of students gravitate to Lloyd’s Marketplace and Bean and Bagel in the student center for snacks between classes.
KSC junior Kaleigh Marston said between classes she runs to Lloyd’s for a quick bite to eat.
“I usually get pretzels—just something to munch on that’s not too bad for you. I also get the fresh fruit and veggie cups,” she said.
Mohammed Hossain, retail manager of Lloyd’s Marketplace and Bean and Bagel, said fresh, healthy options are always available to students.
Hossain said, “It’s the student’s choice what to get. It all depends on taste and diet.”
Hossain explained since joining Keene State College last October, he has added several healthy snacks to Lloyd’s.
“I just added Luna Bars,” he said. “And they’re selling like crazy!” Hossain suggested the Clif Mojo bars, Odwalla bars, and Yogavive fruit chips.
Hossain also announced the upcoming arrival of organic oatmeal to-go, where students can purchase a serving of oatmeal and use the hot water provided in Lloyd’s for a filling, healthy snack.
Junior Kelsey Connolly said he buys Chobani yogurt from Lloyd’s. “I’ve eaten four of those in just the past two days,” Connolly continued. “I don’t eat chips because I want to stay healthy and not gain weight.”
Connolly is one of many who have picked up the Greek yogurt trend. With up to twelve grams of protein and zero grams of fat, Greek yogurt is a snack that does the job right.
Robin Plotkin, RD, a culinary and nutrition expert, explained the probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria, balance the microflora in your gut, which assists your digestion and keeps you regular.
Another quick go-to we suggest are nuts. In between meals, a handful of nuts are a great snack not only for the high levels of protein, but also for their levels of fiber and heart-healthy omega-3s.
When you’re confused over serving size, Mathews said to always resort to making a fist.
“A handful of something is the usual serving size,” Mathews said.
Jay Cardiello, a Los Angeles personal trainer and contributor to SHAPE magazine, said he munches on almonds and walnuts between meals and workouts.
“They help me feel full and stay focused,” Cardiello said.
It takes effort to make a conscious decision about what you’re going to snack on, especially because we often find ourselves snacking when there is nothing better to do, even if we’re not hungry. Junior Laura Ruttle said she finds herself snacking when she’s bored.
“If you have spare time with no distractions, you end up feeling hungry because you’re bored,” Ruttle continued. “When you’re busy you have less time to snack.”
Keep these tips in mind next time you’re hungry between meals and you’re reaching for a bag of chips. What you put in your body has a greater effect on your entire day more than you even think. Those little snacks throughout the day are just as important as you’re regular meals.
Keep calm and carry on Keene State.
Julie Conlon can be contacted at jconlon1@ksc.mailcruiser.com
Kim Borkowski can be contacted at kborkowski@ksc.mailcruiser.com