Welcome back to this semester’s last A&Eats review! For this final food review, we’ve selected a very fitting and timely topic: snacks for final exams. I’m certain that by the time you’re reading this article you’ll be in full study mode — or at least partially there. To help you get through the next two weeks or so of final exams, I’ve compiled a list of my top and easy-to-make snacks.
I always save the best for last, so I’m going to start with my third best snack. This is frozen chocolate-covered grapes. This creation will require you to take the Express bus down to the grocery store — or walk if you’re brave — to purchase a bag of green or red grapes as well as your favorite chocolate. The first step is to obviously wash your grapes and dry them. Then place them in a plastic bag to freeze overnight. Melt your chocolate in the microwave with a little water or milk to make it a little less thick. Then dip your grapes in the chocolate and place them back in the freezer. These are perfect for a late morning or late afternoon snack. Grapes are a great and healthy option with lots of healthy sugars to give you energy. Though some types of chocolates aren’t always the “healthiest,” the good kinds have lots of antioxidants and low amounts of caffeine to keep you attentive throughout the day.
My second favorite snack that you have to make during finals season is “gorp.” The ingredients are very simple. All you need are pretzels, mini marshmallows, raisins, chocolate chips, and plain chex. You can use as many or as few of these ingredients as you want. Again, the process of making this snack is very simple. Add your pretzels, raisins, and chex at the bottom of a microwavable bowl. Then add in a layer of your chocolate chips. Mix those together so that the chocolate is evenly distributed. Then add your mini marshmallows to the top and microwave for about 2 minutes. Mix one last time and you’ve got yourself a sweet and savory snack!
This last snack is a pretty common one but it’s cheap and can be made right here on campus! It’s the peanut butter banana tortilla. Not only are bananas a great source of potassium, they’re also an amazing study snack. Peanut butter alone is a great source of protein and includes a healthy dose of needed fats to get you through the day. Since just eating peanut butter and banana can get messy — believe me, I’ve tried — pairing it with a warm tortilla is the perfect option. This can be made during lunch or dinner in Stav Hall because tortillas are not available for breakfast. But not to worry because you can ask for a plain tortilla, a side of peanut butter, and a banana all from the Cage. To assemble it, first slice your banana — don’t be weird by rolling up the banana whole in the tortilla. Then spread your peanut butter on the entirety of your tortilla. If you’re making this in the Caf, add some cinnamon or cinnamon sugar for some extra flavor. Fold it in half twice to make it into a triangular shape. If you want to go all out, stick it in the panini press and garnish with some cinnamon or cinnamon sugar.
I hope you get to try all or at least one of these top snacks. If you don’t get a chance to try any, they’re also great snacks to make during the holiday season. From the bottom of my heart, I wish everyone luck on their finals. Happy snacking!