Healthy eating habits/Healthy Snacking on a Budget

Importance of Snacking


Snacking regularly during the day can stop us from overeating during mealtimes and gives us energy to concentrate on study. When energy and blood sugar levels drop, cravings for foods which are high in sugar and fat increase and that’s when mindless consumption of chocolate bars, chips or any other discretionary food choices occurs.

It is fine to eat some less than healthy snacks once in a while, but it shouldn’t become a habit. An increased consumption of foods which are high in energy, saturated fat, sugar and sodium are associated with the risk of developing chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

This is why it is important to be prepared when planning meals and snacks for the day. Healthy snacking is an effective way of adding more nutrients to your diet. It is fine to treat yourself every once in a while; however it is recommended to consume snacks which can help you meet your intake of the five food groups. These are listed in Table 1.



Table 1: The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) daily serve recommendations for Males and Females 19-50 year olds

What is a serve?
Serving sizes can be confusing. Everyone has their own idea of what a serve of bread, pasta or salad may be. It is important to be aware of serving sizes, and what is appropriate for your age and gender. Table 2 shows examples of serving sizes for each of the food groups, including discretionary choices (chocolate, ice-cream, chips etc.).

Table 2: The AGHE Serving Sizes for Food Groups

Healthy Swap Ideas


Ditch the packaged convenience foods from university and choose foods that you’ve got sitting in your pantry and fridge.

Swap:

Swap a sushi roll from Uni → Can of tuna or 4 bean-mix from home

Yoghurt with berries & muesli from Uni café → Tub of yoghurt mixed with berries and muesli from home

Muffin from Uni café → Banana from home

Packet of chips from Uni convenience store → Homemade pita crisps



Healthy Snack Ideas
Table 3 and 4 provide interesting snack ideas for every taste. The AGHE serving sizes are included.

'''Table 3. Healthy Snacks for the sweet tooth'''



'''Table 4. Savoury Healthy Snacks'''

Budgeting
For many university students finding time and money to prepare and purchase foods can be challenging. Purchasing fast foods and take away options from university food vendors seems convenient but often these foods are costly, pre-packaged, and lower in nutritional value. The following tables (Table 5 and Table 6) compare prices and quantities of common snacks bought from the supermarket and university. It is much cheaper to purchase snacks from the supermarket as opposed to packaged convenience foods from university.

'''Table 5. Prices and quantities of common snack foods bought from the supermarket.'''

'''Table 6. Prices and quantities of common snack foods bought from Universities.'''

Money Saving Storage Tips

 * Most fruits and vegetables should be stored in the crisper or produce drawer. Do not overload the crisper. It is best to buy only the amount of produce you will use within a few days.


 * Do not keep bananas in plastic bags. This was lock in the moisture and speed up the ripening process . If bananas are over-ripened, they can be peeled, frozen, and used.


 * Keep nuts and crackers in airtight containers or sealable snack bags.


 * Cut up carrot and celery sticks and store in sealable container in fridge until use. These can be stored raw for up to 2 weeks.
 * Yoghurt can be kept out of the fridge for up to 2 hours.


 * Buy in bulk if prices are lower than usual. Non-perishable items like cans of tuna, beans, corn can be kept in the pantry for months but be sure to identify with the expiry date for each product as these will vary across brands.


 * Seasonal fruits and vegetables may be costly so choose frozen varieties like peas, corn, broccoli, or berries. Not only are they more convenient to store but also provide the same nutritional goodness as the raw varieties.


 * Keep an eye out for sales and specials. You can access the supermarkets catalogue online for weekly specials and savings.

Visit the following sites for more information:

http://shop.coles.com.au/online/national/

http://www.woolworths.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/webSite/Woolworths/

https://www.aldi.com.au/