Exam Week Snack Ideas
Quick and easy comfort food recipes for midterms and final exams
Exam week is here, and you can feel the test anxiety in every inch of your body! What's a student to do? Maybe it’s time for a snack break. Exam week is not the time to diet or to worry excessively about nutrition or healthy snacks. You need to fuel your body with foods that energize, and pamper yourself a bit with comfort foods. Sure, you can rely on the study standards, like pizza and chicken wings (and coffee, of course), but here’s some creative suggestions for quick and easy snack recipes and ideas to add to your snack time repertoire. These are easy, tasty, inexpensive snacks that will help you prepare you for the toughest of midterm and final exams. (And when you're finished with exams, these are easy party foods.)
Candy cocktails. Throw a mix of M’n’M’s, Reese’s Pieces, Skittles, Kelloggs Fruit Snacks, and any other round (or almost round) candy of your choice into a bowl. The variety of fun tastes will wake you up, and there’s no pesky wrappers to throw away. Many combinations are possible, but you can always rely on the classic S’n’M cocktail—that stands for Skittles + M’n’M’s.
Grilled cheese and canned tomato soup. Here’s the classic comfort food combination! No need for gourmet ingredients; white bread and American cheese will do just fine, as is canned tomato soup right from your pantry. For added comfort value, serve with a tall glass of milk.
Midnight milkshakes. Milkshakes taste way better in the middle of the night. When you’re sick of studying, pile six or seven friends into the nearest vehicle and head to your favorite all night eatery. Be sure to ask for whipped cream.
Pepperoni mac and cheese. Prepare macaroni and cheese according to the package directions. Add as much diced pepperoni as you can stomach. For additional cholesterol-induced energy, add Cheez Whiz. Unless you have a very strong stomach, eat this in moderation.
Peanut butter logs. Remember these from elementary school? Spread peanut butter onto celery wedges, and cover them with raisins or chocolate chips. Resist the temptation to build a celery log cabin, though, or you’re bound to procrastinate.
Gyros. These were the exam week snack of choice at Rutgers University, my Alma mater. At Rutgers, you can buy these spicy pita sandwiches, made out of lamb or beef, at the grease trucks on College Avenue. If you’re a vegetarian or simply feel suspicious about eating gigantic slabs of meat that have been sitting in a truck for hours, try the hummus.
Sugary cereal. Another reliable comfort food favorite, and no cooking skills are required! Pick your favorite kind, or better yet, choose two or three or four and mix them all up together. If you’re looking for a little nutrition, add a sliced banana or some berries.
If you have any exam week snack suggestions for your fellow students, post them in the discussion! Good luck on your exams, and happy snacking.
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Study Tips for Midterms and Finals
How to Take Effective Class Notes
How to Write a Great College Term Paper
