In-Studio Refuels

What's worse than being sleepy in class? Being starving in class. It makes you tired, inattentive, and annoyed all at once. But, what's that, you say? No time to cook? Too broke to eat anything but coffee and dollar soft pretzels? No longer. Here's a few cheap, no-fridge-necessary recipes to keep you going 24/7. All take less than ten minutes to make, so they're not hard to make a habit. Survive your five hour studio (or an all-nighter) with these snacks.

Drink More Water

You're probably wondering why water is on a list of snack foods. Water is more essential to your body than food. In fact, it makes up about 65% of your body and pretty much every major organ depends on it to function. Invest in a reusable bottle of water. It's an easy, cheap way to keep yourself hydrated. Even minor dehydration results in less energy, less ability to focus, to retain information, and to regulate mood. Your brain really depends on water to function at its best, so don't starve it. Now go drink some water.

Kick Microwave Popcorn to the Curb

Microwave popcorn is delicious for about five minutes. After that, you're dealing with weird yellow grease-powder on your fingers and a big bag of popcorn that, once cold, is kind of like eating buttered packing peanuts. But fortunately, popcorn doesn't have to be that way. Look for loose popcorn kernels, in jars or bags, at your grocery store. It might seem expensive up front, but go for it. Each batch makes a freezer bag of popcorn out of 1/4 cup (about a handful) of kernels, so you're paying cents on the dollar per serving for this snack. Even better, you can get creative with flavors by combining the spices and seasonings you've got in your cabinet. Do they make spicy chili pepper microwave popcorn? No, they do not. But you can, on the stove.

Stovetop Popcorn Recipe

1/4c kernels
2-3 tbs of oil (enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pot)
spices & seasoning (suggestions below)

1. Add oil and corn to a medium-sized pot. Shake the pot a bit to coat each kernel in oil.
2. Cover pot and put on high heat.
3. When you hear the first corn pop, crack the lid and turn the heat down to medium-low. Leave it that way. This allows some steam & heat to escape without burning your popcorn.
4. When you stop hearing pops, turn off the heat & season!

seasoning suggestions
     salt & black pepper
     salt, pepper, oregano, parmesean cheese
     chili pepper & paprika
     ...and whatever else you've got. Experiment!

Bring Yourself Back to Grade School with Some Apples & Peanut Butter

If you've got a tiny tupperware or plastic container and a knife, you're in business. This snack can be thrown into pretty much any bag, left there all day, and whipped out later with no detriment to taste. It helps to have tasty apples, though, so look for apples without visible spots or signs of softness (squeeze the apple: the longer it takes for you to hear a little crunch, the crisper it is). Once you've got your apples, pack up your peanut butter, a knife, and some napkins. That's it!

Wrap it Up with the Punny Hummus Veggie Wrap

And, last but not least, something a little bit more substantial: a leafy-green-veggie hummus wrap. It takes less than ten minutes to make one, i.e. the time it takes to walk to Richie's and back. While a little more expensive than the last two options, it's worth the hummus-and-tortilla investment. Keep the tortillas in the fridge and you'll have the ability to make wraps for about two weeks. Bonus: raw vegetables keep just fine without a cold pack, so you could keep this in a bag for most of the day without a problem. You can also vary the types of vegetables you include in the wrap. I've suggested some to start, but go nuts! It's your veggie wrap party, after all.

Hummus Veggie Wrap

Tortilla
2 tbsp hummus
Veggies (think spinach, salad greens,
bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, ect.)

1. Wash, cut, and prep all your veggies on a cutting board.
2. Microwave your tortilla for about 10 seconds. Heating it makes it easier to fold and less prone to cracking and tearing at the corners. 
3. Spread the hummus in the center of the wrap
4. Sprinkle veggies in a long rectangle, not quite at the center—closer to you/the edge of the counter, so it's easier to fold over.
5. Fold opposite edges of the wrap over the vegetables. Your wrap should now look like a rectangle with round ends.
6. Start rolling your wrap by taking the rounded end of the tortilla closest to you and folding it tightly over the veggies. Keep rolling, and keep the roll as tight as you can.
7. Wrap that sucker up in tinfoil and get goin'.

These are only a few of the snacks that you could make on your own. Get creative with your sources of protein, carbs, and nutrients if you start getting bored of certain
flavors. Snacks don't have to be expensive, hard to make, or even unhealthy. So go have some delicious, snack-y fun!