VWPA Advice #020: Easy Vegan Dorm Room Snacks
“What are some healthy vegan snacks I can keep in my dorm room?” I don’t want to eat a lot of processed food and I don’t get many opportunities to go to the grocery store (probably once every two weeks if I try hard enough). I also don’t have a kitchen so it’s hard, just a fridge and a microwave 🙁 What can I eat given my limited situation?Nichole
Amazing question! Even with a full kitchen at my disposal, a lot of my favorite snacks require no cooking! I’ve limited my suggestions below to foods that should be available in any grocery store, that are not processed or very minimally processed, that require no cooking or prepping and can last a long time, most without refrigeration. Recommended Healthy Vegan Dorm Room SnacksThis TeenVogue article about healthy college eating has some good general tips. As they point out, finding food inspiration is important. To that end, I have an Instagram account for my food blog, VeganSpin, where I post pics of easy, accessible food and I often detail what I’m eating while I travel. If you follow me there, please say, “hello!”
- Hummus with veggies: you can buy veggies pre-cut in bags at the store, and dip them in your favorite hummus. Finding a good hummus is key, my favorite is the Majestic Garlic brand that’s local to San Diego, but Sabra is an excellent brand that’s available nation-wide. Try different brands and flavors to keep it exciting, and to find one you truly love. Hummus will keep for a long time unopened, so you can stock up on your trips to the store. Even opened, it should last at least a week.
- Apples with almond butter: or peanut butter, which is usually cheaper. Just make sure to get the natural stuff that doesn’t have a bunch of added sugars. You might be able to find almond or peanut butter in the bulk aisle for much cheaper, and in big containers. Sprouts does this, if you have one near you. Buy different types of apples as they’re in season to keep it interesting. Honey Crisp apples are my absolute fave, but they have a short season and can be expensive, so I generally purchase Fuji, Pink Lady or Granny Smith.
- Dried fruit and nuts: buy these in bulk section to save on money and to avoid a lot of additives in the pre-packaged stuff. Look for fruit that has no sugar added, and nuts that are unsalted, raw if you can afford them. Cranberries can be quite affordable if you like them, and dried apricots are very filling. My favorite nut for snacking is walnuts, but I”m also partial to Brazil nuts, which are usually far less expensive than other nuts.
- Edamame with rice/quinoa: One of my favorite snacks, breakfasts or drunk foods is brown rice with edamame. I put in coconut oil, sesame seeds and Cajun seasoning and salt to make it yummy, but you could skip the oil as long as you have some kind of flavoring to add that you really like. You can buy the edamame and the brown rice or quinoa (or a mix of both!) and just microwave them, if your fridge has a freezer in it. Some of the frozen grains are already seasoned, so you may not even need to add anything. A small portion goes a long way, due to the high fiber and protein, making it an ideal snack or mini-meal on the go.
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