HG's College Survival Guide -- TOP ATE Dorm Room Must-Haves!

Late-night study sessions, post-party munchies, and a complete lack of a kitchen?! Yikes! HG's got the TOP ATE essentials to kick college diet troubles to the curb -- no mini-fridge or microwave required!
 
1. Room-Friendly Fruit - There are few things worse than finding moldy grapes or berries buried among your dorm mess. But fruit is a great snack to keep on hand for filling up (it's packed with fiber) and keeping calorie-counts down. Solution? Stock up on thick-skinned fruits that don't require cutting -- oranges and apples are awesome options. Another great trick is stashing freeze-dried fruit. It's crispy, sweet and flavorful, and it'll last forever without going bad. Check out Crispy Green Crispy Fruit, Sensible Foods Crunch Dried Fruit, and Trader Joe's freeze-dried fruit.

 

2. Meal Replacement Bars - We rarely recommend swapping a real meal for a handheld bar (food rocks!). But that unpredictable college lifestyle can make it difficult to plan ahead. Whether you hit the snooze button too many times and are late for class (no time for b-fast!), or book back-to-back study sessions running right through dinnertime, on-the-go meal bars are a good way to go. Skipping meals will only make you eat more the next time you do see food, so always keep some of these protein-packed puppies on hand. South Beach Diet makes some great ones, and so do Atkins and Revival. 

3. A Campus Cardio Plan - If extra calories are inevitable, just burn some off, baby! But since you likely won't be able to fit a treadmill into your tiny room, bring along some space-saving fitness goodies to maximize your surroundings. A portable MP3 or CD player with plenty of upbeat tunes can turn a simple jog around campus into a training session cheered on by Beyonce. If weather's an issue, a jump rope takes up only inches of drawer space but can be used anywhere, and a pedometer will keep you cued in to how many steps you're taking each day (up the calorie-torching even more by taking the stairs as often as you can stand it).

 

4. Portion-Controlled Snacks - Stashing snacks in the same place you sleep and spend lots of time can be dangerous. Which is why portioned-out pouches (like Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs and Quaker Mini Delights) are the perfect solution. Luckily, plenty of these require no refrigeration. Whew!
 
5. Delivery Menus - Keep a file of 'em! Ordering guilt-free foods from restaurants is easy, as long as you know what they offer. This way when friends recommend ordering Chinese or Italian, you'll know what's on the menu that works for you. (Pssst... click here for tips on ordering Chinese, and here for more tips on guilt-free ordering.)

 

6. Sugar-Free Drink Mix-In Singles - While vending machines serve up soda and water, you're not likely to find too many interesting low-calorie choices. And although low-cal hydration is key, plain old water can be boring. Enter sugar-free drink mix packets! Brands like Crystal Light, Wyler's Light, and Market Pantry all make this stuff in great flavor combos, including fruity ones, iced tea versions, and more. The packets are perfect for adding to bottles of water, and can be easily stashed in drawers, purses, backpacks, and back pockets.
 
7. Check-In Jeans - There's not a human in recorded history who's gained "the freshman 15" overnight. So paying close attention to your weight is an easy way to see where you stand, before those dreaded pounds sneak up on you. Rather than dragging a scale to school, simply keep a pair of your "ideal weight" jeans handy. It may be tempting to spend college days in comfy sweats and scrubs, but slip into these once a week and you'll know instantly if you need to adjust your eating (just make sure you wash 'em every now and then, so they don't grow with you!).

8. Go-To Cravingbusters - Be honest ... there are some cravings you just can't escape! Rather than trying your hardest to resist 'em, fight back with guilt-free craving squashers! Are cheesy nachos your thing? Keep a few bags of Quaker Quakes Rice Snacks in Nacho Cheese around. Do chocolate bars from the vending machine call your name all night long? 100-calorie bars by CocoaVia or Hershey's 100 Calorie Bars should do the trick. Just don't go crazy eating these things...

For more guilt-free tips and tricks, plus food finds, recipes, fun food news, and more, visit hungry-girl.com to sign up for free daily emails!