Best Meals to Eat on Exam Days
Whether you just experienced your first round of final exams or are heading into your last round this spring, fueling your mind with the right nutrition on exam days is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
As a nutritional science graduate from UofG, I’ve managed to find a way to eat healthy, brain-boosting foods even when tight on time.
Breakfast: Instant oatmeal, peanut butter and a banana
What’s simpler than whipping up a pack of oatmeal, grabbing a banana and opening a jar of peanut butter?
Oats and bananas also have a specific type of fibre - soluble fibre - causing them to hang out in your gut for longer (and keep you fuller for longer). Scoop in some peanut butter to up both the taste and the protein.
Mid-morning snack: Apple and walnuts
If you typically don’t eat between breakfast and lunch, try adding a quick snack on exam days to help keep your mind awake.
Start by pairing an apple with walnuts. The apple provides fibre to continue that feeling of fullness, while the walnuts give you that coveted omega-3s which are thought to help boost your brainpower just in time for that exam.
Ever notice how a walnut actually looks like a brain?
Lunch: Whole grain sandwich with hummus and veggies
When 12 pm hits, check out the sandwich counter on campus and ask for a whole grain sandwich loaded with protein-packed hummus and any veggies your heart desires.
Hummus is made from chickpeas, which are rich in fibre and other unique nutrients that could also help you feel fuller for longer (read: not get hangry while writing your next exam).
Mid-afternoon pick-me-up: Green tea and dark chocolate
Typically gulping down your fifth coffee by now? Try swapping it for a green tea, which has both caffeine and a compound called L-theanine to keep you awake while reducing any pre-exam jitters.
For my fellow dark chocolate lovers, now is a perfect time to indulge in a square or two. Allowing yourself this designated treat can help stop any unhealthy cravings from creeping up on you later.
Dinner: Salmon, whole grain rice and your favourite veggies (it’s easier than it sounds)
Exam day dinners can cause undue stress - you’re either eating right before your 7 pm exam or mustering up the strength to cook after a long day. To combat this, pick up a can of salmon, a bag of frozen veggies (broccoli is my fave), and a cup of whole-grain ‘minute rice’ ahead of time.
The salmon rivals those walnuts you ate earlier for those brain-boosting omega-3s, the veggies can be popped into a microwave with some water for easy steam, and the whole grain rice can help keep your blood sugar steady over choices like white rice or pasta.
Pair it with an ice-cold can of unsweetened sparkling water, and pat yourself on the back for taking care of your body and mind on such a stressful day.
Living on campus? This video here will give you some tips on living in student residences
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