As finals week approaches, life can get hectic and stressful with tests and projects sneaking up. Many are studying all-night, neglecting their well-being and health at this crucial time to put their grades first.  

To perform the best, include nutritious foods to fuel your brain and body. This is where the Bear Pantry can help!  

At the Bear Pantry, many different food items can be found. Some options are milk, fresh produce, cheese sticks, granola bars, canned goods, and microwavable meals.  

Keeping your nutrition up during these stressful times is important. Our brains use energy in the form of glucose, a sugar found in carbohydrate foods. The Bear Pantry offers carbohydrate-rich foods such as rice, quinoa, fruit, potatoes and corn. When we study, our brain uses more fuel. This is why we may feel hungry after studying for a long time. Eating carbs will help reenergize our thinking tank. Including a carb source throughout the day will keep us going to retain more information and support our health and grades. It’s a win-win! 

Pairing carbohydrate foods with protein foods like cheese sticks, peanut butter, nuts, and canned meat can help us feel full for longer. Protein slows the digestion of carbs in our stomach, allowing for a slower release of sugar into our blood, which eventually makes its way to the brain. Pair carbs and protein to avoid sugar crashes and increase your study time for longer.  

Here are some quick carb and protein pairings for long bouts of studying: 

• Peanut butter and jelly sandwich 
• Rice with canned tuna 
• Hard boiled egg with crackers 
• Peanut butter with graham crackers  
• Granola bar and cheese stick 

• Greek yogurt with fruit and granola 
• Cereal with milk 

The Bear Pantry frequently has these protein and carb food items to make these pairings, so come check us out! We are open Mondays 10am-3pm, Tuesdays 10am-3pm, Wednesdays 12pm-5pm, and Thursdays 10am-3pm.