Food For Thought: The Power of Snacking for Stress Relief

I have this nasty habit of getting lost in a maelstrom of stress every time I’m slightly inconvenienced. Something as trivial as a lost sock or an empty toothpaste tube can be enough to spike my anxiety—and I’m not alone in the feeling. Many of my friends have spoke to the disruptiveness of small challenges in their lives and a striking inability to handle stress when they arise. 

Over time, I’ve realized that the best way to combat these frequent bouts of stress is to embed positive habits that fuel the body within a busy everyday routine. My favorite way to do this? Raiding my pantry for comfort snacks. Food is truly therapeutic when it comes to infusing joy into my day and counteracting negative experiences. Knowing that a comfort snack is just a few feet away on my shelf is enough to give me the motivation to commit to a long study session, go to the gym with friends, eat other meals in moderation, and stay calm in the face of stress.

However, there’s definitely a difference between snacking for stress relief and stress-eating; finding that balance is something that has come with time, and now that I’ve ingrained the process of using food as a tool to improve my mental health, I feel so much better about the annoying little inconveniences of everyday life. Whether I’m nourishing myself with a healthy snack or treating myself with something sweet, I always feel rejuvenated when I use food to address negativity. Here are six of my favorite stress-relief snacks that make me feel strong in the face of frustration. 

Chobani Flip Yogurt

This is seriously the most fun snack to have on hand, and putting it together keeps my mind busy and distracted when I’m faced with an annoyance. I’m partial to the Key Lime flavor, but there are so many options to try; I swear, every time I head to the grocery store, there’s a brand new flavor to try. Eating yogurt is good for your gut, and I feel fulfilled after eating one. My sister loves these too, so unfortunately for me, I have a limited time range within which I can expect to find one after opening our shared fridge. 

Dried Mango

I certainly have a sweet tooth when it comes to snacking, and this is by far one of my favorite sweet treats to indulge in when I need a serious break. Eating cold fruit is so refreshing, and I while I may not have the time to cut up an entire mango in the kitchen during a workday, I love being able to reach into my bag and pull out a strip of dried mango. I often find myself ripping the pieces apart with my teeth, which certainly helps with stress relief in terms of letting some energy out. If that’s your thing, dried mango is a great snack to try. 

Raw Paneer

I’m not sure how many people can relate to this one, but every time my mom cooks a paneer curry at home, she cuts up a few cubes of raw paneer, sprinkles some salt on them, and sets them aside in a small bowl for me to eat later. It’s a snack I grew up eating, and one I constantly crave. It reminds me of home and is very filling when I need a small study break. The best feeling is munching on the cubes and knowing I’ll be eating a yummy bowl of paneer curry later—my mom’s is absolutely the best. 

Lychee Gummies

Hear me out. These are so, so good when I’m craving something sweet but not super strong. Just one or two of these are super satisfying, and give me something tasty to chew on when I’m pondering a problem or need a little pick-me-up. It’s insane how many lychee candy wrappers I’ve collected in my dorm room—I find them in the strangest places, which I suppose is a testament to how often I turn to them as snacks. From H-Mart to Dole Plantation, I’ve purchased lychee gummies from just about everywhere, and they’re the perfect reward for me and my sweet tooth. 

Mozzarella Sticks

Once again, that feeling of tearing something apart while eating can be cathartic. Mozz sticks are a favorite among me and my friends, and in the dead of night, you’ll often catch us air-frying a whole batch of them as fuel for a study session. They’re not the most good-for-you snack, but it only takes two or three to get a warm fuzzy feeling inside and cure a midnight case of ‘hangry.’ As a college student, I appreciate any snack that’s quick and easy to cook, and when it comes to mozz sticks, I am a fan. 

Murukku 

If you haven’t heard of murukku or chakri, now’s your chance to look into it and get some! The toughness and crunchiness of these spiral-shaped chips are a perfect cure for teeth-grinding and hair-tearing in a stressful situation. My parents drop off a ton of bags of the snack when they come to visit me in school because they know just how much I love it. It has just the right amount of crunch and spice for me to enjoy, and I’ll admit it doesn’t take me long to get through a whole bag. Or two. 

Integrating snacking as a source of positivity in my life has been a game-changer. I love treating food as fuel, not just for the body, but also for the mind, and every Trader Joe’s run has me thrilled to discover what new snacks I can add to my stress-busting toolkit (pantry). Snacking is powerful—and it makes me feel powerful, too.