Exam Eating...

By Lucy Harbron - 20:22

Exam time is here and that only means one thing- stress stress stress.

And I don't know about you, but when I'm stressed I fall into bad habits eg. eating a whole easter egg instead of revising, or congratulating  myself for doing work with like 10 sweets. But no longer! Lately I've been focusing a lot more on what I'm eating, and trying to give my body good stuff rather than junk. I know the temptation to just pig out during exam time is strong, but here's a couple of food swaps I've been making and things I've been loving to make exam eating a little healthier and happier for my body.



Having a good breakfast will 100% set you up for the day, and breakfast food reigns supreme over all other types of food. Lately my porridge addiction has hit a new high and I'm not even sorry. Porridge is full of fibre that helps to sustain you throughout the morning and the slow carbs in the oats will give you long lasting energy unlike sugary cereal which will give you a high and then a painful crash. Also, taking a little extra time to make proper homemade porridge is so worth it as the instant porridge isn't as good for you (and totally doesn't taste as good)

I've been loving mine with some cinnamon mixed in while cooking, then I put some blueberries in the microwave for like 20 seconds until they burst so when I put them on top of the porridge the flavour mixes in, and then I sprinkle on some chia seeds and sometimes some maple syrup for sweetness. LUSH and nutritious. It only takes like 5 minutes to make so super easy for a college/work morning.


GEOBAR snack bars (*)

Another really good way to sustain yourself and fill your cravings for something sweet is to have a cereal bar. I was recently sent these new and improved GEOBARS and I honestly love them. All 3 flavours are super good and fill the craving for sweets or chocolate that stress often brings. But instead of being full of junk, these bars are packed full of good stuff like fruit, oats, rice, honey etc which will keep you going as well as providing the sugar that your brain needs to work its magic. They're also a source of fibre so again will give you sustained energy to make the most out of your time and get the studying done. GEOBARS also do fruity bars, all natural energy bars and granola bars as well as these cereal bars, so you can totally choose what you like best.

Something I really love is that GEOBARS are full of fair trade ingredients, and as a result of their products school books, water tanks, generators and sewing machine have been bought to help those in communities less privileged than ours. Knowing the products I buy are doing good to both my body and the world means a lot to me, so that's a huge benefit of GEOBARS for me, it's ethical eating. Grab yourself a box!


A change I'm trying to make in the run up to my exams is to cut down on coffee so I don't feel tired or reliant on it. Instead I've been swapping coffee for fruit teas as I'm not a fan of normal tea. I love love love fruit teas as they really hydrate you unlike milky coffee, and your body neeeeeds water especially when it's stressed. Caffeine can cause insomnia and heightened anxiety which is not something you want to be dealing with right now (or ever). So cutting down on your caffeine consumption by swapping to natural, caffeine-free alternative like fruit tea; or even decaf coffee if you wanted, will stop you having highs and lows and help you stay calm and focused all day as your brain won't be as dazed with coffee. There so so many flavours of tea so it pretty much a guarantee that you will find one you love, so tea for everyone!


THIS IS MY ADDICTION. Really though why are dates so underrated? They taste like actual caramel dreamy goodness and do so so much good for your body! Some science person did a study and found that students that ate dates in the run up to their exams actually got better grades than those that didn't eat them, so I'm gobbling them down like nobodies business!

The best healthy alternative for sweets is these date sandwiches, they're gooey and sweet but give you so many nutrients and benefits like fibre, antioxidants and boost brain health as they're a huge source of vitamin B6 (which you're gonna need for exam season!) All you need to do is grab some dates and some peanut butter, spread it on and put them together. It's so simple but these give me such a boost so they're great for a revision snack. Also if you don't like peanut butter you can swap it out for something like nutella or almond butter and it will taste just as amazing. Honestly you need to try these, you won't regret it.

You could also make some raw brownies with some dates, I shared the recipe HERE. They're even yummier, trust me.

Obviously you have to indulge every now and then so don't deprive yourself of sweets every once in a while. But food that will give you sustained energy and make you feel good will stop you feeling tired and gross as exams loom. Eating well is so simple and doesn't have to take 10000 hours, there's so many blogs and youtube channels fullllll of tasty ideas so get your browse on!

Let me know any other exam eating suggestions you have, cause god knows I need them!

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