The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

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The Girls Who Code club met together in Sierra Hall, on Friday, Sept. 15, in Northridge, Calif. Club members played around with a program to create a virtual game.
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CSUN’s Girls Who Code club is just one of many across many campuses and countries, including 110 in...

Students form a crowd for DJ Mal-Ski on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 in Northridge, Calif.
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Ryan Romero, Sports Editor • September 21, 2023

The University Student Union hosted “Matador Nights” on Sept. 8 from 7 p.m. to midnight. The...

Image courtesy of Adobe Stock by FiledIMAGE.
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Luis Silva, Reporter • September 19, 2023

There is no longer a significant competitive gap in the sport of women’s soccer. There is a brighter...

The line for concert merchandise on the second night of The Eras Tour in Paradise, Nev., on Saturday, March 25, 2023.
My experience at The Eras Tour
Miley Alfaro, Sports Reporter • September 18, 2023

It’s been a long time coming. I began watching The Eras Tour, Taylor Swift’s ongoing concert trek,...

Within the Oaxacan town of Asuncion Nochixtlan, we find my mother’s birthplace, Buena Vista. Photo taken July 29, 2023.
I Love Being Mexican
September 12, 2023
A student holds up a sign during a rally outside of the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach, Calif., on Sept. 12, 2023.
CSU board approves tuition increase amid protests
Trisha Anas, Editor in Chief • September 15, 2023

The California State Board of Trustees on Wednesday approved a 6% tuition increase for the next five...

group of mena and women touching hands
Miracles In Action Restores Patients’ Lives and Actualizes their Potential

Which pre-packaged foods to buy and avoid

It’s 8:29 a.m on Monday. You slept through both alarms, you have no clean socks to wear and you have to be at work across town in 30 minutes. On top of everything else, the $3.11 in sofa change you found last night while watching reruns of Cake Boss on Netflix is only enough to score you a tuna salad sandwich from the break room vending machine. Luckily, you thought ahead and stocked your pantry over the weekend with some healthy in-between-meal snacks. Right? Well, if you didn’t have time to go shopping on Sunday between sawing logs and watching March Madness, shoot down to the grocery store and pick up a few things.

 

What to buy:

Frozen Fruit– Contrary to popular belief, frozen fruits are just as fresh, if not more, that the items you will find in the produce section. The process in which the producer inspects frozen fruit for signs of rot or mold before being shipped for packaging ensure that the seller receives the freshest produce possible. Additionally, frozen food storage allows consumers to purchase fruits when the fresh alternatives are too expensive, or out of season. When you’re craving something sweet, but don’t want to expend the calories and fat on a doughnut, pack a tupperware of frozen mangos or kiwis.

String cheese– When you were a kid, the greatest thing your mom could ever pack in a brown bag lunch was Yoohoo! chocolate milk, a pizza Lunchable and a stick of string cheese. Apples, what are those? Now that you’re an adult, eating cheese means buying overpriced wine pairings and a cheese board at a trendy, new restaurant in NOHO. Although processed cheese has a considerable amount of sodium, they are also packed with protein and calcium. Go back to your childhood every once in a while and throw a stick of string cheese in your lunch. Plus, its a great excuse to play with your food.

Nutrition bars– Try to avoid the obviously unhealthy, candy bar-esque “granola bars.” Sure, you’re getting a mouthful of granola, but you’re also ingesting copious amounts of manufactured sugars, saturated fats and sodium alternatives. Good rule of thumb when choosing nutrition bars: If it looks as though Bambi wouldn’t mind splitting one with you, it’s probably alright. Specific brands of nutrition bars, such as Kashi and Special K, incorporate the natural goodness of whole grains with added bonuses, like protein-packed peanuts or antioxidant-rich dehydrated fruit pieces. Check out this list to see how your favorite nutrition bar stacks up against the rest.

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