Upgraded College Drinks to Cheer On Your Team for March Madness

Now that March Madness is in full swing, rooting for our favorite teams has us all reminiscent of our college days. We ate whatever we could afford, we wore pajamas to class, we slept in the library, and we drank the grossest, most vile alcohol out there because that’s what we could get our hands on. From cheap beer to “cocktails” made from who knows what, we really were drinking the weirdest combinations of whatever alcohol we could find. Nowadays, I like to think we’ve grown a little. We’re more sophisticated and classy, and we deserve fancy cocktails and pretentious hipster beers. If you’re looking for a way to class up your drinks so you’re not throwing back tequila shots while your friends are drinking fancy frozen margaritas, here are some more sophisticated versions of drinks we somehow forced down in college (mostly inspired by my own experience).

1. Choose a Better Beer

Chowhound

One of the staples of the average college career is drinking watered-down beer that costs less than 50 cents. It’s always disgusting, warm for some reason, and maybe 80 percent foam. But we drank it happily and to excess. The downside to drinking cheap old college beer is that when you graduate, you have literally no idea how to order beer when you’re out at a restaurant. Everyone has different tastes, so when you’re at a restaurant or bar you should trust the staff to help you out! Tell them what you drank in college, and your waiter or bartender should know how to match a beer to your tastes. For example, I always let the bartender know I like drinks with a fruity flavor, so I’ve tried a lot of fancy blueberry or cherry beers that I’ve loved. If you’re feeling a little shy, you can experiment at home with one of Chowhound’s beer cocktails, like this sweet Guinness Cream Soda recipe.

2. The Blue Hawaiian

Drizly

This one is a bit more personal for me, but I think it could speak to a lot of people’s college days. Not once, but twice, in college I walked into a bar and the bartender handed me a blue cocktail and I took it, drank it, and loved it both times. Looking back, how dumb is that, right? But when you’re in college, you take anything you don’t have to pay for. So I thought I would include a safer blue cocktail with an actual ingredient list, just for any of you college grads who didn’t ask questions when it came to their liquor. This Blue Hawaiian cocktail (via Drizly.com) is tropical, easy to make, and definitely does not skimp on the liquor. Get the Blue Hawaiian recipe.

3. Jungle Juice

Chowhound

Believe it or not, you can still enjoy jungle juice even when you’re out of college. Back in the day, jungle juice meant pouring every kind of alcohol you had into one container and adding in some kind of mixer. I remember one specific party where the jungle juice they made was vodka, grain alcohol, half a Hawaiian punch, and one Granny Smith apple sliced up. They threw it all into a plastic storage bin, because it was college. If you were really a jungle juice person in college, Chowhound’s recipe is an appealing color, and it’s way less likely to kill you. Get our Jungle Juice recipe.

4. The Copper

Chowhound

There are several shots that are very popular among the college crowd. The pickleback is definitely one of them. If you don’t know what a pickleback shot is, it’s a shot of Jameson that you chase with a shot of pickle juice, and I’m still obsessed with them, so don’t hate. But I will admit it’s not very classy if you’re out for drinks with coworkers to order one, so you could always try The Copper cocktail (via liquor.com). The lemon and apple juices in this cocktail give the Jameson the same sour kick that pickle juice was, plus it’s much classier to slow sip a drink. Get the The Copper recipe.

5. Apple Cinnamon Gin Fizz

Love in My Oven

Like I said, college students are obsessed with weird shots. For some reason, the only shots I could stomach in college (besides the pickleback, obviously) were Fireball shots. Now? Forget it. If I even smell Fireball I feel like I’ve just inhaled paint thinner. Luckily, this Apple Cinnamon Gin Fizz (via loveinmyoven.com) has all the Fireball flavors, and none of the Fireball. Plus, it looks really fancy, which is exactly what we’re going for here. Get the Apple Cinnamon Gin Fizz recipe.

6. Lime Wedge Jell-O Shots

Brit+Co

I remember trying to make Jell-O shots on multiple occasions with my roommates. We always made a mess of everything, but we had fun and Jell-O shots always went like hotcakes at parties. You can still enjoy a Jell-O shot or six like you did in your college days, but you can class them up a bit. These Jell-O shots (via brit.co) are made inside lime wedges as opposed to ice cube trays or rinsed-out leftover soy sauce cups. Also, I’m sure the hint of lime is a better flavor to complement your Jell-O shot than a random flavored vodka you just pulled out of your freezer. Get the Lime Wedge Jell-O Shots recipe.

7. French Mimosa

Farm Wife Drinks

It’s no secret that college kids love brunch. Why? Because college kids love drinking during the day. While mimosas, the ultimate brunch staple, are already pretty classy as they are, I tend to live my life by the rule that Chambord makes everything classier. I stumbled upon these French mimosas (via farmwifedrinks.com), and I officially want to host brunch every Sunday. They’re beautiful, bubbly, and the Chambord gives it a little extra punch. Get the French Mimosa recipe.

8. Red Wine Berry Spritzer

Aggie’s Kitchen

I think this is the most perfect classy version of a couple popular college drinks. College students love wine, and college students love La Croix. Why not mix them? This red wine berry spritzer (via aggieskitchen.com) calls for mixed berry La Croix, but I think coconut La Croix mixed into some Pinot Grigio couldn’t hurt. Get the Red Wine Berry Spritzer recipe.

9. Classic Tequila Sunrise

Chowhound

I know a lot of people who can’t actually drink tequila anymore because of their college days, but for those of you who can, there’s no need to only drink it in shot form. Chowhound has a simple and delicious recipe for a classic tequila sunrise that won’t make you want to throw up immediately upon smelling it. Get our Classic Tequila Sunrise recipe.

10. Brazilian Iced Coffee Cocktail

Restless Chipotle

While this is by far the most complex cocktail to make, it’s very fitting seeing as how the only two things college students drink are iced coffee and alcohol. Perfect for summer, this spiked iced coffee (via restlesschipotle.com) is smooth, refreshing, and delicious–and I’ll look the other way if you want to add a little more rum than necessary. Get the Brazilian Iced Coffee Cocktail recipe.

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Veuve Clicquot Champagne: A History Lesson in Female Empowerment

What Is the Difference Between Waffles and Belgian Waffles?

First off, if you’re lucky enough to be eating waffles for breakfast, you’re having a great day. Waffles for lunch or dinner? Then you’re really doing it right. Savory waffles with whole wheat flour, cornmeal, and even cheddar are a great way to extend the waffle party all day long. But what is the difference between waffles and Belgian waffles?

Belgian waffles are known for their extra-large and deep square pockets that you can fill with butter, jam, or maple syrup, while regular waffles are thinner, and don’t often have the same yeasted batter.

Belgian Waffles

Belgian waffles originated at The Brussels World Fair Expo ’58 and were introduced in North America in 1962 at the Century 21 Exposition in Seattle. Authentic Belgian waffles, also known as liege waffles, typically have a yeasted batter which makes them light and fluffy yet crisp outside, but sometimes baking powder and/or baking soda are used instead. Other versions rely on whipped egg whites (like this recipe for “True Belgian Waffles” that beats the egg yolks into the milk and butter, then whips up the whites and gently folds them in) for that airy texture.

Often you can mix a Belgian waffle batter that sits overnight, leavening for a longer period, which makes for extra fluffy and light waffles that you can start cooking for brunch the second you wake up on a Sunday morning (and is a great option for speeding up the breakfast-making process by planning ahead). Belgian waffles are often much larger than regular waffles in both diameter and thickness, and have to be made in a special Belgian waffle iron with a deeper grid pattern; you can either buy an electric waffle iron or an old-fashioned stovetop waffle maker. (If you’re leery of investing in yet another appliance, know that there are a number of great hacks for a Belgian waffle maker–see our list of 47 Food Hacks for inspiration!) Traditionally topped with large grains of crunchy pearl sugar, they’re also great loaded up with any toppings you can imagine, from strawberries and whipped cream to ice cream or fried chicken.

Shutterstock

Regular Waffles

Regular waffles (or American waffles) are made in a smaller waffle iron that doesn’t make pockets as deep as the Belgian waffle maker and heats up even faster because of its size. These waffles can be made in a variety of shapes (hearts, ho-hum circles, squares, even characters like Darth Vader, Mickey Mouse, and Olaf from “Frozen” are options for special waffle makers…even real-life characters like Bob Ross!) and are really easy to store in the freezer for a quick breakfast if you keep them separated with parchment paper in an airtight container. So leggo your ultra-processed Eggo…

The batter for regular waffles is usually denser than that for Belgian waffles, but both kinds of waffles contain more sugar than that other classic option, pancakes, which helps them become more caramelized for a deeper flavor (and gives them an edge in the age-old pancakes vs waffles food fight). Waffle batter also generally has more fat, which makes them crisp.

Waffle Recipes

Can’t decide which waffle rings your bell? Check out these recipes below and figure out which kind of waffle you prefer! Or wait until National Waffle Day on August 24th to set the record straight by hosting a Waffle-Off with a variety of different picks.

Easy Belgian Waffles

Chowhound

This is a basic weekend recipe you should master. Make a big batch and freeze the waffles individually so you can pop them in the toaster and enjoy them all week long. Get our Easy Belgian Waffles recipe.

Buttermilk and Brown Butter Waffles (Belgian)

Chowhound

Buttermilk adds a tanginess to these Belgian waffles that are particularly delightful because of the nutty-flavored brown butter. Get our Buttermilk and Brown Butter Waffles recipe.

Overnight Yeasted Belgian Waffles

While maybe not as quick, these yeasted waffles are the ultimate Belgian waffle recipe, chewy on the inside and crisp on the outside. The batter will double or triple while it rises so be sure to use a big enough bowl. Get the Overnight Yeasted Belgian Waffles recipe.

Gluten-Free Banana Blueberry Waffles

Chowhound

Crisp, delicious pancakes go gluten-free with a mix of almond flour, rice flour, and tapioca starch. There are also eggs and buttermilk in the mix, but a mashed banana ensures it stays moist, and blueberries are baked in for juicy bursts of fruit flavor. Get our Gluten-Free Banana Blueberry Waffles recipe.

Whole Wheat Belgian Waffles

Using whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour makes these Belgian waffles more substantial than a classic liege waffle, but they’re still light and airy due to the addition of apple cider vinegar, which causes a chemical reaction with the baking powder and soda. Get the Whole Wheat Belgian Waffles recipe.

Churro-Style Waffles with Spiced Chocolate and Coconut Crema

Chowhound

These are some serious dessert waffles. The waffles contain semolina and half-and-half which adds an extra richness that pairs beautifully with the decadent toppings. Get our Churro-Style Waffles recipe.

Savory Cheddar Waffle BLT with Eggs

Chowhound

These savory bacon and cheddar waffles are a great pairing for any kind of meat, or if you’re feeling adventurous, you can use them instead of bread in a sandwich. Get our Savory Cheddar Waffle BLT with Egg recipe.

Classic Crispy Waffles

If you prefer to stick to the classics, these diner-ideal waffles are the crispiest possible, with the addition of four tablespoons of vegetable shortening in the batter that gives a golden brown sheen to these tasty breakfast treats. Get the Classic Crispy Waffles recipe.

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Related Video: Four Quick Desserts to Make in Your Waffle Maker

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Here’s How to Read and Understand a Nutrition Label

The nutrition label on packaged foods can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Sure, it’s full of helpful information to inform smart meal choices, but sometimes you just don’t want to face the truth about your favorite snacks! Whether you’re a serial label-reader or you try to avoid the label at all costs, it’s important to at least know the basics. And if you understand which fats are good and bad, how fiber plays into carbohydrates, and what added sugar and sugar alcohols mean, you can more easily figure out which packaged foods are a good choice for you!

The Basics

You might have your go-to checks for a nutrition label already. Is this food high in calories or fat? Is there a lot of sugar? Does it have enough protein to prevent a case of the hangries? When scanning the facts on a nutrition label, here are a few important things to keep in mind.

Bold Text vs Indented Text

Bold text on a nutrition label—in the “Nutrition Facts” table—will give you a top-level overview of the nutritional values, and the indented text beneath that breaks it down further. So “Total Fat” in bold font includes grams of saturated fat and trans fat (which are then each listed on their own indented lines right underneath the bolded one). Similarly, “Total Carbohydrate” includes those from grams of fiber and sugar (which are each listed separately underneath the bold header).

The “% Daily Value”

On the right side of the nutrition facts, you’ll see “% Daily Value,” which is a guide for the day’s recommended intake of say, fat or cholesterol (vitamins and minerals get their own little section underneath if you like to see how much iron or calcium you’re getting from any given food). A common heavy-hitter for this “% Daily Value” column is sodium—many foods, like canned soup or frozen dinners, might have upwards of 50 percent of your day’s recommended sodium intake. It’s good to be aware of this, especially if you’re trying to cut down on salty foods! (But don’t forget to look at servings per package too—the damage could be even worse than it first appears.)

FDA

Serving Sizes

Seriously, beware of sneaky serving sizes. A packet of Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup might be an obvious quick meal for one, but if you check out the nutrition facts, it notes that a single serving is actually half of the noodle block. Tricky, tricky! Pop Tarts are another one to watch out for—two pastries in that silvery wrapper, but the serving size is one! In these cases, you need to double everything you see on the label if you want to know the total nutritional content of the package (or triple or quadruple, and so on, depending on how many servings per container are indicated on the packaging), because the amounts shown are only per serving.

Order of Ingredients

When looking at the ingredients list, one more basic tip is to remember that they appear in order of greatest to least amount in the food; so if sugar is the first ingredient, that food contains more sugar than any other ingredient.

Breaking Down the Details

Now that you have a high-level overview of the different information you’ll see when reading a nutrition label, let’s dig into the finer points of fat, carbs, dietary fiber, and sugar.

Fat

By itself, the “Total Fat” will not give the full story of how healthy a food is. The nutrition facts will also show you the amount of saturated fat, trans fat, and in some cases, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat. Which of these are good and which are bad? The bad fats are linked to bad cholesterol (or LDL) and heart disease, and the worst of these is trans fat—it’s so bad that the U.S. banned artificial trans fat from foods as of June 2018. Harvard Health places saturated fat in an “in-between” category, where you should minimize your intake of this type of fat common in red meat, dairy, and many processed foods. Swapping these not-so-good fats with unsaturated fat (both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) reduces bad cholesterol and helps tip the overall balance in favor of good cholesterol (HDL). Olive oil, avocados, and fish are all examples of foods with these good fats. So, if you see a food with a lot of fat but none of it is saturated fat or trans fat, it might not be such a bad choice!

Carbs and Fiber

For those watching their blood sugar, carbohydrates can be a pain point—they’re in almost everything! But, something to keep in mind when reading nutrition facts is that fiber is part of the carbohydrate count, and, in fact, fiber is a carb that your body does not digest. According to the University of California, this means it does not affect blood sugar. Because of that, you can subtract the fiber grams from the carb grams in a food, and you’re left with the carbohydrate grams that will impact blood sugar (also known as net carbs). With a snack like this bag of Bada Bean Bada Boom Sea Salt Crunchy Broad Beans, you subtract 5 grams of fiber from 15 grams of carbohydrates to get 10 grams that will contribute to blood sugar levels.

Sugar

Sugar is also part of carbs on a nutrition label, and furthermore, it has its own subcategories. One of these, “Added Sugars,” will be required on U.S. labels, effective January 2020. Added sugar information will help you understand whether the sugar in your packaged food is naturally-occurring (like in milk or fruit), or added for flavor (whether it comes from corn syrup or stevia). The new nutrition labels will also show the recommended percent daily value for added sugar. Sugar overall will remain percent-daily-value-less; the focus is on limiting added sugar, not the naturally-occurring kind. Some foods, like Special K Nourish® Chocolate Coconut Cashew Chewy Nut Bar, are already putting added sugar on their labels; you can see one bar contains 9 grams of sugar, with 8 of these being added sugars.

Occasionally you might see “Sugar Alcohol” listed on a nutrition label. Sugar alcohols are sweeteners derived from plants or fruits, and are often used as lower calorie sugar substitutes. Sorbitol, xylitol, and lactitol are examples of sugar alcohols you might see listed in the ingredients section of “sugar free” or “no sugar added” foods. Halo Top ice cream contains a sugar alcohol called erythritol, and you can see this reflects the sugar alcohol content seen in the nutrition label of the strawberry flavor, for example. While sugar alcohol does not contribute to tooth decay like sugar does, it still has calories, and it has the potential to cause a laxative effect, especially if consumed in excess.

With these tips in mind, reading food labels at the grocery store should be a little less mysterious, and a little more insightful. Whether you are better-equipped to make healthy food choices, or you now know how to fit Twinkies into your diet, embrace the knowledge of nutrition labels!

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Healthier Alternatives to Ultra-Processed Foods

You’ve heard the fuss over processed foods—but do you know what ultra-processed foods are? First off, know that there are different levels of processing when it comes to the things we eat. Fresh fruits and vegetables appear in stores in basically their natural form. Things like milled oats and canned or frozen vegetables are minimally processed and are still pretty nutritious.

Ultra-processed foods are exactly why they sound like. “Think products like boxed cake mixes, instant noodles, and chicken nuggets,” says Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, and owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition. “These usually have a long ingredient list with additives and preservatives.”

If you’re like me, you rarely leave the house without a snack in some kind of plastic wrapper tucked away in a coat pocket or squished at the bottom of your bag. The unfortunate reality is that many of these snacks contain a bunch of added preservatives and opaque ingredients. They kind of need to, in order to stay “fresh” in their wrappers and boxes for so long. Obviously, these aren’t so great for your long-term health either.

In a recent study published in the medical journal JAMA, researchers in France tracked the diets and lifestyles of around 44,000 adults (age 45 and up). They found that eating a lot of ultra-processed foods was linked to a higher risk of death. Though more studies are still needed, their results echoed many previous studies that linked elements of ultra-processed foods—with ingredients like added sugars, saturated fats, and high amounts of sodium—to negative outcomes like diabetes and heart disease.

“It also makes it hard to have room in your diet to include foods that offer nutritional benefits,” Gorin adds, “such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.”

Does the thought of giving up your pita chips make you want to cry? Me too.

Many ultra-processed foods, though, have healthier versions that can be made at home, meaning that you control the ingredients that go into them (and your body).

DIY: Frozen Meals

Let’s start with frozen meals, one of the most convenient and time-saving options out there. Is it convenient to pop a TV dinner into the microwave and sit down to eat a mere three minutes later? Yes. The problem is that a lot of these options—even the ones that claim to be “healthy”—are ultra-processed and have a ton of sodium, saturated fat, and preservatives (not to mention excessive calories).

The reality is one afternoon of meal prep can make it so you never have to eat frozen Lean Cuisines again. Dishes like burritos, curries, and soups are easy to make in batches and freeze in reusable containers or plastic bags. Try one of these ten Chowhound-approved burrito recipes, complete with tips for freezing. Or one of these cozy meals that freeze well, ranging from lentil soup to cauliflower curry and Swedish meatballs. They heat up just as quickly as a TV dinner would in the microwave. Just make sure that you’re thoroughly cooking meats before freezing, and don’t overpack containers since the water in them will expand.

Chowhound’s Chorizo Breakfast Burrito recipe

DIY: Instant Ramen

Another surprisingly fun and easy food to DIY is instant ramen, one of the top ultra-processed offenders. All it takes is a few mason jars, rice noodles or pre-cooked noodles, your favorite broth base, and toppings of your choice. Vegetables like spinach and bean sprouts that can be eaten raw work best. Add hot water, wait a few minutes, and you’ve got instant noodles without all of the mystery additives.

Chowhound’s Easy Chicken Ramen recipe

DIY: Snacks

Now that meals are out of the way, let’s talk snacks. Though some granola and energy bars might be marketed as healthy, many of them have added sugar and artificial flavorings.

Thankfully, it basically takes the same amount of time to make granola bars from scratch as it does to buy a box from the grocery store, especially since most of the ingredients are pantry staples like oats and dried fruits or nuts. Simply mix the oats with a nut butter and sweetener like honey, dates, or maple syrup to bind, then fold in your favorite toppings. Lots of recipes are also non-bake, making them as quick to prep as a bowl of oatmeal.

Chowhound’s Cherry Power Bar recipe

If you’re more of a savory-snacks person, there are also plenty of make-at-home options for you. Swap out that bag of store-bought chips for homemade ones, which are as easy as slicing up your favorite vegetables and baking them. If you have a food processor, you can whip up your own version of goldfish with just five ingredients.

Chowhound’s Smoked Paprika Sweet Potato Chips recipe

Homemade popcorn is one of the best-kept secrets of the snack world. Though it’s generally healthier than chips because it’s full of fiber, the added sodium and artificial butter flavoring found in many microwaveable packets cancels that right out. Instead, just pour a bunch of kernels into a paper bag and microwave. Voila—fresh, unprocessed microwave popcorn. Add some spices like cinnamon and butter or chili powder and a squeeze of lime.

DIY: Desserts

Last on our list (but first in our hearts): desserts. Admittedly, many homemade versions of things like Oreos, Pop-Tarts, and snack cakes are more time-intensive than simply buying them off the shelf. But wow, do they taste good. You can also control aspects like the amount of sugar or the type of flour. Try this homemade version of Oreos with an uncannily familiar filling, or swap out the fondant for your favorite flavor of buttercream.

Chowhound’s Spiced Pear and Almond Turnovers recipe

If you’ve never tried to make your own pop-tarts, recipes like this one will blow your mind. Basically, it’s like making giant raviolis out of pie crust and filling. Just roll out your pie dough of choice, divvy up some filling like jam or brown sugar and cinnamon, and seal. They won’t last as long as the store-bought version, but then again, they likely won’t last long out of the oven anyway.

Choosing products at the store

If you’re just too pressed for time or energy to DIY some of these items, don’t worry—there are minimally processed options for premade snacks, foods, and even meals that you can find in the grocery store. In general, when checking out your options, make sure to look at the ingredients list.

“A processed food will be one that is closer to its original form,” says Gorin, “such as canned vegetables, frozen fruit, roasted nuts, or a bar with just a few ingredients and no preservatives.”

Dried fruit is a ready snack option, as are hummus and vegetables. Look for dark chocolate bars with high cocoa content to help curb your sweet tooth. Lots of grocery stores also have freshly prepared food like rotisserie chicken, which can help you save time when cooking.

If you’re really craving ice cream or chips or your favorite snack once in awhile, Gorin adds, just go for it. As long as they’re eaten in moderation, they don’t have to completely disappear from your life.

Related Video: How to Make Superfood-Infused Ice Cream with Moringa

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Use-It-Up Meal Plan! Chicken, Smoked Salmon & Pine Nuts

Need a little help using up leftover ingredients? This meal plan is all about creating tomorrow's inspiring meals from the remains of last night's masterpiece! This week, we're focusing on recipes with chicken, smoked salmon, and pine nuts.

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How to Make Pad Thai

Yes! You can make restaurant-worthy pad Thai at home. It's not at all hard—it just takes a little strategic planning. This one is adapted from Chef Peter of 1001 Thai in Easton, PA.

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