It’s 4/20, and we all know what that means. If you’re indulging today, may your “holiday” be filled with movie marathons and delicious munchies. If you’re not partaking, why not take advantage of the movie marathons and munchies anyway? It’ a win/win situation.

To help you out, we collected recipes for some amazing munchies. You’re welcome!

initiating the gallery...

[Lead image via Ariwasabi/Shutterstock]

Here’s why:

Chocolate is good for your heart.

A bar of chocolate helps lower your blood pressure and cholesterol AND reduces your risk of heart disease. Start thinking about these things now, so in 40 years that’s at least two less pills you’ll have to be popping.

Chocolate stimulates endorphins and serotonin.

Endorphins are hormones that give us a sense of pleasure. They’re allegedly released when we exercise (I’m skeptical), and also when we have sex (this, I can believe). Eating chocolate also has the same effect. Serotonin is a natural antidepressant, which may help to explain why we ladies crave chocolate so much when we’re premenstrual.

Chocolate is rich in antioxidants.

Antioxidants are crucial for killing off free radicals that roam around your body trying to wreak havoc on your cells. Cacao, the base substance of chocolate, contains 8 times as many antioxidants as strawberries. (New diet plan: chocolate covered strawberries all the time. Hello, 100th birthday!)

There are, of course, caveats to healthy chocolate consumption. So before you go out and buy stock in Hershey’s, read a few of the rules:

1. Stick to dark chocolate instead of its milkier counterparts. Scientists believe that milk ends up blocking a lot of the good stuff in chocolate from being digested.

2. Do it in moderation. Chocolate is rich in sugar and fat, so it’s not a good idea to down 20 bars and day and justify it to everyone side-eyeing you by screaming “IT’S GOOD FOR ME!”

Nom nom nom. That’s me eating a moderately sized piece of chocolate and enjoying it even more than usual. Thank you, science, for justifying my chocoholic ways.

While most people will celebrate this national holiday behind a hanging tapestry in the privacy of their dorm room with 12 bags of chips and a tub of frosting, there are some schools that turn it into a campus affair.

Cue my regret for choosing the wrong school.
And pass the Cheetos.

UC Berkeley – People’s Park Celebration
Last year, more than 1,000 people joined this pot-extravaganza to celebrate with (slow) dancing, (lots of) eating, and (passionate) speeches. I can just see it: people cooking rice and beans under the shade of a willow tree, with and endless supply of Cliff Bars and positive feelings. Utopia.

University of California, Santa Cruz – Celebration at Porter Meadow
Not even a lack of shuttle services or parking stops UCSC students from hiking up Empire Grand for a glassy eyed, sunny day in Porter Meadow come 4/20. “National Pot Smoking Day” has turned Parker Meadow into a ‘baked circus’ every year at the University. Vendors set up in the field to feed the munchies of nearly 5,000 people while bands perform, ‘Santa Cruz 420′ t-shirts are handed out, and a soft haze sits over the meadow. Sounds like a party.

Colorado University at Boulder – 4/20 Smoke-out
Last year 10,000 students and residents came out to Norlin Quad to hit the bong. 10,000! Campus police have announced they’ll be ticketing people in possession of marijuana going to or from the Smoke-out this year, but I have a feeling no one’s gonna care as long as they’ve got a $5 foot long in their hands.

University of Redlands – ’4/20 Fest’ at Pharaoh’s Theme Park
Although this concert celebration does not outright announce it as a pot-smoking event, it is held annually during the infamous 4/20 weekend. And this description may say it all: “…the audience is encouraged to dream and immerse themselves into otherworldy magic.’ Read: come stoned.

University of Michigan – Hash Bash
Centered around the goal to reform the legalization of marijuana, this celebration is sprinkled with speeches, live music, a man dressed as a hot dog, street vending (which, I’m hoping, means lots of grub), and a whole lot of hashish. Hash Bash has been going strong (or stoned…) for 28 years. Last year, thousands came to get really baked support the event.

After all, you’ve been looking forward to an occasion to show off your sparkly new holiday dress. And the shoes, tights, belt and accessories you picked up to go with it. But remember that New Year’s Eve is notorious, no matter where you are, for record breaking injury, crime and carelessness. Take some time a few days in advance to prepare and ensure you have a blast.

After all, who wants to start off 2010 in detox, jail or the hospital?

1) Make a plan. NYE is not the night to bar-hop. With ridiculous cover charges, overpriced drinks and drunk drivers on the roads, it’s best to pick a place, get all of your buds to head there and rock the night away.

This also decreases the chance of getting split up. With the disorienting effects of alcohol you want to keep your crew intact to minimize the odds of anyone stumbling into a sticky situation solo.

2) Transportation is HUGE: no drinking and driving. If you all must drink you all must stay put. Period. Do some research: many cities offer free buses and cab rides on NYE. There are also services that will pick you up and drive your car home for you. Find those companies now and store their numbers in your phone just in case you need them. Or, load some pillows and blankets into your trunk and crash with a local friend.

3) To avoid ringing in the New Year with the toilet bowl, remember to eat something. Some munchies will help to line your stomach and decrease the risk of vomiting come morning. Also, stick to the drinks you know. Don’t go slamming jell-o shots or champagne if you’re not used to the effects. And remember: a) carbonation in your mixed drinks speeds absorption and b) sugary mixers like soda or juice can make it difficult to gauge how strong your drink is.

4) Bring condoms. Even if you’re not the “one night stand” type of girl, it’s better to be safe than a momma in 2010. And if you don’t need them, someone else will, and they’ll be ever so grateful they found you fixing your hair in the bathroom at 12:15.

Most importantly, look out for one another. This is the time to celebrate, so enjoy the quality time with your crew. Happy New Year!

For the past four weeks I have stopped drinking. Like, completely. I know – scary. Especially for a girl like me who loves to pair a drink with every time of the day. 9:30 AM? Bloody Mary. 11:45 AM? Margarita. 12:00 PM? Vodka Cran. 1:30 PM? Harpoon Summer Ale. 6:00 PM? Dirty Martini. Make that porn star dirty. You get the picture. I am definitely no lightweight.

But, several weeks ago after a rough night at an infamous Times Square watering home, which may or may not have involved shots of tequila…that I drank while dancing on the bar… I decided to slam on the brakes until my birthday (September 28th. Feel free to send presents), which totals over two months of stone cold sobriety.

This decision has sparked a lot of controversy, but I’ve remained strong and haven’t slipped up once. When I commit, I commit all the way. I still go out to the bar at least twice a week and, yes, still have a phenomenal time. This month has made me realize one very important thing that not many college students realize:

Sobriety is nice.
And here are a few (well, 10) of the things I love:

10. Cheap barhopping!
Hey, just because you’re not drinking doesn’t mean you can’t hit up all the bars and clubs you want to. A great way to feel comfortable is to go up to the bar, and show the bartender that you’re going to to tip them. Ask for a seltzer or a Sprite and just smile and ask them to “dress it up like a cocktail.” Sometimes you’ll get a snotty bartender, but more often than not, they’ll do it with a wink and a smile. Just holding a drink keeps people from hassling you. Not to mention, as long as you tip the bartenders, you’ll only end up spending about five bucks on drinks a night so you can save cash. Thrifty and healthy. Me likey.

9. Get some effing culture
So instead of getting plastered on a Friday night, you can take advantage of awesome museums, movies and sight seeing. If you’re in the NYC area, the MoMa has free entry from 4-8 every Friday. Skipping happy hour and checking out the James Ensor exhibit? I’ll take it.

8. Meet better dudes.
Drinking = confidence= meeting hotties! Right? Um, no. Hanging out at a bar soberly will keep your judgment clear. That guy who’s a total slamming hottie when you’re five cocktails deep? He’s wearing an Ed Hardy shirt and uses more hair product than all the Gotti boys combined. Ew. Since I’ve sobered up, I’ve learned to ditch the losers and chat up the sweetheart who’s not dropping it like it’s hot. Trust me, the genuine nice guys appreciate the non-sloppy girls. Plus, if they respect the fact that you’re not drinking? Keeper.

7. No more drunk munchies!
That extra large pizza with all the fixings at 4 AM doesn’t seem like such a great idea anymore.

6. Goodbye hangovers.
I no longer feel like I’ve been run over by a semi every Saturday and Sunday morning. I’m (GASP) productive on the weekends. Unless there’s a Back to the Future or Top Model marathon on. Then forget it; I’m married to the couch, hungover or not.

5. Learn to say No.
Sometimes I’m kind of a pushover. I’d like to say “loyal,” but once in a while I’ll find myself doing something above and beyond what’s necessary. For example, giving my former male roommate PEDICURES. I know. You’d be surprised how many of my friends were annoyed that I stopped drinking. Doing a stint of sobriety, especially at a college-age, is not easy. People are not understanding but I learned that I DON’T have to give a reason, even if people often demand one. Even after saying, “No, I’m really not drinking,” I’ll have friends (and even new acquaintances!) telling me, “Come on, just a drink. Oh just take a sip. It’s not a big deal. Seriously, you’re going to regret not drinking.” Right. I’ve learned to hold my own and say No. Peer pressure does exist, but now I know how to deal. Thanks, D.A.R.E.

4. No more empty calories.
Did you know one shot of tequila is 100 calories? And a margarita can be up to 250? Five margaritas is about as many calories as you should consume in an entire day. I’ll splurge on a burger instead, and still be cutting calories.

3. It’s really, really funny to watch drunk people. I mean, really funny.
You get to watch people go from perfectly coiffed and demure to complete sh**show circus in three hours. Amazing what you learn about friends when you’re sober and they’re not.

2. Feel and look better.
Despite feeling a little left out when everyone’s getting loaded, the physical benefits of lack of booze have been amazing. I’m more energetic, slimming down, less nauseous and headachey. Alcohol does a number on your skin, hair and all physical features. No more bags, dried out skin or frizzed out hair. I mean, we’ve all seen LiLo at her worst. Ew. Grey Goose, you are sooo not worth it.

1. No more stupid dance moves.
Sobriety means less arm waving, nerdy, “WOO-HOO” yelling and getting low. Lil’ Jon, you are my life.

Okay, I lied. I totally still dance like that when I’m sober. Put on “Pretty Young Thing” by MJ and despite my lack of booze, I still look like the drunkest girl in the bar.

Melanie currently interning in NYC, taking full advantage of all margarita shirley temple specials and those blonde summer boys. Stalk her on Twitter: @tinkermellie

You goin’ out tonight? Gonna hit the town and celebrate that final final? You gonna get so drunk that the only thing on your mind at the end of the night is gooey, cheesy and totally bad for you?

Me too!

But before you a make poor decision that involves you and the delivery places you clearly have on speed dial, read on. There are some snacks out there that are just not worth eating, no matter how many Vodka Red Bulls you’ve downed in honor of the end of History 240. Things you will regret more in the morning than last weekend’s romp with the History 240 T.A. Assuming all that fat and grease doesn’t prevent you from making it to the morning…

Domino’s Bread Bowl Pasta.

Not sure why you would want to eat this, as it both looks and sounds nauseating. But in case your taste buds aren’t satisfied with noodles alone and they long for a massive tub of soggy bread to soak up all the caloric goodness, just remember… NOT TO LISTEN TO THEM! No really– stay far, far away from this god-awful, heart-attack inducing concoction. I mean, who really needs to eat the bowl!? The giant serving of cheesy, creamy, fatty pasta isn’t enought?

It’s just gross. End of story.

Pizza Hut’s P’zone Pizza.

Described as: “Over a pound of toppings and cheese baked into a folded pizza crust!” I’m pretty sure that translates to: “Over a pound of extra fat stuffed into a pair of skinny jeans!”

Taco-Bell’s Nachos BellGrande.

Any food item with the word “grande” in it should most likely (as in, most definitely) be avoided. Unless it’s from Starbucks. You may think it’s not so bad – it’s  prepared with reduced fat sour cream! – but don’t be fooled. Low fat toppings or not,with 760 calories and 1300 mg of sodium (60% of your daily value of salt packed into one snack….er….fourthmeal!) this is a baaaad late night choice.

KFC Chicken and Biscuit Bowl.

(I think I just puked). Imagine of the four unhealthiest food items: fried chicken, mashed potatoes, cheese, and biscuits. Now pile them on top of one another, smother the stuff in gravy, and whad’ya get? Something you should probably never eat.

Pizza Hut’s Stuffed Crust Pizzas.

If pizza itself isn’t a bad enough choice for curing (or provoking) the munchies, try pizza with extra cheese literally “stuffed” into the crust. The pie is apparently packed with melted cheese in the crust “so that the last bite is as good as the first.” Yea…so the last bite is as good, and fatty, as the first one. Two (of those very small Pizza Hut) slices have 800 calories. And if that wasn’t harmful enough, just imagine those grease burns you’ll get when that sh*t drips down your arms. Probably not the best choice during bikini season. Or ever.

The point is, in most situations, we will come up with any excuse possible for eating badly. I’ve seen it happen too many times to count, and I also definitely admit to coming up with some pretty lame excuses myself. So, I’ve compiled a list of the most commonly heard excuses. Maybe the next time you’re about to say one, you’ll think about this and make a healthier choice.

1. “Finals are coming up. I’m stressed. Chocolate makes me feel better.” Yes, finals and the end of the semester do cause a ridic amount of stress, and eating chocolate might ease the pain, but while you’re scarfing down that king-sized Snickers bar, consider this: you could possibly be causing yourself more stress. When finals are over, and you look in the mirror and see that you’ve gained about 10 pounds, you will definitely start stressing about wearing that cute new bikini. Don’t let the stress get to you – chew some gum instead.

2. “The drunk munchies don’t REALLY count.” – Yes. Yes, they do. You might not really remember it happening, but all of those greasy pizza slices and bags of potato chips do add up, especially because it’s late at night. Eating at night is always worse because your body has no chance of working it off before you go to sleep. I know it’s hard to control those cravings when you’ve had a few drinks, but I promise you’ll feel better when you wake up in the morning.

3. “It’s too hard to eat healthy in college.” – I know on my campus, the cheapest food is always the worst for you – cheeseburgers and fries for only $4 while a salad costs $7.50. In tough economic times, it’s easy to give in to the excuse that all you can afford are these fattening meals. You may have less money, but you should be spending that money on the most important things, and healthier foods are definitely one of those. You could even try running to the grocery store once a week and stocking up on some cheaper and healthier foods instead of relying on the campus cafeteria or, more likely, pizza place for your nightly meals. It may be slightly inconvenient, but it’ll be worth it in the end.

4. “It’s just this ONE time. And I deserve a treat!” – Okay, so sometimes you do deserve a little treat. Everyone knows that denying yourself of every unhealthy craving you have only results in binge eating. But that doesn’t mean you can completely give up and give into EVERY craving. First, you’re letting yourself have a few M&M’s. The next thing you know, you’re having macaroni and cheese for dinner – ‘This isn’t so bad. I ate a good breakfast and lunch’. And a few hours after that you’re chugging beer and eating wings and telling yourself that you worked hard this morning – and you deserve it. Treating yourself is a slippery slope, so you gotta stay focused.

5. “It’s cool, I went to the gym this morning.” – Good job on making it to the gym, but it’s completely counterproductive to eat like a pig just because you burned some calories earlier. In order to lose weight, you have to eat healthy AND work out. A few of my friends are constantly going to the gym in groups, coming back and feeling nice and sweaty, and then ruining everything by going out to dinner and eating disgusting amounts of food. When I point out that they basically just worked out for nothing, they come back with “Exercising makes me hungrier!” Okay, then have a healthy snack! Please don’t work your butt off at the gym only to come home and ruin it all with some junk food. It’s a complete waste of your time and energy and also just doesn’t make any sense.

6. “I’m starting my diet tomorrow.” – I have one friend who says this statement at least three times a week. “I’m starting a diet tomorrow, so I have to eat this stuff while I have the chance,” she says, as she eats anything unhealthy in site. Don’t pretend you haven’t done this before. You plan to start your diet on Wednesday, but then you wake up late and end up eating a bacon-egg-and-cheese for breakfast, so you decide to start Thursday. Thursday comes, and you do pretty good during the day, but then you go out and eat everything in your kitchen that night, so you figure you’ll start Friday. But on Friday you go out to lunch with your friends, and you HAVE to have at least three of those breadsticks. The weekend’s here, and you know it’s going to be hard, so you decide you’ll wait until Monday – a fresh start for a new week. Guess what? Putting it off is doing nothing but helping you gain a few extra pounds.

We seriously curbed our smoking habits after a pretty serious waffle binge a few years back, but we let loose – munchies and all – once a year. And that day is comin’.

We’ve already started stocking up the CollegeCandy fridge with all of our favorites: Cheez-its, tater tots, Boboli, Double Stuf Oreos, peanut butter M&Ms, etc… Now all we need is some good ole’ hashish; good thing they deliver that sort of thing in NY.

People seem to be pretty particular about their munchies. Some like it salty and others like it sweet. Some like a little crunch, while others prefer things that don’t require chewing. We are very intrigued by this (probably because we are high right now), so this week we asked the CollegeCandy writers what they prefer to chow down on after hitting the bong/bowl/brownie.

What do you crave?

Laura – St. Johns: Anything with peanut butter… Mmm.

Brithny – Duke: POCKY!!! Although I was born on Pocky Day, so I’m a little biased :]

Sarabeth – University of Texas: Don’t judge, but it’s Frito chips with a little cream cheese. nom nom

Thu – USC: Hot brownie + ice cream = HEAVEN

Kari – FSU: 3-d Doritos….sadly they don’t make them anymore.

Kathryn S.: Chips and salsa all the way, baby!

S.E. – Fordham: My favorite munchie would definitely be chicken rolls at the local pizza place by campus. Every time I’m drunk/high I crave one of them.

Caitlin – University of Alabama: Chinese food and brownies mmm

Kiki – University of Missouri: I eat disturbingly large quantities of Special K Red Berries cereal straight from the box, no milk necessary.

Sara C – Fordham: Haagen Das chocolate sorbet. I convince myself that it’s healthier because it’s sorbet. Or, anything with peanut butter!

Donnette – Manhattanville College: Cheetos, Cheez-its, trail mix, Reese’s (in all forms). Pretty much anything with dried fruits, peanuts, cheez, and/or chocolate.

Elizabeth – UC Berkeley: Applesauce – no lie.  The texture just does it for me!

Lauren – University of Michigan: Um. Anything? Seriously, if I can get my mouth on it, I want it. (Wait…that came out wrong.)

Charlsie – Hollins: Anything sweet. I am obsessed with candy as a meal option; I usually eat it for lunch.

Leah – Ryerson: Cheetos, cupcakes and nachos… just not at the same time.

Ashley Elizabeth – CU Boulder: Graham crackers and peanut butter M&Ms

Cristina – Michigan State: My favorite munchies would have to be…actual Munchies. Doritos, Cheetos, Sun chips, Pretzels. Heaveennnnnn.

Erica – Kent State: I love those little cheese cubes.  Or hint-of-lime tortilla chips with mango (or peach) salsa. Mmm!

Carly – Grinnell: Mmmmm. This coffee shop near my house makes these amazing cookie bars called “wilderness bars.” They have raisins, nuts, sesame seeds, chocolate chips… ahhh, they’re so good.

K – GWU: If still cognizant of my health, blueberries or green apples are so tart and good, but is anything better than being stoned with a bowl of cereal? Chocolate Special K and Lucky Charms come to mind

Liza M – Minnesota: Cheesy breadsticks WITH blue cheese. OMG.

Kelly – Simmons University: French bread and gouda cheese

Jess T – Columbia University: Chewy candy (Laffy Taffy, sour belts, Now & Later, etc.). Great, now I’m hungry.

But this year I had the fabulous idea of making it possible for me to enjoy my friends on a day when they enjoy nothing besides smoking…and things that are crunchy. I’ve come up with the top five best party themes to end 4-20 on as high (get it?) of a note as possible.

So invite your friend Mary Jane (yes I googled marijuana nicknames) and let’s party!

Amsterdam party
Nothing says mature and classy like a European party. So get out your clogs and grab your tulips because your party guests are going to Amsterdam. Give every guest a blank canvas and a pack of crayons when they come in and let them (Van) Gogh crazy as they create their own masterpieces.  Serve Rastafarian Rum.

Jay and Sexy Silent Bob Party
This one’s pretty self-explanatory. It’s a boy’s only party and your boyfriend is going to love you for putting it together. The tables are finally turned on the sexy costume stereotypes and the men are getting in on the action. Make sure each guests knows that if they choose to be a Sexy Silent Bob, they can’t speak all night. Oh, and don’t forget the munchies.

Babes and Bongs
Yep! Your prayers are answered…finally a girls-night-in themed party for 4-20. Grab your closest girl friends, your best bongs, and some of your favorite chick flicks. Serve hot chocolate and hash-brownies and let the hemp braiding begin.

How High (can your dress go?)
After a long day of smoking, nothing feels better than taking off your smelly clothes and putting on your hottest dress. Every guest gets automatically entered into the How High Can Your Dress Go competition and the winner gets a picture of Lindsey Lohan/Brittney Spears’s crotch (celebrity up to your discretion). Serve the 420 version of Jungle Juice…Joint Juice.

Well now you have some great ideas on how to make this 4/20 memorable. Ok, maybe not, but at least it’s better than sitting around all day looking at your hand and counting your fingers.

Any other great ideas!. List ‘em below!

So, how do you feed the in-class hunger? You’re in college, so no one is going to reprimand you for eating, but that doesn’t mean you should go buckwild and order pizza to the lecture hall, Spicoli-style.

Here are the best and worst snacks for those mid-class munchies.

THE BEST

Cereal Bars, protein bars, PowerBars, you know, the edible bars that don’t serve alcohol: These are lightweight, filling and easy for on-the-go. If you have a long day of classes, throw a couple of these suckers in your bag and you should be set for the day. If you’re heading to the dead silent section of your library, stay away from the extra-crunchy bars, as you might receive dirty looks from people trying to study.

Nuts!: Almonds, peanuts, cashews, whatever your nut of choice is, throw a handful in a baggie and bring ‘em! They’re great protein and fill you up, fast.

Bananas: If this snack isn’t annihilated courtesy of your twenty pound Calculus book, bananas are one of the best mid-class snacks. Sure, you might look a little ridiculous eating it, but bananas are quiet and not stinky, two very irritating factors of the “in class snack.”

THE WORST

Apples: Okay, so this fruit might look super academic, but it is absolutely the most irritating snack in class. Yes, apples have lots of awesome vitamins and fruit is great and blah blah blah, but please, consider the people sitting in front of you. I had a pre-law class last year and every day of the entire semester, some chick who sat behind me, consumed a Red Delicious apple. I have Vietnam-esque flashbacks whenever I hear the crunch of an apple.

Cheetos: So much wrongness. There is absolutely nothing beneficial about cheetos, especially when they’re paired with Britney Spears or a 8:00 Business Calculus class.

Salads: Why do people think this is an acceptable class food? Yes, salads are great and awesome for in your apartment and the dining hall, but in the middle of a class? They’re loud and ninety percent of salad dressings reek like gym socks to anyone who’s not eating. Save the caeser salad for after the lecture on the extinction of polar bears.

What have your worst in-class food experiences been? Any suggestions for non-irritating munchies?