Hey guys, early 20s college student here. I'm looking for ways to balance my diet while living in college, and finding it abnormally hard. One of the biggest reasons is because I often don't have time, due to school work, and it is hard to eat healthy while eating out at the local restaurants unless I get a salad, and as a guy, I can't order salads every time I eat out. Also, healthier foods tend to lean on the more expensive side. When I get food carts, most of the time, the food served there have more meat/carbs than veggie/fruit items.
Needless to say, getting 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday is almost impossible for me.
I do cook once in a while, and this is usually when I find myself being able to balance my diet with a good amount of veggies and fruits, but this only happens when I have time, which is rare.
Do you guys have some tips/suggestions on how I can eat healthier given my college time schedule and the accessibility of healthy foods? Should I just bring a small bag of carrots or something whenever I go to class, or are there better methods? Thanks!
YES YES and YES!!!! there are always ways around the college lifestyle been there and done that... I assume you get up in the morning and have time to eat so my suggestion for that is to always have something hearty like eggs and a whole grain bagel, oatmeal and fruit or a really healthy cereal in the morn like fibre one (they dont taste all that bad theres ones with raisins and fruits in them and not high in sugar, i found one the other day thats called Fibre plus and it tastes like little poptarts in your mouth but completely healthy) have orange juice in the morn to get your vitamin A and C.
While in class during the day snack on nuts and trail mixes and carrots and celery sticks!!! great fillers, you get your nutrients and vitamins.
Lunches if your eating out stick to salads or healthy choices on menus.. subs and wraps but makes sure your getting them made right... veggie subs and wraps light dressings or none at all.. spring for lean turkey or chicken etc... and lots and lots of veggies: lettuce, tomatos, peppers, cucumbers, etc...
if you get hungry during lunch and dinner do smart popcorn or more veggies and fruits like bananas or strawberries... bring a nice veggie drink like V8 and such ...
Dinner im gonna presume your back home and can cook right for yourself... make sure you get your meat for your protein and iron then cook some veggies like broccoli and cauliflower or carrots and potatoes....
If your worried bout budget there are things you can do to work around it... buy the frozen bagged veggies (can get them cheap and great in nutrition value still) I buy frozen bagged california style mixed veggies gives me carrots and broccoli and cauliflower and a few other things i cook those up for dinner there ya go simple and easy or you can check out sales and stock up on foods...
let me know how you make out Good Luck hope that helps a little.
Hey these are great ideas, but what if I'm trying to stick to a budget while eating out? I will try to buy more frozen vegetables from now on though, since they are so easy to store. Thanks!
I would cook more, and this would eliminate the budget/healthy food problem, but I don't have the time to always do that =\
I do get a very healthy sub when I go to subway though, which happens to be cheap too.
well when you have the time be sure to do that... make the time... I know school can be dauting and take all day been there.... but when you have days off make the time to cook for yourself... or on days off batch cook i love to do this batch cook some healthy stews or soups or chilli and freeze it this way if you dont feel like cooking or if you know of a microwave at school somewhere bring it with you or just pop it in after a long day (saves time and energy on long days)
I totally know where you're coming from.. And it's a tough place to be in! Frozen chicken breasts have been a lifesaver for me. They're pretty cheap in bulk and only take 10 minutes to grill them up. Microwave some frozen veggies with it and there's my dinner 5:7 nights a week ;-) canned tuna, hard-boiled eggs, and protein powder are some of my other staples. If you're willing to look through the ads there is always a grocery store with an awesome deal on produce. Whatever is on sale is usually the fruit of the week for my DH and I.
Cheap eating out is hard, because you're right- most of the healthy options are the more expensive ones. I work at a restaurant though and I'll tell you that for the most part, they'll cater to your needs. Fried things can be grilled- sauce can come on the side- you can switch out your potato for veggies... Your server is there to make you happy and the manager wants you back- so don't be afraid to essentially build your own meal ;-)
Take a few hours on a weekend, make 5 different dishes, stick them in your freezer. You save money because you're cooking for yourself, and it's also healthy, but when you're crunched for time, you can just pull a meal out of the freezer and go.
A pot of chili is cheap, can be made with healthy ingredients, and makes a lot of servings.
Many soups can be done the same way - cooked, put into containers, frozen, and reheated when you are rushed.
I totally know where you're coming from.. And it's a tough place to be in! Frozen chicken breasts have been a lifesaver for me. They're pretty cheap in bulk and only take 10 minutes to grill them up. Microwave some frozen veggies with it and there's my dinner 5:7 nights a week ;-) canned tuna, hard-boiled eggs, and protein powder are some of my other staples. If you're willing to look through the ads there is always a grocery store with an awesome deal on produce. Whatever is on sale is usually the fruit of the week for my DH and I.
Cheap eating out is hard, because you're right- most of the healthy options are the more expensive ones. I work at a restaurant though and I'll tell you that for the most part, they'll cater to your needs. Fried things can be grilled- sauce can come on the side- you can switch out your potato for veggies... Your server is there to make you happy and the manager wants you back- so don't be afraid to essentially build your own meal ;-)
Thats exactely what I do actually lol frozen chicken breasts often i can get a huge bag for like $7 and it has like 15 pieces (large pieces) and I used them as i need them saves so much money and same with the frozen veggies....
I batch cook as well. Every couple of weeks I buy a huge container of fresh chicken (I buy b/s thighs for about half the price of breasts) and season and bake the whole lot at once in about an hour including prep. I freeze most and keep some in the fridge. I also have a big Tupperware of cooked brown rice in the fridge. Mealtime is a chicken thigh and scoop of rice nuked in the microwave for 2 mins plus whatever veg I've got on hand. Can't beat a full healthy meal in 2 minutes. It would actually take longer to go to McD's
You should stock up on steam vegetables. You can just stick the bag in the microwave. That way, you never have to cook them.
Also, buy things so you can make sandwiches at home. I buy deli meat, low fat cheese, wheat bread, etc. Plus all the great things I'd put on my sandwich if I were eating out and just make it at home. Takes a fraction of the time it takes to cook.
Find healthier places to eat or if you go to a resturant and order a bowl of pasta, or whatever your meal is break it in half only (ask for a take out container with your meal) eat the one half for dinner save the rest as left over's for the next day. You don't have to get a salad every time (even as a girl I couldn't do that, then again if I'm eating out I'm not going to waste money on a salad when I can make it at home faster and for cheaper.)That way you don't have to worry about it. Also cut out pop ask for lemon/lime water (or the juice to put in the water to sweeten it a bit.) That's my tip for resturant eating. Everyone else has awesome idea's for cheaper food.
For eating out - order grilled meat (chicken, fish, lean steak are all great options as long as you eat a "normal" portion - cooking and weighing at home will help you be able to eyeball this). Get grilled veggies on the side, they will give you more veg in place of starch sides if you ask. Still healthy and less "girly" than a salad.
Need help balancing my diet
Good Luck hope that helps a little.
