Welcome Back to School!

Got some downtime, figured I would welcome you all back to school, those of you who are still in school.

For most of you out there getting lunch can be a struggle. I implore all of you to be the one in charge of making the lunch happen. By this I mean don't let someone else throw together your meal and don't let the easy and tempting food destroy your meal. I got a couple of scenarios:

Scenario 1:
Running around from class to class is very time consuming and can completely block out a proper time to sit down and eat a meal.

This scenario can easily by combating by always having a large bag of trail mix or granola bars, or nuts in your backpack. Always having a liquid on hand (water, gatorade, juice) helps too. Another thought is to eat meals beforehand that are a little larger and can hold you over a little nicer. Whatever you do, try not to skip meals. Make sure to eat something. Sometimes this takes planning ahead.

Scenario 2:
My friends want to eat out somewhere and I have no clue what's good for me to eat at a reasonable price.

This one is tough. Sometimes the restaurant of everyone else's choice is not exactly the healthiest option. If you can't throw in your own suggestions for a better choice, there shouldn't be too much of a problem going to get your own sub sandwich or noodle bowl to go from another shop and eating it with your buddies wherever that may be. Food courts are great for this reason. Now, if you are stuck at a restaurant, no outside food allowed in, understand that every now and then it is OK to "splurge" and get something that is more or less "bad" for you. There is usually some other options on every menu that are of the healthier options, but it can take a lot of willpower to not choose the cheaper fattier option. Some common menu items that are usually cheaper than the rest: simple sandwiches (turkey, ham, tuna), salads (side, garden, fruit), chicken (tacos, grilled), and pasta (red sauces, pesto, loaded with veggies).

Scenario 3:
I'm making my lunch to go for tomorrow, and I have no idea what to put in it.

This one can be real easy. Just think about it! First of all, think about where you'll be eating it and how much time you'll have to do so. From there you know how much to pack and how extravagant the food can be (microwave, oven, drinks available). Now, build your lunch around the entree item. Is it a sandwich? microwaveable soup? Leftovers? Go from there and think of something that is tasty for the side. Speaking of sides, always aim for one fruit and one vegetable to add in there. The cool part about this is you can sneak into the lunch and grab the apple when you are getting hungry before meal time. Ideas for this part include: baby carrots, sliced bell pepper, orange, apple, banana, grapes, celery sticks with peanut butter, edamame, sugar snap peas. Finally, choose a drink that can only add something beneficial to your meal. If you can't think of anything, choose the water option. I like to drink gatorade, juice, and sometimes a smoothie. Soda can dehydrate, but I understand the caffeine purposes. Maybe try tea if you really need the caffeine.

So there you have it. I hope these tips have given you some insight so that you all can start of the semester on a good note. Got any questions or want some further knowledge? Don't hesitate to email me or comment on this post!