We all know the feeling—it’s been a long night of bar- and party-hopping, your toes are more than a little battered from your gravity-defying heels, and whatever preparatory dinner you ingested seven hours before is long gone. Your stomach isn’t digging the marathon of alcohol and sugar you’ve been downing all night, and, well, you’re kinda starving.
Between the sloshing in your stomach and the numbness of your cheeks, nothing in the world has ever seemed like a better idea than that super-sized Koronet’s slice. It’s just more and more delicious every time I indulge, but by the time I’m walking home my food baby should be named Shamoo and I feel totally gross. All right strong, beautiful Barnard women: it’s time for a change. Our Saturday nights do not need to end with a stomachache followed by a lethargic emergency trip to the gym the next morning. Try these four healthier alternatives to the classic Koronet’s slice to indulge your tipsy cravings just enough without drowning your poor stomach in grease by the gallon weekend after weekend.
1. Grilled Cheese
Whether you’re at Tom’s fighting the urge to order a platter of mozzarella sticks or in your kitchen late at night staring into the jungle of your fridge, a light grilled cheese can be a great alternative to the cheesiness craving you would usually satisfy with a massive slice of pizza. At Tom’s, share with a friend to avoid late-night overload and inherently control your portion size, and if you’re at home, use your favorite whole grain bread and reduced fat sliced cheese with Pam for crispiness instead of butter or oil.
2. Mini Ice Cream Cup
Now this is only recommended if it’s late enough that Pinkberry is closed. Opt for Pinkberry if you can as its ingredients are healthier—a small original with strawberries, blueberries, and chocolate shavings? So. Good. In the event that your craving is after closing time, opt for the mini cups of Haagen-Dazs or Skinny Cow ice cream that any of our grocery stores sell. Even if the flavors of the baby portions aren’t as appealing, try to stay away from the minefield of buying by the pint. I promise you, no matter how many mouthfuls you silently limit yourself to, your spoon will be drawn back to the carton. Over. And over. Mini cups are a girl’s portion control best friend.
3. Pretzels and Nutella
This savory treat is the perfect combination of salty and sweet—that’s right: this delicious effect can be created far away from French Fries washed down with a Tom’s 22oz. milkshake. Just grab a handful of your favorite pretzel rods and dip them into a jar of Nutella. They’ll look just like chocolate covered pretzels, just with the added benefits of the hazelnut spread that melted-down Hershey’s doesn’t offer. Stick to just a handful and then put the tempting containers away.
4. Westside Salad
One of the amazing things about New York City is that almost everything is open really late. This includes Westside market and Morton Williams. Both have amazing, incredibly fresh prepared foods that can even be healthy! Instead of food you just know you’re going to regret (and who needs one more regret after an eventful evening), why don’t you eat something that will actually be good AND make you feel better? In fact, cherry tomatos, a key feature in salads, are full of electrolytes (the stuff in Gatorade that makes you feel better) and can help ward off that pounding headache.
Alright collegiettes™, now there’s no excuse since I’ve just made this really easy for you. I don’t want to see any of you make a walk of shame into Koronet’s next weekend. That being said…those slices are just oh so good…