Whether you’re a college student, full-time worker or parent of three, we all seem to be sprinting from one thing to the next every hour of the day. It’s easy when we are busy to stop at the McDonald’s on the way home or skip meals because we don’t have time to go get food between activities. As a full-time college student who has a part time job and an internship, I found myself going straight from work to a full day of school every day this semester. It’s easy to get fast food on my way home from work or to stop at a place on campus for food, but these options don’t fuel my need for healthy foods. Here are a few time saving ways to stay on the healthy route:
1. Plan your meals the night before: Instead of spending countless minutes in front of the fridge deciding what to have for lunch, plan your meals the night before to save those precious minutes. If you plan your meals the night before you’ll know what you have on your plate for the next day, getting rid of the unhealthy fast food stops and holding you accountable for the healthier options.
2. Meal prep: Since I’m constantly going from one thing to the next, I like having meals that I can just grab and go. I plan my meals for the next day the night before, so if I know I’m not going to have time to make food when I come home from work, I just make my meals the night before so they are ready for me to eat. If you find that meal prepping the night before isn’t working, you can also pick a day of the week to make chicken, veggies and whatever else you like for the rest of the week. One thing I love to make for when I workout in the morning or have the 5 a.m. shift at the gym is overnight oats. I simply make oatmeal the night before, put it in a mason jar with the toppings I want for that day and stick it in the fridge overnight. The next morning I can sleep a little later knowing I just have to grab my breakfast and head out the door.
3. Bake a dessert for the week: Being a girl with a major sweet tooth, I have to get my dessert fix every night. Get rid of the McFlurry runs and Orange Leaf binges and bake a tasty dessert that’ll last. There are many recipes I have found for healthy treats from muffins to banana bread to cookies. On a Sunday, I whip up a batch of whatever I’m feeling for that week and I have a dessert ready for every night. To make sure your delectable dessert lasts the whole week, stick them in the freezer and just microwave whenever you’re ready to eat! Having these desserts ready every night keeps you on track and away from the pints of ice cream.
4. Pack a snack: Another way to save you from trips to the vending machine is packing a snack to munch on during those gruesome and boring classes. Some of my favorite snacks are Greek yogurt, Questbars and Fiber One bars. They’re easy to grab and will help keep the growling noises down between meals, because, let’s be honest, it gets a little embarrassing when your stomach decides to talk during class. One of my favorite obsessions right now is a little concoction that easy to bring to class with you and has been known to leave your classmates drooling. I mix vanilla Greek yogurt with honey, strawberries or bananas and a Fiber One or protein bar. Simple and delish!