Many of today’s university students travel from across the country or even the world to attend school. As a result, a huge amount of students live in residence during their school years, and don’t have the comfort of Mom’s home cooking. While meals halls often offer a variety of different foods, sometimes it can be hard to find healthy options without eating the same thing every day.
When I first came to university, I quickly became sick of constantly eating chicken Caesar wraps and fruit cups. I decided that I would find some healthy alternatives that I could make in my dorm room. All it took was a quick trip to the grocery store!
So here you are Collegiettes, three healthy recipes that are easy to make in your dorm room!
Breakfast: Peanut Butter and Banana Oatmeal with Hazelnuts and Flax
What you’ll need:
- 1/2 cup whole grain oats
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tbsp. flaxseed (ground)
- 1 medium banana
- 1 large Tbsp. natural peanut butter
- 1 tsp. hazelnuts
This recipe is great for a day that requires lots of energy! It gets your energy levels up and provides plenty of things your body needs for a good workout or active day!
This recipe gets your day off to a good start – oats are packed with fibre that will keep you satisfied all morning. It also contains Vitamin B, which helps convert all of the carbs you eat into energy.
Like oats, flaxseed contains a good amount of fiber and also helps with your blood sugar levels. The peanut butter and hazelnuts are used for protein (and deliciousness, of course).
Finally, bananas are great pre-workout fruits thanks to their high levels of potassium. In order to feel the full benefits of your workout your body needs to be functioning properly, and potassium helps with muscle function and repair.
For full recipe and pictures click here!
Snack: Vanilla Grape Pops
What you’ll need:
- 4 red grapes
- 1 lollipop stick
- 2 Tbsp. sugar-free fat-free vanilla pudding
- 6 raisins
This yummy snack tastes incredible and keeps you satisfied! One of my biggest problems has always been snacking, so finding snacks that I like and that are nutritious is always great!
Grapes are a great healthy snack. One cup of grapes equals out to about 100 calories, and gives you more than a quarter of your daily recommendation for Vitamins K and C.
Even better – they’re full of antioxidants! Antioxidants are good for having a healthy heart and can help to fight off infections and some forms of cancer.
If you aren’t a vanilla fan, you can switch up what kind of pudding you use, but aim for a fat-free one. I’m not a huge raisin fan so I usually leave them out – but it’s totally up to you!
For full recipe and pictures click here!
Lunch and/or Dinner: Weekend Deli Delight
What you’ll need:
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 Tbsp. mustard
- 1 Tbsp. fat-free Feta cheese
- 1 Tbsp. fat-free cottage cheese
- 1 Tbsp. fat-free cream cheese
- 1 oz. medium cut roast beef
- 4 cucumber slices
- 2 slices whole-grain Village Hearth 40-Cal bread
Roast beef sandwiches have always been my favourite, but after a while they can tend to get a bit boring. This recipe takes them to a whole new level!
In order to keep this a healthier version, really try to stick to the fat-free cheeses. I’ve always hated mustard so I tend to keep that out.
The spinach and cucumbers are both great healthy choices that will help keep you full (noticing a theme here?). They both have plenty of health benefits, too.
Spinach is known for nourishing your eyes and building bones but there two other benefits that people tend to not know about. Spinach also helps with digestion and is great for your skin! Cucumbers are about 95 per cent water, so they’re great for keeping you hydrated and will help with weight loss. They’re also a great source of Vitamin B, which again keep your energy high.
For full recipe and pictures click here!
Hopefully these recipes help all of you Collegiettes out there who have grown sick of meal hall options. Stay tuned for more healthy university tips!