If you’re a college student, you’re probably busy. From friends and clubs to the typical heavy workload of college, it can be easy to neglect your health and eating habits.
I’ve witnessed myself and many of my friends struggle to maintain healthy diets in college. Coming from a healthy household where my mom bought organic foods or fed my brother and I low-sugar cereal, I quickly learned the importance of eating healthy.
However, I struggled to find healthy meals in college, as most of the quick and easy meal places at Temple did not offer the healthiest options. It’s still achievable to make healthy meals for yourself that take little time and effort.
Here are five of my favorite healthy meal options that are simple and easy to make.
Breakfast
- Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are a great option for those who have limited time in the morning. Simply mix your overnight oats with milk and refrigerate them overnight. You can pair them with a variety of toppings such as cinnamon, honey, or fruits.
- Parfait
Parfaits are a convenient and easy way to get your nutrients in. Simply pick any flavor of yogurt you want and add toppings! There is an endless selection of different kinds of parfaits you can make, so you will never grow tired of eating them. Some of my favorite parfait recipes are a breakfast parfait for one and this strawberry banana granola parfait.
- Peanut butter and banana toast
This is one of my favorite breakfast meals to eat. I have been eating peanut butter and banana toast since I was a kid, and it never fails to disappoint. To make this, toast some bread, spread on some peanut butter, slice up a banana, and put the sliced banana on the peanut butter toast. This is also a great meal for an upset stomach.
- Smoothie Bowl
Everyone loves a simple smoothie. Spice up your smoothie by creating a smoothie bowl. First, blend your smoothie ingredients together and then add your toppings. Common toppings are fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, or granola.
- Whole Wheat Pancakes
Whole wheat pancakes are a healthy alternative for pancake lovers. Although they take a little longer than the other breakfast options above, I believe that they are worth making. To create the batter, stir whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Then, cook over a hot skillet until browned. You can add fruit in the pancakes or top with syrup, sugar, or whipped cream.
Lunch and Dinner
- Avocado Wraps
For my avocado lovers, avocado wraps are one of my favorite delicious and quick meals. First, mash an avocado and spread it onto any tortilla roll of your choice. While you can add just about any salad topping, I prefer adding tomatoes, lime juice, lettuce, and occasionally chicken.
- Taco salad
Who doesn’t love a good taco? While taco bowls are simple to make, they provide you with your daily meats and vegetables. First, cook your ground taco meat (I prefer ground turkey) and add your favorite taco toppings, such as lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, and a little bit of salt and pepper. You can either crush up Doritos or taco shells and sprinkle them into the bowl.
- Salmon Rice Bowl
Like many other college students, I discovered the famous salmon rice bowl recipe on TikTok and fell in love with it. You’ll need salmon, rice, soy sauce, mayo, seaweed, sriracha, avocado, and kimchi. Cook your salmon and then mash it up. Add rice to the salmon, along with the soy sauce, sriracha, and mayo. Slice an avocado and place it on top of the dish. Finally, add kimchi and seaweed to complete the meal.
- Kimchi and Rice
As a person of Korean descent, my Grandmom introduced me to kimchi at a fairly young age. You can buy kimchi at your local grocery store or H Mart, and simply pair it with rice. Kimchi is great for the immune system and contains various vitamins and nutrients.
- Sweet Potato Fries
Although this is a rather light meal, sweet potato fries are a healthy alternative to regular fries. Cut a sweet potato into the shape of a fry, and place them on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for twenty to thirty minutes. You can use your sweet potato fries to complement any meal.
As shown by these ten meals, eating healthy in college can be convenient, easy and achievable. Don’t be intimidated by cooking healthy meals; Anyone can do it!