Ladies and Gentlemen, dig out your fanny packs; it’s Mardi Gras time! While the Carnival season has technically been in full swing for a few weeks already, the six-day marathon of parading up and down St. Charles in adorably wacky costumes officially starts today. As any Mardi Gras veteran knows, the next six days are a test of endurance, not a sprint to Fat Tuesday. Fueling your body properly may be the difference between bonking at Bacchus on Sunday and snagging a coconut at Zulu come Tuesday morning.
Pack a few of the following healthy, handy, fanny-pack ready snacks on your way out each day to ensure a healthier, happier Mardi Gras season!
Apples: a small apple packs a decent Vitamin C punch to ward off sleep-deprivation-induced sniffles; the skin delivers fiber that will help balance the diuretic effects of alcohol.
Trail mix: add almonds, walnuts, peanuts, cashews and sunflower seeds to ensure a good mix of protein and fat. Throw in some dried fruit for a (healthier than candy) energy-boosting sugar rush.
Whole wheat cracker-hummus-sandwiches: grab a few handfuls of whole wheat crackers and spread a thin layer of hummus between two of them. The protein in the hummus will help stave the hunger pains that inevitably hit your stomach an hour or so after downing fried foods.
Dark chocolate-covered nuts: the chocolate provides quick carbohydrates while the nuts have a high protein/fat concentration that will help keep you full from campus to the French Quarter.
Water: don’t forget about the most important item of the season: good ol’ H2O! Alternate alcoholic beverages with a bottle of water (extra points if you bring your own reusable bottle!) to keep you hydrated.
Grab your tutus, your fanny packs and your friends and I hope to see y’all out on the parade route in your wildest Mardi Gras gear!