College is a stressful time for all students. You spend most of your day in class, and when you’re not in class you’re probably at the library trying to miraculously finish up those lengthy assignments. On top of that, you try to be well-balanced by participating in activities around UF and spending time with your friends. With that kind of hectic schedule, you barely have enough time to breathe, let alone make a healthy and balanced meal.
I hear a lot of people complain about how they want to change their diets and start eating healthier, but with their busy schedules, it’s just easier to hit a McDonald’s drive-thru than spend hours in the kitchen preparing a meal. Not only does preparing a healthy meal take time, but it also costs more money. These days, many college students are on a budget and are not able to afford luxuries like being able to eat extravagant meals every day. Being a UF student is not always easy, and sometimes there are not enough hours in the day to prepare a good meal.
That’s why I love making Greek salads when I’m feeling overwhelmed with schoolwork and wanting something refreshing to eat. Greek salad is great because it’s super easy to make and it’s full with tons of vegetables so you will feel amazing after eating it, and it is also very filling.
My mom taught me how to make a traditional Greek salad, and unlike what most people believe, a real Greek salad does not have any lettuce or dressing. The ingredients you need to make a traditional Greek salad include:
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Tomatoes
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Green bell peppers
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Cucumbers
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Olives
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Onion
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Oregano
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Olive Oil
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Feta
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Salt
All you need to do is cut the vegetables into small pieces and put them in a bowl. Then pour the olive oil over the veggies, sprinkle some oregano and salt, and finally, put some feta cheese on top of the salad and mix together. If you happen to have extra salad left over, just put it in the fridge and you can enjoy it the next day as well.
It’s so important to take time in college to think about what is best for you and your health. I definitely recommend making a Greek salad the next time you feel like having a nutritious, easy-to-make meal!
photo credit: justalittlebitofbacon.com