Prepping for Spring Break: What I Eat in a Day

Each year when I prep for spring break, I always seem to become increasingly more constructive of myself. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that it doesn’t always have to be this way. We should make conscious decisions about the food we eat and our overall health, but a little cheat day here and there won’t hurt. As I dive into what I actually eat in a day, know that it’s extremely realistic. I don’t count my carbs or macros. I don’t restrict myself excessively. I especially let myself eat good foods that I enjoy and know will benefit my body (for the most part). 

Breakfast

I’ve always found eating breakfast to be a struggle because at that point in the day I’m usually trying to run out the door to head to my first class or to go to work. I don’t always have time to make elaborate meals, and I assume most of you don’t either. I found two meals that I usually rotate between on the daily. I absolutely love them and never get tired of them. The first one is avocado toast. I start by toasting some whole grain bread and cutting up an avocado. Most of the time I just use bread but if I’m feeling a little fancy, I’ll use an everything bagel! My go-to toppings are cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese and balsamic glaze (*chef’s kiss*). A true masterpiece! Sometimes I’ll switch up the tomatoes and cheese for strawberries with balsamic glaze on top. Don’t knock it till you try it! 

The other meal that I’m obsessed with is so simple, it’s crazy. Vanilla Greek yogurt. Granola. Fruit. That’s it. It never gets boring! A little trick that I’ve used to save money is to skip the expensive bagged granola and head to the cereal aisle! It’s so much easier to find a cheaper version this way. For the fruits, I usually stick with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Occasionally I’ll throw some pineapple or blackberries in there if I have it. 

Lunch

This is the meal that always changes for me. It depends on my mood when I’m grocery shopping, what I’m hungry for in the moment and mainly how much time I feel like spending on cooking a meal. Usually I go with something quick and easy but if I have the extra time, I’ll get a little fancy with it. Lately I’ve been loving shrimp and chicken. The perfect lunch for me recently has been brown instant rice, sautéed shrimp or chicken and some kind of veggie. The rice takes literally 5 minutes to make and throwing shrimp or chicken in a hot pan with some seasoning is less complicated than you think. For the veggies I’ll either go with green beans, broccoli, or asparagus. I love this meal because it’s quick and healthy! 

On the days that I don’t feel like doing much, I’ll make some pasta with sauce. Lately I’ve been loving the spinach tortellini from Trader Joe’s. It’s so quick and so yummy! For healthier options I go with veggie pasta or whole wheat pasta. 

Dinner

Most of the time for dinner, I’ll make something similar to lunch. Usually if I make pasta for lunch, I’ll eat shrimp or chicken for dinner and vice versa. I don’t really go too heavy on these meals especially if I’ve had a bigger lunch, but because it isn’t a large meal doesn’t mean I don’t like to treat myself! My dinners usually consist of shrimp or chicken again with some kind of veggie. Sometimes instead of veggies I’ll make sweet potato fries. These are my guilty pleasure! 

Again, I know spending time cooking isn’t always fun or realistic. If this is the case, some nights I’ll make some premade meals from Trader Joe’s. They have some BOMB fried rice, fancy frozen pizzas and fun Spanish dishes. 

If I have any sweet cravings after dinner, I’ll usually treat myself to ice cream! It’s the best dessert in my opinion. Anything cookies and cream flavor is exactly what I need.

These meals are easy and affordable for college students and fairly healthy. If I’m in doubt of what I should eat, these are my go-to meals! If you’re someone that eats out or resorts to microwave meals, I challenge you to try cooking something! You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment for making your own meals and become satisfied at the same time. Cutting out fatty foods and eating leaner items like shrimp, chicken, veggies and avocados will help get that spring break bod in action! Happy feasting! 

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• food
• FSU
• healthy living
• spring break