I have been going to school for a long time. I am in the 18th grade, aka a senior in college. Throughout my time, I have had my fair share of gross, unhealthy, and downright questionable meals from the school cafeteria. On top of that, as a broke college student, buying lunch and dinner every night was not in my budget.
Here, I break down my top 3 favorite protein packed meals that actually taste good and are nutrient rich.
Everyone knows about the generic protein pancake mixes. You can buy a pancake mix box, fry it on the pan, and enjoy. But, I know a better way that is more cost efficient, more nutrient dense, and fewer calories!!!
Ice Cream Vanilla Protein Pancake Topped With Honey
26g Protein ~ 200 Calories
fiber PAcked OVERNIGHT OATS
8G PROTEIN ~ 200 CALORIES
You can never go wrong with overnight oats. They fill you up, hold you down, and keep you light. The more milk you add, the more protein packed your oats will be. And you can never eat too many oats! Enjoy this meal guilt-free, budget-friendly, and eco-friendly.
Air Fried Salmon
25G PROTEIN ~ 250 CALORIES
Cooking is a passion of mine. For freshmen without an oven, an air fryer is a life savor. It is worth the $60 investment to eat healthy foods and the combination of meals you can prepare are endless! This quick and easy meal practically cooks itself!
All this food looks delicious but how do I pack it into my backpack?
- Put your tasty and nutritious food into a lunch box, old target grocery bag, or any other bag you have laying around. Now, you have a lunch box!
What about it going bad in the heat, making me smell like fish, or spilling in my bag?
- If you have the option to bring a cold, ice pack in your lunch box, DO IT!
Likely, nobody will care if your lunch bag smells like food, but it never hurts to keep an extra perfume tester bottle on you. Andddd, if somebody asks, offer them a piece. They are probably hungry.
Whether you live on-campus or off-campus, you can ditch your dinning hall and eat like a pro!
BONUS!
No need to get hangry at 3:00pm. Have a snickers! I mean SNACK
Snacks to eat in between classes
- Mixed Nuts with Hummus
-
7G PROTEIN ~ 150 CALORIES
- Banana with Peanut Butter
-
7G PROTEIN ~ 180 CALORIES
