If anyone knows me, you know that I enjoy eating healthy and staying active. I try to get lots of fruits and veggies into my diet even at school, so I thought I would share some easy college-friendly recipes/ingredients that I keep on hand and that are delicious, healthy, and affordable!
Acai Smoothie Bowl:
-One packet of acai (I get mine at Target)
-Half a frozen banana (I cut ripe bananas and package them into little plastic bags to freeze so its easy to pull out when needed)
-A handful of frozen mixed fruit (I get a large bag which lasts me a long time)
-Milk of choice (I use lactose free)
-Tablespoon or so of natural peanut butter / any natural nut butter
-A pinch of chia seeds to keep you full!
I blend mine in a Nutribullet, and add granola and eat it out of the blender so there’s no extra dishes to do! Super easy, healthy, and so yummy. Of course you can switch up the ingredients to your liking or add things, but this recipe is a great way to get tons of fruit, vitamins and protein into your diet!
Quick Veggie Burger and Pasta!
Another quick and easy meal I like for dinner is just pasta or mac and cheese with a veggie burger! I buy the Morning Star veggie burgers from Target, they come in lots of varieties and are so yummy. I will usually make one portion of Annie’s organic mac and cheese for whole wheat pasta with a veggie burger for a quick and easy dinner. The veggie burger has lots of protein in it with a serving of veggies, and the mac and cheese or pasta gives you some healthy-ish carbs and is comforting. You could upgrade the pasta or mac and cheese to a chickpea version too! It’s also a great way to weave in a meatless option, since the chickpea veggie burgers are meant to taste like chicken! For more options, you could cut up the veggie burger and top a salad with it, or make it into a sandwich with pita bread. There are endless possibilities with the Morning Star products, they even come in the form of nuggets for a nostalgic but healthy meal.
Avocado Toast!
Every time I stock up on groceries, I always make sure to pick up some bagels and avocados! I bought a cheap toaster at the beginning of the semester to make my own bagels and toast to make avocado toast with. Avocados are filled with healthy fats, and bagels are good for before or after a workout to get carbs in.
Here’s what you will need:
-One everything bagel toasted
-One ripe avocado
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Other spices like garlic powder or everything but the bagel seasoning!
-If I need a little extra protein, I will fry up two eggs and add one to each bagel half.
Perfect for a quick meal while studying, or a snack to keep you full!
Another tip: Whenever I am at the grocery store, I try not to buy things that aren’t that healthy so that I won’t be tempted to eat those things back at school. Some snacks I regularly buy are the regular cheddar goldfish, flavored almonds, pretzels, fruit, and KIND bars. These are all quick snacks that aren’t too bad for you that will keep you satisfied for any sort of craving you may have mid-day or as a late night snack. I also recommend buying the resealable options, which helps the item stay fresh. I bought clear containers from Target before school to put my snacks in so they won’t go bad if the resealable option was not available. This has really helped me save money and to not waste food.
Lastly, I try not to buy or drink sugary drinks. I typically drink water throughout the day, along with a cold brew from Dunkin with oat milk and caramel swirl. I would rather eat my calories than drink them, however, I do purchase Celsius caffeine drinks from Amazon every once in a while when I get low, and will use that as a pre-workout. Celsius helps you burn more calories during your workout which increases your metabolism and makes you feel energized throughout the day. These drinks are natural and have 10 calories in them, and are made from only a few ingredients. They sell singular cans at grocery stores, in both carbonated and non-carbonated forms. I recommend testing out a few flavors to see what you like, then ordering a 12 pack on Amazon. They will change your life, I guarantee you.