Eating healthy and going to college seems like an oxymoron. Going to college makes it far too easy to have access to unhealthy foods that take much less time to prepare and taste like heaven on earth. However, it doesn’t have to be that way! Cooking amazing, low-carb meals at home can be fast and easy. Let’s be honest, no one has time to be standing over a hot stove for hours when The Bachelor is about to come on. So, what’s a good resolution? Here is a list of 5 quick and easy low-carb meals that are guaranteed to make you feel a lot better than those dining hall meals that you’ve been consuming for far too long.
Breakfast: Egg White Veggie Muffins
Sometimes getting up early in the morning to cook an elaborate meal is not ideal when you have class and work to get to. What if there was a way to avoid that dilemma and have delicious food ready right when you when you wake up? Sounds like a dream come true, right? Well, pre-cooked egg white muffins are the perfect way to have amazing food when you’re simply just too lazy to cook food in the morning. They are simple and easy to make, and you can make enough for a week (or 2 if you freeze them) and just heat them up in the microwave in the morning! (Pro-tip: Add lots of cheese on top!)
Find the recipe here.
Lunch: Lettuce Wrap Sandwiches If you only have a few minutes between classes or a short lunch break for work, this is a perfect meal for you! This recipe is easy to make, and you can use a variety of different types of meats, cheeses, and vegetables! It is all of the best parts of a sandwich without worrying about counting your carbs! This is a food that you don’t have to follow a recipe for and it is a chance for you to get creative!
Although you don’t have to follow a recipe, here is an example of a perfect lettuce wrap sandwhich!
Snack: Roasted Cauliflower 1 whole cup of cauliflower for only 5 carbs?! Who would’ve thunk! That’s ⅓ the amount of carbs of a serving of potato chips, ⅕ the amount of carbs of a serving of pretzels, and ½ the amount of carbs of a serving of ritz crackers. What could be better than a healthy but delicious low carb snack? Nothing! That’s what. This is a snack that is incredibly easy to make and you’ll want to be munching on it every day of the week!
Here is an easy recipe to follow for low-carb cauliflower to snack on.
Dinner: Spaghetti Squash
Ok, pasta is amazing. That is a fact that cannot be denied. BUT, you know what is also amazing, has the same fillingness of pasta, AND is a healthy alternative? You guessed it: spaghetti squash! You can make it in less than an hour and have enough left-over to eat for a couple of days! Just like with pasta, you can use a multitude of sauces, cheeses, meats, and vegetables to pair it with. One delicious ways to enjoy it is to cook the spaghetti squash, add 2 tablespoons of pesto sauce, throw in some grilled chicken (pre-cooked or freshly made) and topped with shredded parmesan cheese! You can prepare it as though you’re eating spaghetti and meatballs, or even add some shrimp and make a homemade healthy shrimp scampi!
Find out how to cook the spaghetti squash here!
Dessert: Low-Card Ice-Cream The night is winding down (or just beginning) and cooking is not on your radar anymore. It doesn’t need to be! Arctic Zero is an ice cream brand that is lactose free, fat free, GMO free, and gluten free. I know what you’re thinking, “is this girl trying to feed me frozen water as a dessert?” Nope! This ice cream is delicious, creamy, and full of flavor! It is only 7 carbs for a half of a cup as opposed to the 38 carbs that a half a cup of Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream that we all know and love is! There are a multitude of flavors available and they are all worth a taste!
So, now that you are aware of how easy it is to eat healthy and low carb meals in college, it’s time to get your creative juices pumping! It’s time to let go of those dining hall meals and prepare food that not only tastes amazing but is also incredibly good for you! Think of all of the vitamins and proteins you could be getting from these meals! Eating healthy and being in college does not have to be an oxymoron anymore.
Images courtesy of reddit.com, Arctic Zero, Just a Pinch Recipes, The Food Network, and Ultimate Paleo Guide.