As the school year approaches and summer fades to a chilly end, all your summer health regimes may seem more impractical or even impossible. Back-to-back lectures, club meetings, and impending exams may push healthy eating to the bottom of your priorities. However, a busy schedule is no excuse because in a city like Toronto we have unlimited resources and grocery stores overflowing with healthy food. Eating clean is just as easy as nipping out for a McDonald’s run. Here are a couple tricks that are stress free and cost effective! 1. Bring back the lunch boxWhen we were kids we went off to school with our faithful lunch boxes, counting down the minutes before lunch when we could open our box and see if it was chicken nuggets day or if you were stuck with a tuna sandwich again. Packing a lunch is the easiest way to avoid eating out at fast food restaurants, and saves you money in the long run. In order to build a healthy lunch box that’s full of energy, it’s important to follow a simple formula. One that works for me is
1 healthy fat+1 protein+½ healthy carbs+1 vegetable+1 fruit= A healthy lunchbox!
Here are some examples of what that may include, the possibilities are endless and are very easy to prepare and store in advance.Healthy Fats: Avocados, and any kind of nuts ie; almonds, peanuts, cashews etcProteins: Fish (salmon, haddock), chicken, tofu, and beans (which is a very cost efficient solution).Carbs: quinoa, brown rice, whole grain pasta, sweet potato, whole grain breads.Mix and match your favorites until you find the perfect combination, that works best for you! Shown below is a lunch I typically pack, present are your fruits, vegetables/healthy fats and healthy carbs!
2. Be inventive! I know I just championed the lunch box, but don’t be afraid to step out of the box when it comes to healthy eating. Something I’ve found helpful if you’re in a rush are Mason Jar Meals. You can pack a breakfast/snack/and lunch all layered into a jar. I recommend making them the night before, but these are so easy to assemble that you could throw something together in the morning and snap the lid on as you’re rushing out the door. A quick and easy breakfast fix that I enjoy is Greek yogurt on the bottom, fruit layer, granola and repeat! As with the lunchbox, your options are endless.
3. Location, Location, LocationGoing to school in the heart of downtown with restaurants and food advertisements everywhere you turn is a double edged sword. While the local burger joint may be five minutes away from your 6pm lecture, a convenient location like U of T also means that opportunities for healthy eating are just as close. If you’re unfamiliar with the area or want to try something new, here are my favorite 3 places in the downtown area that have delicious healthy alternatives.
Fresh on BloorFresh is a 17 minute walk from St George Campus and has a variety of breakfast, lunch and snacking options. Fresh is a vegan restaurant but their food is so rich in proteins you will leave full and happy.
Favorite Item: The Holiday Wrap: avocado & marinated tofu cubes with garlic mayo, grated carrot, jicama, tomato, lettuce, cucumber, red onion & alfalfa sprouts with your choice of side!
HibiscusRight in the heart of Kensington Market, and a 13 minute walk away from St George Campus. Hibiscus is a gluten free environment using buckwheat flour as their replacement but is definitely not lacking in flavorBest Item: Sweet Crepes: banana, dark chocolate and roasted hazelnuts
Live Organic Food BarAll you do is hop on the Spadina line and you’re there in 9 minutes! Live Organic Food Bar is very similar to a Fresh but they have more variety when it comes to Juices and Smoothies, which are great alternatives if you’re looking for a lighter snack.Best Item: Green Electricity: one of their fresh juices made with, kale, apple, grapefruit, fresh herbs, lemon and ginger
Eating on the Go is easier than ever, don’t be scared and remember that eating healthy can be fun and not as intimidating as you may think! With school starting up again, it’s a perfect transition for healthy eating to begin again as well.