If you’ve been anything like me during the holidays, I’ve become an expert at replacing some meals with cookies ever since we went on break. Now with half of the quarter being online, it’s easier than ever to want to Doordash a lot of what you eat. Well I’m here to convince you that the extra time you save on commute to campus in the next few week is a great time to spend meal prepping some awesome, delicious and easy meals. Let’s jump to it!
- food for thought
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If you’re anything like me, I basically spend the entire week THINKING about what to cook and then live off of grilled cheese sandwiches half the time (nothing wrong with that!). The first step I’ve found helpful in overcoming my creative slump is to actively imagine what it is that I want to eat! If you have a hard time imagining, I highly recommend writing down random phrases throughout the day, like “pasta sounds amazing right now” or “I kind of want yogurt in the mornings”. That way once you actually sit down to buy and prep your ingredients, you already know what you love to eat during the week!
- Eat the rainbow, just not every day
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Source: Anita Clark on Pinterest Another thing that puts me in a food slump is feeling the need to be healthy every single day. And while that’s important, I think part of what makes meal prep valuable is that you plan ahead your options so you don’t have to feel guilty after your meals. I recommend buying an assortment and small amounts of fruits and veggies every week so that you can finish your meals and also feel good about yourself!
- 4 Meals, One Day
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Okay, not going to lie, I saw this on an Instagram Reel (yes I know I spend too much time on food Insta). The gist is to prep for an hour for one day of the week and have enough ingredients to make at least 4 fresh meals. Sounds fake, but hear me out! Growing up Indian, a lot of the reason why my mom could whip up dinner in 30 minutes is that she always prepped the ingredients when she had some down time. This allows you to change up the cuisines you make too!
- Stir Fry with style
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I don’t know why stir fry gets such a bad rap with college students, but honestly, this is the way to go if you’re out of ideas or spices. My favorite combo for vegetables is mustard, brown sugar, soy sauce, and a splash of vinegar. It easily elevates the taste of any veggie and is great for leftovers. Give it a try!
I know it seems like a lot right now, but I encourage you to trust the process and have fun! The ongoing pandemic has exhausted us all, but giving yourself a little boost from good, healthy food will definitely come in handy those days you’re too tired to think. It definitely has and will continue to do so for me! So say it with me, “insanity now, serenity later!”