Leaves are changing, days are shorter, temperatures are dropping, and the load of work is increasing. It is the time when autumn has come back around. It is also the time when the semester is hitting its uphill climb towards the end of the semester. This ultimately means you have or will have high levels of stress and less time to accomplish the things you would like and need to do (i.e. getting enough hours of sleep and eating healthy).
In this period of time, college students collectively enter a susceptible phase of sickness, due to the high number of people surrounding them who have low immune systems and high stress levels. How on earth is one supposed to keep themselves sane, healthy, and not drowning in schoolwork? The answer to this particular crux is meal preparation. Meal preparation will save your health and the majority of the related focuses in your life.
With this fall season and it’s dropping temperatures, the ubiquitous meal is soup. Soup is popular simply because of the numerous benefits such as: being easily able to be reheated (without differentiation in taste), not as much time is spent hovering over the stove to make the soup, the bountiful suppliance of nutrients, the various combinations and recipes, saving money, and so much more.
An easy way to prepare your meals, such as soup, for the day and the week is to invest in a crockpot (this amazing invention saves time) and some tupperware. Another item to add to your shopping list for soup meal prep would be winter squash; this broad term includes butternut, acorn, hubbard, pumpkins, turbans, the options are limitless.
When you prep meals such as soup ahead of time, not only do you have numerous recipe options, but you also have so many chances to significantly boost your health. Squash alone can boost your immune system, strengthen your skin and bones, prevent diabetes and cancer, protect your heart and respiratory systems, reduce inflammation, reduce blood pressure, act as a parasitic, and much more! Imagine what a soup with multiple vegetables could do for you. I was absolutely not a fan of squash until I did my research and found that if my diet consisted of more squash, my body would give me a standing ovation.
Here are a few simple, delicious, and health-boosting soup ideas that are found on our Pinterest account you can try at home.
· Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Stew
· Autumn Minestrone
· Spinach and White Bean Soup
· Butternut Squash Chili
· Hearty Italian Chicken and Autumn Veggie Soup
If you wish to delve into becoming a soup guru or you simply want to learn some helpful tips, check out our Pinterest account (the username is: Her Campus UNCG) for more recipes and neat ideas.
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