FoodDay Friday

Eating healthy is tough. Eating healthy in college--even tougher. For one, healthy, whole foods are expensive and difficult to keep fresh for long periods of time. Then there's the constant barrage of fast food driving around campus.

I am quite the avid food-pinner on Pinterest and within the first couple months of living off my own groceries, I had a lot of research at my fingertips. I used to really ambitious: meticulously planning my meals every 2 weeks, even sticking to them. Then school started. To put it in the wise words of my good friend Sweet Brown, "Ain't nobody got time for dat." Since, I have modified my methods over the last semester. Granted, I haven't come up with a fool proof means of the cheapest, healthiest grocery trip you can make... but I have come up with a definitive list that can help most college students-or anyone-eat well.

First. Consider how often you can afford going grocery shopping. I prefer keeping the bill around $70 or less if I can. So that means shopping every 4 weeks for me. Yep. 4 weeks. Gotta be smart about this stuff.

Second. Get a handle on what you can cook and what you can't. If you find a way to ruin cereal, then its time for a little kitchen education. Google is my best friend when it comes to the how-to's of cooking. Make a list of all the things you can cook for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (or a list of things you'd like to ). It's like outlining your kitchen assets, building your culinary repertoire. :)

Third. Refine your meal choices. If your meals consist of mac n cheese and frozen dinners... Hello freshman 15! Lets be real. You and I can no longer afford to eat like that. So maybe instead of a frozen dinner, bake a chicken breast and sautee up some green beans, with whole grain toast to finish. See! Easy substitutions and totally manageable.

College is the perfect time to form good eating habits. Live and eat by these words: portion control, balance, and moderation.

By portion control, I mean don't eat a pork chop the size of your face. Do some research and find some practical ways to maximize your portions appropriately. I'm not big into counting calories, so here's my dietary catchall:

Boom. There's your dinner plate.

By balance I mean don't pig out on one healthy food thinking it'll get you through the day. You need energy and nutrients to function properly, and lacking those vital resources can be dangerous to your health. If you make it to the end of the day and think, I haven't had a single fruit or vegetable all day--time to chow down on some carrots. Same goes for protein and dairy. On top of eating all that, throw in a multivitamin for good measure. You will find yourself feeling much better.

By moderation I mean enjoy those guilty pleasures. Just don't sit down and eat an entire roll of ThinMints. Limit your intake of sweet and salty stuff. This isn't news. But really commit yourself to this one.

Fourth. And basically final step--make the friggin grocery list! Here's mine!

• Pantry Staples:
  whole wheat pasta
  brown rice
  Israeli couscous
  canned vegetables
  oatmeal
  canned soup
  canned beans (red and black)
  canned tuna
  saltine/ritz crackers
  coffee (!!!)
  peanut butter
  marinara sauce
• Freezer necessities:
  mixed frozen fruit
  frozen spinach
• Fridge necessities:
  sticks of butter
  salad dressing
  coffee creamer
  mayo/mustard
• Pantry:
  bread
  snacks (fruit snacks/mixed nuts/etc.)
• Produce:
  zucchini
  sweet potatoes
  baby carrots
  spinach/salad in a bag
  lemons
  apples
  grapes
  bananas
• Protein/Dairy:
  pork loins (the family packs are cheap, buy a couple and freeze em)
  chicken breast (again buy them fresh and then freeze!)
  sliced provolone cheese
  milk
  eggs
• Other:
  juice
  tea

This list is a really good place to start. From here, you can plan out your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, then learn from experience what you need and what you don't. Practice makes perfect!
Eat your freshest food first! Then as the month goes on, transition into those frozen foods and pantry items. Oh and realize that you will have to revisit the grocery store for milk and salad and bread. Lol you do NOT want to keep those for a month!

I hope this list helps you shape healthy eating habits. Fresh food is your friend!

Enjoy eating well! And feel free to comment with your questions, I would be more than happy to answer them :)

-K.