By Emily Winters
As students, while we feed our minds, we have to remember to feed our bodies! We require fuel to keep on studying. Remember the Pomodoro method and other studying tips? They will not work if you have no energy, and you will not have energy without eating healthy and well-balanced meals.
Americans often have a complicated relationship with food, both on individual levels and as a part of a country that runs on a work first eat later mindset. But, as we like to remind students here at the Center for Learning and Student Success, it is important to make time to relax and be kind to your mind and body.
While it often feels that as students, workers, someone’s significant other or friend or sibling or child, and all the other hats we wear as human beings, we just do not have time to cook or meal prep, I am here to prove to you that taking ten minutes one morning to take stock of what’s in your cabinets and make a list of some groceries you can purchase or meals you can make during the week or even one day in the week (your meal prep day) is worth it!
For those of you who may be living in dorms with no ample access to kitchen space, this is a note of encouragement to use that common area kitchen! Or, if this is not possible, these tips will help you in the future as you transition into the work world.
Step 1. Plan Your Week of Meals
Check your fridge and pantry - what ingredients do you already have? Get on Pinterest, Google, or your favorite cookbook and start thinking about what kind of simple, three to four ingredient recipes you can make with what you already have! Lay out your week of meals on a calendar, and this will help you make your shopping list!
Step 2. Make a List (or use a shopping list template)
As students, we are most likely shopping on a budget! Making a shopping list before you head to the store has many benefits. This includes making sure that you get all the essential cooking ingredients in your kitchen and keeping you focused as you shop. This will save you time and money - as well as unwanted stress!
Step 3. Choose a Meal Prep Day
For a lot of folks, meal prep day is Sunday! Personally, I like to make a large pot of soup or chili or stew (great for the winter months!) and keep a container in the fridge for the week ahead, and put a container in the freezer so that I can enjoy the leftovers in a couple weeks! This can be a great way to have access to healthy homemade meals on the fly without the time crunch of cooking every day.
Benefits:
Planning meals ahead of time allows you to try out new recipes without breaking the bank (because you know ahead of time what you need to make a recipe)! This is great for folks who maybe don’t have nearby access to grocery stores or are unable to get to the store every day.
Save money by not eating out as much! Buying that daily coffee certainly adds up! Try making coffee at home. While makers can be expensive, something like a French Press can run as cheap as $15!
Avoiding food waste! When checking your cupboards before making your shopping list, note the ingredients that you have to use before they expire! Have extra veggies? Find a recipe online where you can use all of them and get your other needed ingredients during your weekly shopping trip!
For more tips and meal ideas, visit these websites:
I hope this article and resources will encourage you to spend more time feeding your body as we work hard to feed our minds! Good luck with the remainder of the semester, and as always, if you’d like to connect with a peer tutor, you can open a chat with us using the icon at the bottom right of the page or visit Raptor Connect.
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