Back to School Healthy Eating Habits

Now that college is back in session for everyone (I know it has been in session and I'm a little late but that is what happens when you're taking 17 units haha), you know what that means if you are a commuter, it is time to start packing lunch again! Packing lunch is not only a good way to save money, but it also has a huge impact on your health! Making sure to eat healthy meals with rigorous course work is very important in order to stay focused in school and earn the grades you want. 

One of my favorite podcasts to listen to, The Joe Rogan Experience, featured Chris Kresser, an expert in functional medicine. Now what is functional medicine you may ask? It is changing one's lifestyle as a sort of treatment rather than going straight into taking medication. On episode #1037 of The Joe Rogan Experience, Chris emphasized how what we eat had a big impact on our overall health. While this may seem obvious, people usually only think food helps us in terms of physical health, but it also helps in mental health as well.

If that is the case in how food helps, why not feed ourselves nourishing tasty meals that will give us energy throughout the day and help us with our mental and physical well-being?

I personally usually pack whatever leftovers were for dinner the previous night for lunch which usually consists of protein (beef, chicken, or fish), vegetables, and some sort of grain. In addition to this, with the long hours I'm on campus, a lunch isn't just enough and snacks are necessary to keep me energized in between classes while I'm studying.

Here is a list of some suggestions I have for you all in order to pack healthy lunches and snacks for school:

• Baby carrots with hummus (homemade hummus preferably, but if you really have no option you can go with the store-bought one)
• Sliced cucumber with cumin and salt (to be honest you could do without the salt, I'm just obsessed with it)
• Roasted Veggies
• Basically cut up whatever vegetables you have in your fridge and add some salt, pepper, freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil drizzle (and some chili if you want it to have a bit of a kick to it) and stick it in the oven for 30-40min and you have yourself some tasty veggies!!
• Steamed Salmon
• Now this is SUPER easy and EXTREMELY quick to make. You just need to buy yourself a microwaveable steamer (Link at bottom of post) and of course, some salmon.
1. Defrost the salmon if its frozen in a bowl of cold water for 10-15min
2. Once defrosted place salmon onto the microwavable steamer. This is the part where you can get creative
3. Depending on how you want your salmon, you can season accordingly. I usually sprinkle salt and pepper, cut up small cubes of butter, and put some lemon slices on top of the salmon in that specific order
4. Place lid on microwaveable steamer (add broccoli if you want and you can season that with butter, salt, and pepper as well)
5. Steam in the microwave for 7-8 min and viola, you have quick, healthy, and easy salmon!
• Vegan yogurt (So Delicious Brand, Vanilla flavor) with blueberries, strawberries and granola
• Cut up fruit
• I like strawberries, papaya, watermelon, guavas, oranges, and green apples! I know green apples is so specific, but that sour taste and crunch they have is very refreshing.
• Pickled lupin beans, or as the Arabs know it as "termis"
• Green or Purple Olives
• Any type of bagel with sunflower butter
• yes, you read that correctly, sunflower butter. They have it at Trader Joe's and its the same texture as peanut butter but it just tastes like sunflower seeds!
• Sunflower seeds
• Fruit roll ups
• Thai coconut chicken

There are many other healthy snacks and lunches that I will add later on throughout the school year. but for now, enjoy!!!!

XOXO
Sarah

-The Joe Rogan Experience Episode #1037 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-joe-rogan-experience/id360084272?mt=2&i=1000394585749

-Microwavable Steamer

https://www.amazon.com/Solutions-Progressive-Microwavable-Veggie-Steamer/dp/B00FOI42RK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1517466127&sr=8-3&keywords=microwavable+steamer