Going to college can come with a lot of changes. Depending on your situation, you might be living by yourself for the first time, shopping for your own groceries, getting adjusted to a new sleeping schedule and much more. All of these aspects can impact your health. If you’re looking to eat healthy, save time and stay on top of your well-being, meal prepping can be a great option for college students. Check out these helpful hints to make your meal prepping a success.
Get your (practical) supplies
While it would be nice to own all of those fancy reusable containers with different sized compartments and removable parts, sometimes it’s not always in the budget (or the storage capacity of a mini fridge). Instead, head to Amazon or Target to order some meal-sized packages — preferably stackable ones — and a few smaller containers for dressings, sauces and dips. It can also be helpful to have a box of reusable sandwich and snack bags as well.
Plan ahead
Before you head to get groceries, pick out which recipes you’ll be using this week. To make it a little easier, print out the recipes or save them as images, highlight which ingredients you need, and then go through each one, separating the ingredients into sections like produce, breads, etc. By putting your ingredients into sections, it can be easier to visualize how much of one thing you’ll need, especially if it’s in more than one recipe. Or, pick out just one recipe you really want to make for the upcoming few days and take a look at the ingredients to figure out how else you can use them. This can be a great option if you’re short on space in your fridge and looking to cut down waste.
Take one trip to the kitchen
If you don’t have a kitchen in your room or you don’t have access to one at all, planning to make all your meals at once can be incredibly helpful. That way, you don’t have to worry about taking trips to the kitchen or getting out all of your supplies every day. Make your meals in batches, separate them into containers and put them in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. If you’re worried something may go bad, stick it in the freezer — this works well for keeping cooked food like soups, stews and grains fresh for longer.
Be flexible
Sure, those beautiful bento boxes and colorful dishes on Pinterest might be tasty and nutritious, they also might not be the most practical while you’re in college. That might work out for some people, but for others, especially those who are looking to meal prep to save time and money, it’s not always attainable. Make meals you’re comfortable with, whether that’s burritos and sandwiches, soups and salads or culinary masterpieces that belong on the Food Network. Either way, just take your time to plan out your meals and prepare them when you’re able to. You’ll thank yourself all week long for being able to have some healthy and delicious meals to grab when you’re running late, rushing around, doing homework or just don’t want to cook after a long day of classes and work.
