As a college student, I'm frequently confronted with the choice of doing homework, sleeping, going to class or making food. I didn't think this would be possible after a year in the dorms, but I have definitely been neglecting my kitchen. It seems that in today's busy world of deadlines, papers and exams, tending to your diet seems to fall by the wayside.
And because ordering from Ian's is so much easier than planning a meal, going to the grocery store and slaving away over the stove, it's understandable why those other responsibilities usually win. For most of us, this is not a huge deal, considering fast food is what we are used to.
But what happened to balanced meals? About a week before winter break ended, I realized I was about to leave the best diet I would have until I returned home again.
Then, going into a state of self-reflection, I pondered: Would I have time to eat and make balanced meals now that I'm taking 15 credits, writing for the paper, working AND going out of town every weekend with the Forensics team?""
As I snapped back into reality, I realized the sad fact about my food life - I only eat decent meals when someone else is making them for me. At school, a pizza is a perfectly fine dinner, but at home, I get a plethora of colors from every major food group - including a nice tall glass of milk. I thought I graduated from childhood to adult life when I donned the cap and gown and left for the UW. Apparently, I still have a lot to learn, and so do most of my friends.
Food seems to be the one thing we are always willing to compromise on. When homework is especially heavy one night, we go to a State Street trailer for Chinese food instead of going home and making our own stir fry. Grabbing a tray at the Union is a lot easier on our watches than planning to bring a lunch, but harder on our wallets.
So what are we going to do about it? I say it's time we take mealtime back and make it our own.
Yeah, it's going to be difficult. It will take discipline every day and lots of planning, but I think we can do it.
The main thing to remember is we do not have to aspire to return to Kindergarten, where trays with separators overflowed with mixed peas and carrots. We just have to start small.
Throw a few fruits or veggies into the basket the next time you're at Copps or Woodman's. All it takes is a little green to liven up a plate of macaroni and cheese. If you are inspired to go for more, liven up your dinner even more with a recipe for bulk chili you can make and freeze for another day.
Now that we're on our way to a balanced diet, we should address the cost. Incorporating diversity into a diet can be more difficult in the winter, due to out-of-season foods which are more expensive in January. However, all it takes is a little planning.
Personally, I peruse the Copps ad every week online and make my list from there. A sale is a perfect time to grab a new food you might fall in love with. But you don't have to wait for sales. Bananas and other year-round foods are always cheap and pretty amazing on-the-go snacks.
After buying new foods, the next thing to do is to set aside some time to actually cook the food you just bought. This is really easy - just plan fifteen minutes of your day to make dinner. It takes about that much time to preheat and cook a pizza anyway. Before you know it, you'll be feeling better about your meal choices and loving your meal prep time.
See, it's really easy to get on the road to eating better. With a little time and perseverance, we can all be on our way to creating amazing dinners in between study sessions for the exam we should really start preparing for. It will be difficult, but if it means tastier and better food, why not make the sacrifice?
