College makes it easy to make excuses. You want to eat healthy, there’s just nothing for you to eat. Except that there is. And I don’t mean Night Owl munchies at 2am. I mean real, healthy, whole food. The first step to keeping on track is knowing what to eat. The Binghamton Marketplace offers a variety of healthy meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even a quick snack in between classes.
Breakfast: Cake and Eggs
What to try: An egg white omelette with peppers, spinach, tomatoes and whole wheat toast.
What makes it healthy: Egg whites are jam packed with protein to keep you full for the day, and vegetables provide a healthy dose of micronutrients (aka your vitamins and minerals). The whole wheat toast offers fiber and complex carbohydrates to keep you both satisfied and energized.
Mix it up: Add cheese to your omelette for healthy fats, or turkey for added protein
Snack: Red Mango
What to try: The Blueberry Burner Smoothie made with pineapple juice, blueberry, banana, and a metabolic fit boost
What makes it healthy: Blueberries are filled with antioxidants while bananas provide potassium to keep your sodium levels at check and reduce bloating. The added metabolic boost offers whey protein to fuel your muscles and keep you full for longer.
Mix it up: Try adding almond milk instead of juice to lower the sugar, and feel free to try any other fruit combinations. Adding some spinach is a great way to get in your greens, and you won’t even taste it! Or, try one of their smoothie bowls for an instagram worthy treat.
Lunch: Farmer’s Field
What to try: Build your own salad! It’s hard to go wrong with any combination of vegetables and protein. Opt for a light dressing on the side to keep your calories in check.
What makes it healthy: Mixed greens like spinach and kale offer you essential vitamins like Vitamin A which support your immune system and keep your body happy and healthy. Add ons such as edamame, chickpeas or chicken give your salad substance and a hearty protein boost.
Mix it up: Try adding quinoa for a healthy serving of carbohydrates. Carbs are never the enemy, and quinoa is a great way to reap the benefits while also getting a healthy serving of fiber and all the essential amino acids.
Dinner: Chick-N-Bap
What to try: A bowl of brown rice with chicken, lettuce, tomato and cucumbers. Add your favorite sauce on the side.
What makes it healthy: Brown rice offers more fiber and nutrients than plain white rice, and adding chicken will give you a balanced plate of carbs and protein. And of course, you can never go wrong with cucumbers, lettuce, and tomato.
Mix it up: Keep it light and opt for all lettuce as the base of your bowl instead of rice. If you’re not a meat lover add mushroom or hummus for more flavor.
No more excuses. You can get a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner without even having to walk back to your dorm. But by all means, if you don’t feel like eating healthy, grab some CopperTop pizza. You deserve it.