As a college student, life is full of all types of stress. Having to meet deadlines on time, rushing to classes and studying for what seems like infinite midterms can take a toll on your mental and physical health. That is why it is so vital to fill your body with healthy and nutrient-dense food to give you energy and keep your spirits lifted. Eating a whole foods, plant-based diet is an effective way to achieve those goals. While many people think that eating a vegan diet can be difficult in a college setting, I'm here to share my experience and prove it is the easiest way to live your best life -- ever!
Breakfast
The most important way to start the day is to fill your body with a filling and nutritious breakfast. I have oatmeal with banana and apples every morning. I prefer a sweet breakfast, so this is a great way to satisfy my sweet tooth and get in a good source of whole grains and healthy carbs from the oats and the fruits. Other great additions to oatmeal include strawberries, blueberries and blackberries.
Lunch
Lunch is my largest meal of the day and I make sure that I get most of my calories from nutrient-dense sources. I personally love salads, because they are an easy way to get lots of greens into my daily diet. I will fill my plate with tons of romaine or spinach, and then I'll get my source of protein from a variety of legumes such as chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, tofu, or even pumpkin seeds (my favorite!) I also add tons of other vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes and any other raw vegetable that is calling my name. Many times in the dining hall, I will add some brown rice on the side or some steamed sweet potatoes to add an extra depth of flavor and texture to my salads. After my salad, I will have more steamed vegetables, such as carrots and broccoli, and whatever else the dining hall is offering during lunch.
Dinner
My dinner is almost always soup or lentils paired alongside more steamed vegetables. There are many nutritional perks to eating tons of vegetables, but the fact that these vegetables are so low in calories means you can eat a much higher volume of them which is great for those of you that LOVE eating. For dessert, I have a serving of fruit.
There you have it! I eat very large carbohydrate-dense meals and then tend to not snack throughout the day. If I am hungry, I eat -- I NEVER restrict my calories. I have found that since I went vegan, I eat more food than ever and I have felt like I have a lot more energy to get through my classes and studying sessions. You can eat vegan in any way that it satisfies you, but I know for a fact having most of my diet coming from whole, unprocessed foods makes me feel my best.
Happy Eating and consider going vegan!