Does just thinking about your New Year’s resolution diet have you down? Try changing it up this year. There are plenty of healthy resolutions that incorporate food changes into your life without completely changing your meals. Check out these 12 doable resolutions that don’t involve any type of diet.
1. Pack lunch more
Being a college student with a busy schedule doesn’t always allow for easy access to good food. Having back-to-back classes makes it hard to run to the food court or dining hall in between, so why not try to make accessing meals easier for yourself? Although it might take extra time the night before, or the morning of, packing a lunch will ensure that you will have food with you. Say goodbye to those long sprints through campus just to buy a not-so-great granola bar.
2. Make grocery lists
Don’t know what you need at the market? Start making lists! Writing out what you need not only saves time and money, but it might also save you from wasting food.
3. Make more home-cooked meals
Although it might be more work than getting takeout, cooking can be a fun and relaxing way to get away from the books while still being productive. Try new recipes from that cookbook that has been collecting dust, cook recipes from other cultures or start a Sunday night dinner tradition with your friends or roommates.
4. Buy locally sourced foods
Not sure where your food is coming from? Try reaching for locally sourced foods when possible, such as those found at your nearest farmers’ market. A few benefits of buying locally sourced foods include eating seasonally, so you’re never eating tasteless fruit, supporting the local economy and being able to ask vendors where and how the food is grown.
5. Explore new restaurants
No matter where you go to school, there is probably a number of restaurants you haven’t tried yet. If you’re like me, you have been keeping a list of the ones you want to try most, but maybe you haven’t been able to hit most of them yet. Make this the year you venture out and try new places.
6. Stop skipping meals
Since I get migraines if I don’t eat, this hasn’t been an issue for me, but I have a number of friends that consistently skip meals. Skipping meals makes it harder to stay focused in class and get work done, and it also might be a trigger for weight gain. Contrary to popular belief, skipping meals won’t make you skinnier. It can actually slow down your metabolism and cause you to overeat when you finally do have a meal.
7. Meal preparation
Don’t have time to cook during the week? Pick a day to cook a few dishes that you can eat throughout the week. You can either put it in one big Tupperware or individually pack dishes for each meal. Some ideas include pasta salad, baked chicken and a vegetable medley.
8. Reorganize your kitchen
When I moved into my apartment, I kind of just threw everything in the cabinets to get things done quickly, but this might be the year I reorganize. Whether it’s your pots and pans, pantry or even fridge, reorganizing your kitchen could be a great way to start off your year.
9. Watch more cooking shows
Even though I’m a huge foodie, I have never been into watching food shows. This year, I want to be. I just recently got into cooking and baking more, so watching cooking shows could really help improve my skills. There are also a few documentaries I want to watch, like Jiro Dreams of Sushi on Netflix.
10. Try new foods
Always order the same thing at your favorite restaurant? Never tried Indian food? Scared to try octopus? Try switching it up this year! Whether you’re changing your ice cream order or trying a completely new type of fish at your favorite sushi restaurant, make trying new foods a goal for this new year.
11. Take more/less food pictures
Depending on who you are, you might want to start documenting your food adventures more, or maybe stop doing it as much. I physically can not stop myself from taking a picture when food hits the table. Although I like taking, and later looking at all my food pictures, maybe this is the year to slow down and just enjoy the moment. Do I really need that 130th picture of the same sushi plate I order twice a week? Probably not.
12. Start a garden
Ever since moving into an apartment, I have wanted to start a little garden on my balcony. Although I haven’t gotten around to it yet, some of the things I plan on growing include herbs and peppers. Make sure to look up what grows best in your state’s climate before starting.
Of course there are other things you can add to your list of New Year’s resolutions that are a little more “diety” — like not eating late at night, not eating anything else once you’re full or cutting back on desserts. But, if you’re looking for strictly non-diet related resolutions, I hope you found a good one here.