My schedule changed totally this year. I work 20 hours a week, attend
college part time (yeah, right), have minimum of 2 hours of homework and
rehearse a minimum of one hour each day. When I first started college. I
was having trouble finding time to eat, let alone eat healthy, but I've
come up with a few strategies. I have to have food on hand for myself, my
daughter, and my husband -- all of us eat different kinds of things.
Breakfast is usally hot cereal that I make by combining in a thermos dry
multi-grain cereal with dry Better than Milk Plain Light, and adding
enough boiling water to make it the consistency I like. Sometimes, I
throw a container of applesauce in with it (those individual sized ones
that I buy for my daughter's lunch.), raisins, or other fruit for
sweetening.
Some days, I don't have time to eat breakfast like this before class, so
I'll scramble some egg beaters, and stuff it in a warmed pita bread with
salsa and eat it on the walk to class from home.
I have access to a microwave at work, so lunch is usually some kind
of leftovers OR I make a sandwich the night before or in the morning (in a
sleepy haze)
whole-wheat bread
ff mayo (blech. my husband bought it by mistake, I like Miracle Whip:-))
Lightlife country ham or turkey
SoyaKaas ff jalapeno or mozarella 'cheese'
red leaf lettuce
tomatoes
I have some kind of fruit with it
I snack on
honey wheat pretzels (I make a dip of dairy-free apricot mango yogurt and
french mustard and port it in a little container for dipping.)
mini pretzels
cold cereal (I like to mix shredded wheat and a sweeter cereal together)
dairy-free yogurt
banana
I'll usually mix up batches of different cold cereals in quart or
two-quart containers and leave them at work. Ditto with the pretzels. I
keep a bag or box at work so I have something readily available.
I am really lucky regarding dinner because my husband usually makes it.
But if I need to make it, it's usually really quick and it has to satisfy
all three appetites.
Favorites are:
Spaghetti and sauce made with jarred sauce mixed with Green Giant crumbles
(0 fat ground meat substitute)
Toss together a larger salad than you'll eat, don't dress it, put
leftovers in ziploc to eat next evening
Sloppy joes:
combine tomato sauce, wine vinegar, mustard powder, garlic powder, salt,
pepper, brown sugar
saute green pepper, onion, celery, garlic
Add sauce to veggies, add Green Giant Crumbles and simmer.
While it's simmering, throw some rolls in the oven to heat up, toss
together a fruit or vegetable salad or steam some green veggie of your
choice
Lasagna
I make this on the weekend and eat it throughout the week. I make it with
lasagna noodles (uncooked), sauce, lots of sauteed veggies, tofu mixed
with garlic, oregano, and basil. Arrange in layers and bake.
This lasts us through the week for lunch and dinner.
I find that preparation is the key. I go to the HFS and purchase double
of everything that is not perishable, so that it's right at my fingertips.
Make larger batches of dinners and have them leftover next day.
Bring a water bottle with you wherever you go
Invest in a wide-mouth thermos to keep things at least warm, if not hot
Buy portable fruit (bananas and oranges work best for me)
Hope this helps.
------------------------------