By Tyler Boatright, Dietetic Intern My food goals go straight out the window when I get hungry. I get a little rumble in my tummy and I’m headed straight to the pantry for something quick. I call these types of impulsive, stomach-motivated choices “Hungry Decisions”. Unfortunately for all of us, quicker isn’t always healthier and is typically more expensive. One helpful way to avoid this dilemma is by preparing meals a few days in advance. There are many benefits to meal prepping, but perhaps the most important one for broke college students is to save money. Planning out and cooking a weeks worth of meals allows you to buy ingredients in bulk and use coupons for less expensive ingredients, both of which help your bank account. Looking through your fridge and cupboards before heading to the store also allows you to incorporate ingredients you already have and reducing the amount of food you waste.
With class, exams, jobs, and social responsibilities, it can easily feel like you don’t have time for cooking or cleaning. Preparing meals for a whole week at one time might sound like it takes a lot of time, but it’s a massive time saver when you consider how long you would spend cooking a meal each day. Cooking a week of dinners also means you don’t have to clean up after cooking every night, and your kitchen will stay clean throughout the week. Planning and preparing meals in advance allows you to spend your time doing what’s important to you instead of cooking and cleaning. Lastly, but potentially most importantly, this style of cooking can help us achieve our goals to eat healthier. Planning your meals in advance gives you the time to choose well-balanced meals with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. This is also the key to success for avoiding my classic impulsive “Hungry Decisions,” because if you have healthy food already made and waiting to be pulled out of the fridge, you won’t settle for the unhealthy option in the pantry. Preparing meals in advance is less expensive, saves time, and helps you eat healthier.
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ABOUTTerps With Taste is run by the Student Nutritionist Team with University of Maryland Dining Services. We write content for students, by students. Enjoy! Categories
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April 2024
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