The freshman fifteen is a definite thing. You can pay for the gym membership, count your calories, etc. but the freshman fifteen still happens. It’s inevitable. As a sophomore at the university, gaining those fifteen pounds was like welcoming an old friend as I was overweight much of high school. But my sophomore year has raised new challenges that have removed my 15. Some of them are healthy, some are not, but I’d like to share the biggest thing that helped shed the 15: healthier food.

When I came to college, I had to immediately adjust from eating organic, mostly dairy-free, low-fat food to saturated fat-filled foods. In the summer months, I felt great from all of the healthy food. And I know that college kids can’t afford organic food, but there are certainly ways that you can take the typical college-kid food and make it better for you. I have scoured the internet looking for healthy recipes that come with an affordable price, and below are some of my favorites.

Breakfast:

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Microwave-Egg-and-Vegetable-Breakfast-Sandwich-551204?columns=4&position=1%2F2

It’s the most important meal of the day. Include me in the millions of people who tell you that you should eat breakfast. It gives you so much energy to start the day. Plus, I’ve always found that it’s better to eat something when you down a huge cup of coffee on your way to that stupid 8am you scheduled because it would give you more time in the day for something later—which means you sleep. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! But you should eat breakfast so that maybe you’ll stay awake. Or maybe you’ll get out of responding to questions in the class because you can’t really talk with your mouth full. –The possibilities and benefits of eating breakfast are endless, so eat something tomorrow morning. And try this sandwich! It’s absolutely fabulous and you can pre-make them on Sunday, store them in your freezer/fridge, and nuke ‘em right on your way out the door. The calories are low and it’s filled with healthy fats and protein that keep you full throughout the morning. I like a cup of Twining’s English Breakfast Tea to accompany it, but I’m a tea drinker.

Lunch:

http://www.skinnymom.com/ultimate-pizza-quesadilla/

I still have a meal plan, so typically for lunch I stop at Willie’s 360 for a sandwich and another cup of tea. But a lunch that I love and that is so easy is this quesadilla. It’s a little more prep, but so worth it. I typically make everything I want to eat on Sunday and just keep reheating food throughout the week. This quesadilla, which is mostly tailored to what you like on a pizza. And specifics vary in terms of nutrition if you go for cheaper ingredients or if you decide to put anchovies everywhere (which I judge you for because that’s super gross), but nonetheless, the quesadilla has 32g of protein! Which is a beautiful thing if you’re like me and have classes and meetings until 7:30-8pm most nights. If this doesn’t keep the hunger pangs away until you eat supper, I’m pretty positive that there’s no hope for you.

Dinner (Or as I call it Supper, apparently that’s wrong, but that’s neither here nor there):

http://www.healthy-liv.com/5-minute-vegetarian-burrito-bowl/

What I love about this recipe is that it’s meant for you to make in your microwave. It’s quick to make and it’s probably my favorite supper that I can comfortably make in my Eeyore pajamas without worry that I’ll make a huge mess. The only downside is that it’s slightly higher calories than other meals that you can make, but it’s fabulous. I wish I had more to say about this, but I really don’t. JUST DO IT!

Dessert:

http://notenoughcinnamon.com/2012/07/04/chocolate-covered-frozen-banana-peanut-butter-bites/

So this is like the most work, but it’s delicious. Peanut butter and bananas are amazing, and then they’re dipped in chocolate and mmmmmm…………. I’m actually salivating while typing this thinking about them sitting back in my freezer waiting for me. Also, this makes a great pick-me-up after you fail a test or a beautiful celebratory hoorah when you decide to skip a class. (Don’t do that. It’s a joke.) If you don’t store them in the freezer like I do, you don’t have the problem of waiting for them to thaw before you eat. Although I have been known to use my blow dryer on them to warm them up. (I forget about them in the microwave and the chocolate melts and make a huge mess. It’s a long story).

If you don’t like the recipes I talked about, that’s cool. I’m only slightly hurt by your feelings. But use Yummly or Pinterest or simply Google and search for healthy college foods. Or specifically college foods and you’ll find things that you can make in your dorm room. Hopefully this helps with the Freshman/Sophomore/whatever year you are 15. It certainly helped me.