High school is an endless juggling act of homework, test, quizzes, projects and other assorted deadlines that you must learn to balance to be a successful student. Let's not forget extracurricular activities, both in and out of school, as well as a smidgen of time for what used to be called a social life. So how can a teenager with a hectic schedule that keeps them running from 6am-11pm most days eat a well balance lunch ensure a nutritional meal is layered in between the day?   The answer is simple.  Plan your meals according to your day to ensure you have access to good food choices.

Planning

My mom is a cook, and I love to eat, so bringing to school what she has cooked is always my first choice. Vegetables, such as broccoli or asparagus, a complex carb, such as quinoa or brown rice, and a protein, such as chicken breast or buffalo meat are always on the menu.  I simply bring the leftovers in to go containers as well as bring a fruit, water bottle or Gatorade, cut cheese and wheat crackers as well as nuts or a protein bar.  Why so much you may ask?  Planning the food you need for the day must support the length of your day as well as what you are doing during the day. Not planning accordingly almost always results in making poor food choices. Teenagers will then go to what is convenient, which most of the time isn't the best for you nutritionally and typically something processed. We all have been in those situations.  Short term it satisfies your hunger, long term, processed foods don't give you the energy you need to keep going.

If your mom isn't a cook, you absolutely can choose some great food options from home that are good for you and easy to make. Here are a few that I resort to when the leftovers are gone:

Wrap all ingredients separately and then put sausage, cheese in tortilla, and microwave for 30 seconds, then lay on the salsa.  I usually bring enough to make 3 burritos.

 

Wrap all ingredients separately. Build hoagie with spreading hummus on bread, put on spinach, protein, throw on avocado and there you go.

These are just a few ways to easily incorporate eating healthy into a teen's wildly hectic life.  Little changes that make a big impact.

Our parents were, well still are, right! It's important we eat right now more than ever just to keep up with our ever-busy lives.  Making good food choices will always pay off.