Quick on the go meals for a college student? page

[asmith58]

Hey everyone, I'm new here and completely new to this diet- in fact, I just discovered it! I think it sounds fantastic. The only problem for me, however, is having some meals for me need to be quick and something I can take with me.

For example, this quarter is tough because I have all my classes in one day back to back with no time to go home in between and cook anything. On those days, my routine thus far has been a Carnation Breakfast drink with skim milk for breakfast and a cliff bar and water for lunch.

Is there anything comparable to these that work with the primal diet? For mornings I need something quick because I'm one of those that's prone to just skip it otherwise (which I realize is a big no-no). And the cliff bar for lunch is something I can just throw in my bag and run out the door with, I also don't have much time in between my classes. Are there any bars out there comparable to cliff bars that are better for me? And what about some kind of shake for breakfast? (I assume Carnation doesn't meet Primal standards and I saw a thread on this board talking about cliff bars being evil).

Thanks a ton! I could really use some suggestions!

[alg2435]

Dried coconut, avocado, nuts, fruit, and carrots are easy to transport.... And for breakfast, you could just wake up 5 minutes early and make a shake with whey powder, coconut milk, and a banana or berries.

[Greenbeast]

also you'll come to find that 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day' doesn't apply round here
You could eat well at dinner and not need brekky, instead taking a big meat salad for lunch

[2ndChance]

Asmith, I'm in the exact same boat as you. I'm on campus from 11 AM to 9 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and as the semester goes on I'm learning more about how to plan my eating so I'm not flagging in the evenings.

1) Ditch the non-foods. Breakfast shakes, clif bars, etc. Have you ever checked out the labels on those things? Most of what's in them isn't stuff you want to put in your body. Clif Bars are centered around Soy Protein Isolate, I believe? Yuck. That's not doing your body any good. Plus they're full of sugar ("organic cane juice" as they call it) and carbs. I think there's denatured rice involved. Those things are a blood sugar spike and subsequent crash waiting to happen. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

2) Wake up a little earlier so you can make breakfast. To me, breakfast IS the most important meal of the day. When I eat a big breakfast, I don't get hungry until 4 or 5 o'clock, which makes it easier to get through my long days.

3) Eat a lot of fatty foods, limit carbs. Once you beat your carb addiction, you'll feel totally different. More stable, less ups and downs, less hungry between meals.

4) Eggs are your friend. So is coconut oil. Cook up 2-3 eggs in coconut oil every morning, throw in other stuff if you like (onions, broccoli, chopped spinach, bacon, etc.). This usually makes me really full for most of the morning and afternoon.

5) Make a big-ass salad and eat from it as needed. I make one with a head of lettuce, a few leaves of kale, beets, and cucumbers. (I only use organic veggies but it gets expensive, if you're used to cheap convenience foods it might be hard to adjust). It usually lasts me and my boyfriend 2 days. You can pack some in a lunchbox with a ziploc of ice cubes or eat it with your eggs. I like to put half an avocado on my salad for fatty goodness, plus some chopped walnuts or some kind of seeds (though I've been laying off the seeds lately since I hear they're hard on the body to digest). You can throw some baby carrots in your lunchbox, too.

6) As for portable snacks that don't need to be kept cold.. Nuts are your new best friend!!! Pistachios are my favorite. Walnuts, brazil nuts (don't eat too many though, you'll overdose on selenium. 4-5 a day at most). I usually bring a couple squares of 85% dark chocolate, too, and some almonds to eat with it. Yum!!

I'm usually pretty hungry by the time 9 o'clock rolls around, but as long as I have some nuts on hand I can resist the nasty "food" options on campus. Hope this helps!

[magnolia1973]

Primal convenience foods:
Hard Boiled Eggs
Nuts
Fruit
I have gotten into eating applegate farms lunch meat
A lot of people make home made jerky

Quick breakfasts- smoothies, eggs cook up in no time, precook bacon, leftovers, skip it, bullet proof coffee (do a search)
Don't snack, lunches -boiled eggs, salad with meat (assemble the night before), baggie with precooked meat and cut up veggies

[magicmerl]

Primal convenience foods:
Hard Boiled Eggs
Nuts
Fruit
I have gotten into eating applegate farms lunch meat
A lot of people make home made jerky

Quick breakfasts- smoothies, eggs cook up in no time, precook bacon, leftovers, skip it, bullet proof coffee (do a search)
Don't snack, lunches -boiled eggs, salad with meat (assemble the night before), baggie with precooked meat and cut up veggies

Exactly this.

Plus, I made sure that I ate fatty breakfasts, and in time I dropped lunch (along with nuts in general).

[SoccerGrok]

Don't fret not eating breakfast. As was said above, eat a big/good dinner, and it can suffice till lunch. Stay away from the bars!!!!! Have some jerkey, fry up some bacon(cook a bunch ahead of time) n eggs for breakfast, nuts(but not too many) Or eat leftovers. I often have days where i don't eat untill 4 or 5 in the evening, but im fine. Do what works for you, but stay away from the crap foods...Good luck. best

[camel]

When I have no time I do whey protein shake with some coconut oil blended in. I like xtreme whey chocolate flavor. Mark also sell a protein shake mix that you just add water.

[Mike in Virginia]

Welcome to the primal world.

I second what has been suggested about hard boiled eggs, and would add canned sardines for a change of pace. I also agree that breakfast is not necessary. Having plenty of good fats at dinner holds me over until lunch. Not sure what your goals are, but if weight loss is included, a small amount of nuts and/or seeds would be ok. Large amounts would definitely not be ok.

Which brings me to your question about whether there are any bars out there that are better than cliff bars. I am partial to Larabars. They have no additives, just fruit and nuts, occasionally with unsweetened cocoa powder thrown in. Again, if weight loss is one of your goals, they should be consumed judiciously. But they are as pure as anything I've seen on the grocery shelves.

[lorichka6]

Do you have time on weekends to cook? I'm back in school too and bring both breakfast and lunch 3-4 days a week. I have no appetite before 7:30 when I leave so that is why I have to bring breakfast too

For breakfast I make egg muffins and bring 3 each day with 2 oz of cheddar. I vary the batch I make each weekend.

For lunches I tend to make chicken drumsticks on the weekend and bring 2-3 each day (just make sure to pack a napkin!). I also cut up a few carrots and a chunk of jicama and a cucumber and bring that as a "side". I'll toss in a small baggie of almonds and maybe an apple too.

I pack my meals for school in the morning as I drink my coffee... 10 minutes tops.

Not exactly shakes or bars but if you can find 10 minutes to pack food it might be nice to eat real food