College Cravings

The theme of my blog is meant to focus on health, specifically healthy eating and habits, within the college environment.  From this theme, the target audience is a college-age cohort that is looking for healthy ideas and inspiration to appear on their regular social media platforms amongst the other posts that would show up on their home page.  For this reason, the Tumblr blog platform was selected, as tags and followings allow the blog or its posts to be located both by tags and by it showing up on a users Tumblr dashboard, or home page.  

The theme was selected to be modern, sleek, and simple, as to not distract away from the main content as they are longer than an average post length.  For this reason, the posts are also in one column on the blog’s main page.  The introductory post was also placed on a separate page as to not distant form the blog’s main content.  The color orange was selected as it often is associated with hunger and food; the hope is that the combination of the colors and the healthy subject matter would encourage the reader to make a healthy food choice if they are feeling hungry in that moment.  The modern and simple style also fits the minimalist style that many young college users on Tumblr enjoy, as to further encourage them to investigate the blog.

As an avid tea drinker for most of my life, I haven’t strayed very far from my basic black tea.  I’ve occasionally gone for a chai tea or green tea, but even those are in the same family of black teas. In the past, I haven't particularly enjoyed herbal teas such as chamomile or peppermint teas.  There’s just something so homey about a nice cup of black tea with cream and sugar, and I no herbal tea seemed like it could ever replace that perfect black tea flavor.

Unfortunately, the caffeine content in the black, green, and chai teas was not an idea characteristic for the teas to possess when I would consume them later in the evening.  As a result, the caffeine would keep me awake later at night that I would like to be, thus making me more tired the next day.  Since this has become more of an issue in college, I decided to give a new caffeine-free herbal tea a try: Honey Lavender by Yogi Teas.

I prepared the cup of tea as I would black tea, but omitted the cream.  I followed the instructions on the package as well, only brewing it for about 5 minutes total.  Upon smelling the cup of tea, it definitely smelled good (since I love the smell of lavender) and I was very excited to give it a try.  After taking a sip, I was immediately shocked by how delicious the tea was.  It was both sweet and aromatic, and definitely had a strong lavender essence.  For a caffeine-free herbal tea, I was honestly very impressed.  It had a more relaxed flavor, and wasn’t so intense that the flavor was overwhelming.  

Generally speaking, I did enjoy this tea very much and therefore I plan to repurchase it in the future.  It is so far the only herbal tea I like enough to drink on a regular basis.  However, when compared to my usual black tea, it would still come in second place.  As it is an herbal tea that milk shouldn't be added to, it lacks the creaminess that I love about my black teas.  Despite this, it definitely serves its purpose as a caffeine-free tea that solves the problem I often encounter from drinking caffeinated teas too close to bedtime.

How to Make  A Proper Irish Cuppa Tea

Instead of going straight for coffee or energy drinks during busy times at school, I always like to drink a hot cup of Irish Breakfast tea (or just regular black tea) instead. I have drinking tea for years, and it has never failed me! It is loaded with antioxidants, and also gives a nice caffeine boost.  It has slightly less caffeine than a cup of coffee, and comes in a variety of different flavors made by many different brands.  Some of my favorites are Yorkshire, Twinings, Thompson’s, and Barry’s.  

If you would like to learn how to make proper cuppa to keep you fueled for your next exam or study session, see the video above and read the instructions below.  If you start feeling more adventurous, see if you can find a local tea shop nearby; they may have some fabulous black tea varieties to try that can help you switch up your routine.  

Irish Breakfast Tea — (serves 1)

Irish Breakfast Tea is a great way to wake up in the morning, and complements most breakfast options.  If you don’t have Irish Breakfast Tea on hand, feel free to use any black tea bag that you have on hand.  

Ingredients:

1 Irish Breakfast Bag

1 Cup Boiling Water

Sugar, to taste

Whole Milk, to taste

Place tea bag in a mug or teacup.

Add boiling water until the mug is full, leaving room for milk to be added later.

Let tea bag steep in the hot water for 3-5 minutes (3 minutes for a weak cup, 5 minutes for a strong cup).

Remove tea bag and throw away.

For most university students, it’s time for—drumroll—Finals Week!  For most students, finals weeks are probably the worst weeks of their entire life (no exaggeration).  All nighters, stress, and long exams plague nearly every moment of the week.  Unfortunately, what often accompanies these weeks is constant snacking on processed foods and unhealthy meals.  Fries, energy drinks, and candy become commonplace.  They’re easy to grab, and they keep your energy up for a little while.  However, eating like this for will often lead to either a sugar or caffeine crash at some point, which is hardly conducive to productive study sessions.  

To combat these tendencies and to keep you on your A-game for exams, consider a few of the snacks below instead of reaching for another bag of chips.  At my university, all of these snacks can be found on campus, either in the dining hall or in the nearby convenience shops.  Most of these snack ideas are portable and small, and can be made almost anywhere (with a little creativity).  Many can also be eaten for breakfast if time is short, as well.  

Whole Fruits or Berries (apples, bananas, oranges, pears, plums, strawberries, blueberries)

Mini Oatmeal Cups (just add hot water or milk)

Individual Yogurt Cups

Nutritious Dry Cereal (such as Oatmeal Squares or Museli) placed in a ziplock baggie

Cheese and Whole Wheat Crackers

Granola Bars (such as Rx Bars, Clif Bars)

Whole Wheat Bagel with Cream Cheese

Milk Bottles

Peanut Butter on Wheat Bread

Frozen Yogurt (if you’re craving ice cream)

Handful of nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, and cashews are favorites)  

Dark Chocolate pieces

Feel free to create other snacks, as this list is obviously not exhaustive.  Ideally, for a snack to really be both filling and nutritious, it should contain at least a fruit and/or some type of protein.  The protein could be from nuts or some animal product (milk, meat, etc).  Also, avoid drinks that are extremely high in caffeine and sugar, as these can also lead to crashes.  Opt for black coffee or tea, or at least limit the amount of sugar and cream you add.  Avoid too many cups of either, as too much caffeine won’t be helpful in the long run.  In general, even though a few energy drinks won’t be detrimental, don’t rely on them—they have a lot of caffeine and sugar, and lack most of the benefits that coffee and tea have.  Regardless of your caffeine choice, be sure to drink lots of water all day and during exams.

If you follow some of these tips and snack ideas, you can be a few steps closer to a (slightly) less stressful finals week! With a little bit of preparation and paying more close attention to health, better performance on exams can be expected.

This past week hasn’t been the healthiest for me—I’ve been going to the convenience shop and buying ice cream, getting dessert at the dining halls, and buying bags of Swedish Fish whenever I go to Target.  Even though this hasn’t been a good week in regards to maintaining a healthy college diet, it is a chance to reflect, make changes, and realize that everyone, no matter how focused, has an “off week.”

When it comes to keeping healthy in college, it is certainly a challenge.  With all the distractions, stress, and social events taking place constantly while on campus, it is no surprise that unhealthy foods are commonplace.  However, eating healthy is not impossible; many college students do it successfully for years (even with dining hall food). Further, this blog and other accounts on social media platforms encourage and provide motivation for healthy eating daily.  Regardless, it must be remembered that everyone has days—or even weeks—when they’re off their game.  It could be around finals week, or simply any random time in the semester when that brownie just looks “too good.”

What is important is that an “off week” does not translate into a feeling of failure or of “giving up.” Instead, it must be viewed as an opportunity to make positive changes.  Once it is realized that a change needs to be made, actually making one can be an easy next step.  First, begin by analyzing why the change occurred in the first place (if possible)—was it stress, an exam, or a relationship issue? When the causes are targeted, see if there is another way to channel the related behavior, such as by going to the gym.  Secondly, begin thinking about your food choices by keeping track in an app such as MyFitnessPal.  This allows you to fully realize what your choices are, how you’re behaving, and what foods you are gravitating to.  Finally, take all of these realizations, reflections, and/or data and begin to get right back on track!

When the weekends roll around, all I want to do is sleep in.  But when the time comes, I know I want to wake up and make a good, refreshing, and well-rounded breakfast.  After going years of just eating raw fruit with my breakfast, I had honestly overlooked smoothies—they were always too heavy for me, and I could never finish them.  Also, I found that most smoothies that had anything more than fruit in them were just disgusting—who wants to eat vegetables for breakfast, after all?

When I went to Panera one day, however, my perceptions on the tastiness of a vegetable and fruit smoothie completely changed.  Since I was feeling adventurous, I gave the Carrot-Pineapple Smooth a try—and I absolutely loved it.  It wasn’t too heavy as it contained no dairy, but was able to combine both fruits and vegetables in a delicious and refreshing way.  The second I got home, I began to make my own version of the Panera smoothie, and ended up adapting from a Food Network recipe.  Since then, I have made this smoothie every weekend for breakfast with some eggs on sourdough bread.  The combination truly makes for a filling and satisfying weekend breakfast, complete with vegetables that can’t even be tasted!

Since this smoothie requires few ingredients, it is easy to keep a college fridge stocked at all times.  Even without a kitchen, this smoothie is also doable in a  dorm room—all one needs is a small NutriBullet or Fruit Ninja blender (though it may make some noise).  The recipe below provides my adaptation of this delicious smoothie!

My experience with this new smoothie has encouraged me to give smoothies another try, since they are really a great way in which I can get fruits and vegetables in a new way. I also have room to experiment and try new things with what I have in my kitchen when I make smoothies—who knows when a new concoction will be created that becomes the next best smoothie!

Carrot-Pineapple Smoothie — (serves 2)

This smoothie is a great way to get fruits and vegetables in one glass, and is a perfect way to start a morning or curb any sweet-tooth cravings.

Ingredients:

1 cup orange juice

1 banana

1 1/2 cup pineapple (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup carrot

1 cup ice

Orange slivers (garnish)

Place all ingredients in a blender.

Blend until smooth.

When it comes to a college morning, time is valuable.  Every extra minute of sleep is crucial, and no one wants to wake up earlier than they have to.  Needless to say, making breakfast can seem like a chore, and I know many students who don’t have time to make breakfast at all.  Though avoiding breakfast may seem like the easiest way to get a few extra minutes of sleep, it can seriously affect academic performance.  

So, if there’s no time in the morning to prepare a good breakfast or make a run to the dining hall, why not whip something up the night before?  One of the quickest and easiest breakfasts that can be made the night before are “Overnight Oats.” They are highly customizable, healthy, and minimally processed (depending on the toppings).  The best part? They are ready immediately when you wake up in the morning with absolutely no additional preparation required.  No microwave necessary!

When I make my overnight oats, I like to add different fruits, nuts, and toppings in order to create different flavors.  It is easy to experiment and find new liquids, oats, and toppings to create new flavors and combinations that you find appealing. To make some overnight oats, follow the basic recipe listed below and then add any and all toppings that you desire (or have leftover in your fridge).  This is one of my favorite things to make in college, especially during finals week.

Overnight Oats--(serves 1)

This version of oatmeal is a better alternative to packaged and processed cereal, and has been a favorite of mine since starting college. It allows for a lot of customization, so feel free to add any toppings that you’d like.  This oatmeal can also easily be made vegan by selecting the proper liquid.  Though it often works for hot oatmeal, water is not recommended to be used in this recipe as a liquid.  

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of raw rolled oats

1 cup liquid of choice (dairy milk, almond milk, or coconut milk)

2-3 toppings (ideas include: 1/4 cup fresh or frozen fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries, 1 sliced banana, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 1 tablespoon honey, 1/8 cup nuts, or 1/8 cup chocolate chips)

Add rolled oats and liquid of choice into a container with a lid and stir until combined.

Add toppings as desired and stir.

Place closed container in fridge overnight, allowing to sit for at least 6 hours.

After eating at the dining hall for weeks straight, I can promise that there is nothing more exciting than going out to eat—especially when its for pizza!  By my university and many others, the go-to place for pizza is definitely Blaze.  This restaurant is often described as a pizza-version of Chipotle or Subway, where you build your pizza from start to finish and pick all the ingredients along the way.  For this reason, willpower really comes in handy when trying to maintain a healthy diet in the college scene—its so easy to pick the unhealthy toppings and turn a potentially well-balanced pizza into a major grease bomb.  

When walking into Blaze, this power of choice is immediately made apparent.  After waiting in a decently-long line (since it is often a busy spot), one is faced with a series of choices when it comes to building their pizza from the cheese to the sauce.  Generally speaking, all of these choices can be to one’s own liking; one type is not much better than the other.  Then, the toppings are selected.  The types of topping range from vegetables, meats, seasonings, pestos, sauces, and fruits.  To get the healthiest, it is best to reach for all the vegetables and fruits that would taste good together, and then add a few of the lower-calorie meats, avoiding the greasy and fattening meats such as the sausage.  Seasonings are also great to be added to one’s liking, as well as the sauces and pestos (provided they’re not applied too heavily).   All in all, making healthy selections that focus on vegetables, fruits, and healthy meats are keys to ensuring that one chooses the perfect pizza.  If one is ever unsure of the health of a potential pizza element, the calorie counts are all provided on each topping, sauce, or dough label.

Once all the toppings are selected, the pizza is fired for about two minutes and then boxed up (if it’s to-go) or placed on a pizza tray.  If eating in, the vibe of the restaurant is very hip and relaxed—it features barstools, wooden tables, and benches that allow for groups to gather or for individuals to gaze out at traffic as they enjoy their pizza.  The pine tables are contrasted by the dark red and orange walls, and the current music allows an innovative and modern ambience to be fostered.  

As for the pricing, it fits a college budget well for a treat, but not daily occasion—each “build-your-own” pizza costs about nine dollars, not including a drink or dessert. Since no pizza at Blaze will ever be really considered to be “ super healthy,” this serves as a great method of control, since the prices are not so low that one would feel tempted to indulge too often!

Since my first visit to my most recent, Blaze is still one of my favorite places to visit when I feel like getting away from the dining hall and having some “real” food.  I can make a healthier pizza full of vegetables and seasonings, and still feel like I am indulging and having something special. I would recommend Blaze to anyone who loves pizza—which is nearly every college student, I’d assume.

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