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You know you should be eating more whole foods, but it can be difficult to find the time to prepare meals that involve fresh produce and expensive to keep your refrigerator stocked with healthy ingredients. Nonetheless, it’s always possible for students to incorporate more whole foods into their diets. Here are a few tips to consider.

1. Start the Day with a Smoothie

If you struggle enough as it is to wake up early and arrive at your morning classes on time, there’s no chance you’ll be in the mood to prepare a full breakfast. Smoothies will provide you with a range of fruits for almost no effort — you can even prepare them the night before. Just throw any combination you like of frozen berries, banana, spinach, kale, and seeds into your blender. You can drink the smoothie at home or take it on the go if you’d prefer to sip it during your first class.

2. Eat Healthy, but Satiating, Snacks

Raw vegetables and fruit may seem like an obvious snack, but they’re often not enough to keep you feeling full, which can result in you turning to unhealthy foods to satisfy your appetite. A better option is to combine whole foods with protein and healthy fats. For instance, carrot sticks, celery, and peppers pair perfectly with guacamole and hummus, whereas peanut butter and sweet hummus are ideal for bananas, apples, strawberries, and cherries.

Alternatively, you could create a snack pack with some cheese, nuts, or jerky to go along with your fruits or vegetables.

3. Opt for Healthy Dishes When Eating Out

Whenever you’re eating in the dining hall or restaurant, choose meals with plenty of vegetables — even if something else is more appealing. In addition, choose a salad or roasted vegetables as a side instead of fries. Try to fill up as much as possible on whole foods before you turn to starchy foods and protein.

4. Choose Fruit for Dessert

Whenever you’re craving something sweet, reach for a piece of fruit rather than ice cream or cookies. Once you start eating, you’ll often find it’s much more enjoyable than a sugary dessert.

5. Set Eating Goals

You’re much more likely to succeed at including more whole foods in your diet if you increase your intake gradually. You could aim to eat a certain number of pieces of fruit a day and increase this number over time. You may like to begin by ensuring you have at least some vegetables in every meal and later increase to half a plate of (non-starchy) vegetables. It can also help to record what you eat to keep track of your progress.

It’s always easier to eat healthy meals if you have a proper kitchen at home where you can prepare a range of dishes. Foundry First offers London, Ontario, apartments for students, all of which come with spacious kitchens, complete with stainless steel appliances like a dishwasher and microwave. We have eight different floor plans to suit all budgets. Apply now to secure the type of room you want.