Meal ideas to help you get through this school year

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BREAKFAST

Oatmeal

For a quick and filling breakfast, oatmeal is a nutrient dense breakfast that is high in fibre and carbohydrates. For the fastest and easiest option, buy instant oats that just require adding some milk or water and nuking it in the microwave for a few minutes.

Fruit

Fruit is a quick pick-me- up and portable snack. You can cut up some fruit and make a fruit salad. Some recommended breakfast fruits include bananas, blueberries, raspberries and avocados which provide sources of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Eggs

Eggs are a versatile food. The options are endless to make such as omelettes, poached, scrambled and boiled among others. Eggs are a good source of protein, fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients that promote heart health.

Breakfast sandwich

Buying a breakfast sandwich each morning can get expensive, but making your own is a different story. All you need to do is buy a package of English muffins or bagels and fillings of your choice such as eggs, cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon, etc. This way you can make one the night before, put it in the fridge and heat it up the next morning.

Smoothies

Smoothies are a great way to pack a bunch of fruit into one meal. Assorted frozen fruit can be blended with almond milk, yogurt or juice. You can even add in some protein powder for an extra boost.

LUNCH

Lunches can often be prepped the week before in large batches. Some ideas include salad and soups. Another thing that has become popular is Bento Box lunch boxes. It can be fun to fill each compartment of the box with an assortment of snacks.

Salad

Salads are easy to make and lettuce is packed with iron, dietary fibre, calcium and other vitamins and minerals. There are many salad variations you can make with different veggies and salad dressings. You can also add some protein such as chicken, salmon or beans. Chickpeas act as a good crouton substitute when baked in the oven with some olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper.

Pasta

Pasta is inexpensive for the amount of food you get. All it requires is for you to boil up some water and throw in the pasta for about 10 minutes. There are also many different types of cold pasta salads you can make large batches of, refrigerate and take for the rest of the week.

Quinoa

Quinoa is another grain/seed that is very healthy for you and is great to make salads with. The Interrobang recommends cooking the quinoa in vegetable or chicken broth as oppose to water for maximum flavour.

Soup

Soup is an easy thing to put in a thermos in the morning before you go to school. If you have the time you could also make your own by boiling some vegetables until they are soft, blending them and adding other spices according to a recipe of your choice.

Sandwiches

Sandwiches are one of the most basic lunch foods to make. If you want to add a bit of excitement to yours, try putting on different condiments such as mustard or hummus and add in some salad or avocado with your protein. For a healthier bread option choose rye or whole wheat bread.

DINNER

Crock pot meals are a convenient way to make healthy and hearty meals. Investing in a crock pot is a smart way to save time cooking meals during the school year. It is recommended to prep your meals either the night before or the morning of. It will be worth it when you come home after a long day to a cooked meal with virtually no effort. In case you need a quick meal to make the night of, here are some ideas.

Stir-fry

If you need a quick dinner idea, one of the easiest things to make is stir-fry. Easily throw in all your leftover veggies and meat from the fridge that you need to finish up. All you need is a complimentary sauce or you can make your own, just pair with rice or noodles and you’re set to go. Chilli

If you need something hearty and healthy to warm you up in the colder months, chilli is the way to go. It can be paired with rice or bread as a side dish.

Quiche

Quiche is a fast dinner to make that can be paired with a salad. It can also serve as a breakfast or lunch item. All you need is a crust base, eggs, milk, cheese and any other ingredients you would like inside such as onion, bacon, etc.

Stuffed peppers

If you need another recipe to use up your leftover rice and veggies this is a good option. All you need to do is cut off the top of a bell pepper, cook it for 30 to 40 minutes and add in your favourite fillings.

Baked potato

Baked potatoes are filling and you can make it your own depending on what you put with it. Suggested toppings include but are not limited to a tuna salad, brown beans and cheese, sour cream and chives, just butter, or anything your heart so desires.