Choosing Healthy Foods

When life gets busy, whipping up a delicious, well balanced dinner that the whole family will enjoy can seem like a big task. Follow these tips from some of our Registered Dietitian Nutritionists to make dinner time more manageable. Plan and Prep Ahead: Spreading the work of meal prep to less hectic days can be a big time saver. CulinArt’s Director of Wellness, Kimberly Hoban, does just that. “When it comes to throwing together a quick, healthy dinner, I suggest taking a few hours on the weekend or one weeknight to prep and cook healthy ‘components.’ I like to roast a few types of veggies, cook some grains (barley and farro are my favorites) and prep one or two proteins like hardboiled eggs or tempeh. Then during the week, I can mix and match these pieces of a meal, add a dressing or avocado and have a complete healthy dinner in a snap.” Smart Time Savers: Weekdays don’t always lend themselves to spending a lot of time in the kitchen, but that doesn’t mean that the healthfulness of you...

Keep in mind that during finals, it is so very important to get enough sleep, fit in some form of physical activity, and make healthy food choices most of the time. Many people find that when they are stressed they eat more than planned. Well there might be a reason for that- based on a study from the University of Michigan- when levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) increase, people tend to eat more snack foods (specifically carbohydrate based foods). Something to consider: A healthy lifestyle can improve your focus and concentration, which can help you to be more efficient and can actually result in you completing your work in less time. Take breaks when you think you need them Too much stress can disrupt your efforts of being organized. Take a break when you think you need one! Even if it is taking a 10-minute walk or making a quick phone call to a friend. Avoid too much caffeine Caffeine may give you a quick boost- but don’t overdo it! If you drink too many caffeinated beverages...