Eating "healthy" is not easy, especially when you're interning away from home for the summer and have to fend for yourself. Just the thought of cooking substantial, edible meals can be daunting, let alone cooking a balanced meal that hits all the right nutritional groups.
Well friends, do not get caught up in all the details and start doubting your abilities to provide a healthy balanced meal for yourself this summer. If you want to do it, let me be the first to tell you that you can make that happen. Just follow these "5 M's" to help you prove to your mom that you can cook nutritional meals instead of popping a frozen pizza in the oven for the fourth day in a row or picking up Chic-fil-a on your way back from work.
Make a list.
Figure out what dishes you want to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for the whole week. Once you have these listed out, write down your grocery list so you can make sure you buy the right ingredients and the correct quantity.
Monitor the contents.
Not all food that's healthy has to taste gross to you. Find meals and snacks that you already enjoy eating but check the nutrition label on the healthier options to see where you can cut down on those fake sugar, fats, and sodium. Remember--the simpler the ingredients list the better!
Meal prep.
Now that you just adulted and brought all your groceries home, it's time to prep your meals for the week. I would not recommend meal prepping like the lady above, but instead portion out fruits you'll need for your smoothies, the veggies you'll need for your dinner tomorrow, and maybe even pre-make that chicken and avocado snack wrap the night before. Easy access means you have a higher chance of actually cooking and eating the ingredients you bought instead of pulling into your favorite drive through on your way home from work.
Make your meals.
Don't be afraid of failure. Unless you are a prodigy chef who could whip up a three course meal since the age of five, cooking well comes from experience. Experience will most likely include road blocks and failures, so you just need to learn what works and what doesn't.
Munch until your stomach, not your heart or your mind, is content.
EAAAAAAAT UP! This is my favorite "M" by far. Enjoy the healthy, clean food you're putting in your body, but know when your stomach is satisfied. Side effects may include a boost in energy, a delighted digestive system, and the urge to whip up a smoothie instead of a sundae.
