Soybean Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Hi. I know this may be a silly question but what do you current students eat while in school? I currently live by myself and my place has no stove. Our PA building is off campus and has no cafeteria, and there is no point in dorming or investing in a meal plan either, so people usually bring food from home or buy food. I've been eating out for lunch and dinner for the last semester and am still doing it this semester, it's getting really costly and unhealthy. So I am just wondering if anyone has any advice. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UGoLong Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 You could get a small fridge and microwave. Then you could get a cookbook about healthy microwaved food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorge Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I was in a similar situation when I was in PA school. I mostly stuck with chik-fil-a for lunch and ordered the grilled chicken sandwich with a fruit cup instead of fries. Also working out a few times a week helped balance things out. It takes some willpower to order the healthy thing on the menu though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmdpac Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Do you have a refrigerator and/or freezer? Get a crock pot. There are a ton of easy crock pot recipes out there. Pick some that sound good to you. Take a couple minutes in the morning on a weekend to throw some stuff in, turn it on and let it cook. You can divide it into smaller portions to take for lunch/dinner and either freeze or refrigerate for later. That way you have food for up to a week at a time (depending on what you cook and how you cook it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnConner Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Do you have a refrigerator and/or freezer? Get a crock pot. There are a ton of easy crock pot recipes out there. Pick some that sound good to you. Take a couple minutes in the morning on a weekend to throw some stuff in, turn it on and let it cook. You can divide it into smaller portions to take for lunch/dinner and either freeze or refrigerate for later. That way you have food for up to a week at a time (depending on what you cook and how you cook it). Solid advice. I throw some meat, potatoes and seasoning in and BAM I'm good to go for the new few days. If you need some ideas, just google "cheap crockpot meals". There's a ton on the web. My first semester I ate out wayyy too much but I've since toned that down with the crockpot. Also, you can't go wrong with PBJs. I probaly do a PBJ with some fruit and yogurt as least a couple of times a week. For breakfast, its usually a protein bar and my coffee. I have a keurig that really comes in handy for as well. At this point in my didactic year, I just see food as sustinace to get me through the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kem2127 Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Agree with the crock pot, esp if you can get one with a timer. Other good tips, a rice cooker/food steamer with a time delay like this: Aroma Rice Cooker and a 3 in 1 breakfast unit for coffee, baking and griddle . I hyperlinked both of those, but really you can set the crockpot and the rice cooker/steamer delayed time to be ready when you get home up to 15 hours later. And you can prep everything for breakfast the night before and have hot oatmeal and coffee ready before you are even out of the shower. It's not only cost effective but huge time savers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Goose Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 +1 to the crock-pot suggestions. Also (assuming you have a refrigerator/freezer): Make a week's worth of salad at once. Spinach (if not torn/cut) and romaine lettuce seem to last the longest. Carrots, red onions, and bell peppers keep well; cucumbers don't. Using a mandolin slicer makes dicing extremely fast. Get a George Foreman type grill. They're cheap, easy to use and clean. No-bake granola balls. They're good mashed up with yogurt. http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/08/no-bake-healthy-granola-bites.html Sliced vegetables and hummus (more filling than traditional dip). You may have to invest in an insulated lunch box and cold pack; it's not the worst thing in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike mike Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I live on PB&J and trail mix. Cheap and quick. I will probably never want another PB&J when I'm done with school as I have had that for lunch nearly every day of didactic and clinical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinntsp Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 You need three things: 1. Crock pot 2. Induction cooktop burner 3. Foreman grill Now you can cook anything you want and keep in healthy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soybean Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 Thanks all for the crockpot advice I'll definitely consider it, especially for clinical year. Any other suggestions are welcome! And thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHU-CH Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Costco has frozen grilled chicken strips that are pretty good. I used to throw them in a tupperware with salad and they would be thawed out for lunch. With the supplies people mentioned above you should be able to do anything except bake something. If you get an induction cooktop, make sure you get the right kind of pans to go with it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktcan10 Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Ad nauseum, but the Crockpot holds the power of the universe. Although I haven't officially started PA school yet, I've been working a busy 24-hour shift schedule and going to class, and I've managed to maintain something very close to paleo in my diet with the help of my beloved Crockpot. I also do a lot of veggie cook ups, where I steam or bake vegetables in large quantities and then keep them in the fridge for the week. That way, a simple salad or vegetable toss is never far away, and it helps take away that "I'm too tired to cook" excuse that I've used many, many times before. Well Fed: Paleo for People Who Like To Eat (found on Amazon), although paleo (and that might not be your style), has some great ideas on how to mix up the same base foods (simple grilled chicken, other meat, steamed vegetables) into something she calls "hot plates" with a variety of spices that really set them apart from each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamalamXO Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I commute over an hour and need to stick to foods that require no refrigeration...so my snacks and lunch consist of almonds, a fruit, peanut butter on a whole wheat wrap, and protein or fiber one bars. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackjacks Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Breakfasts 1. greek yogurt with fruit and high-fiber cereal mixed in 2. microwaved eggs (crack into bowl and microwave, either scrambled or not) with anything you want to add in like veggies or cheese. Can also make toast and turn the egg into a breakfast sandwich 3. protein shakes with fruits/spinach/kale and a liquid and protein powder made in a blender Lunch giant salad (like an entire head of romaine or bag of spinach) with whatever toppings. nuts, cheese, chopped up lunch meat, beans, lentils, sprouts get creative with different varieties of cheese such as goat, brie, gouda, blue, cheddar and fruits/dried fruits/avocado on top +/- things like the precooked bags of chicken strips from stores broccoli with cheese in the microwave. almost any veggie is good nuked and spiced like brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots…these are also all good with dinner Dinner cheeses, crackers, meats to make a charcuterie plate sandwiches/wrap sandwiches, carrots and dip, more eggs/protein shakes for dinner nacho dinners by putting chips, cheese, salsa, veggies in the microwave low-sodium canned soups…make 'em healthier/more filling by adding beans/lentils and cheese/lunchmeats/veggies Snacks nuts, cliff bars, fruits, ice cream if you have a freezer …I have been eating basically the above plus meals out with friends ever since graduating college. It's too much hassle to cook for one, especially with the time constraints of PA school. Hope it gives you some ideas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAchick Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Get disposable crockpot liners, too! They run about $0.50 apiece and save you some hassle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyw3 Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 I am 'just' a pre-nursing student right now with the goal of becoming a possible PA, but our basic nutrition textbook even recommends pb&j! The peanut butter gets constipating, though, for some of us. I also buy the prepackaged lettuce or greens and have that . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maynard Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 I live in a similar situation and am able to stay on a pretty healthy diet using the aforementioned tools (crockpot, microwave, and plug-in stovetop burner). The plug-in stovetop burner I have is very slow, but I cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil and it works fine. Also don't forget about nuts. Some are very cheap for the number of calories you get. Combine some peanuts with fruit and you have a healthy, no-prep meal with a good macronutrient balance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyfall Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I cook enough for the whole week and pack everything up. Usually I make a hearty soup or oatmeal with fruit/flaxseed for breakfast. A rice or pasta dish for lunch. Pineapple for snacking. Only $3 for a big fruit. Sometimes-okay...often RAMEN for dinner! My classmates, all athletic and pretty, eat salads, fruits and a small bit of protein. They also snack on a bunch of veggies with hummus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAruby Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I had a full kitchen during PA school and had no time to cook. So despite my full kitchen, I stuck with:1. microwave 2. foreman grill 3. Crockpot (hallelujah whoever invented these) 4. electric kettle (you might prefer a coffee pot, I do tea) To keep it healthy, I'd choose one day a week and cook a bunch. (if you're sick of hte same old things you could ask a classmate to borrow their kitchen), and put it into tupperware so it was ready to go. I'm lazy when I'm super busy, so if it was all ready to go I'd stick to my healthy options rather than running for fast food :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjm7 Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Just take the time to make healthy meals and exercise. You can't, nor should you, work non-stop during PA school. Let cooking and working out be some of your moments of calm and sanity. Has worked for me throughout my didactic year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 19, 2014 Moderator Share Posted April 19, 2014 wait, top ramen and hamburger helper aren't the ideal diet? that's mostly what I ate in PA school.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoRyou Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 One thing is for certain, skip the empty and liquid calories. Cokes may give you an energy boost, but you are better off with real calories from a piece of fruit, a sandwich and some coffee or tea. The half-life of caffeine is about 5 hours. Napping will improve studying more than caffeine. I know it seems easier to just keep studying and drink the coffee, but there are data that suggest you’ll do better if you take a nap. Good nutrition is key to wellness and stress management is key. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinntsp Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I know it seems easier to just keep studying and drink the coffee, but there are data that suggest you’ll do better if you take a nap. Or better yet...combine them! http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23829154 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S Brake Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 I've got a pack-it freezer bag that I can throw some food in and it will stay cold for ~8 hours. It takes a way a lot of temptation to buy some fast food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PA-S LP Posted February 7, 2016 Share Posted February 7, 2016 Hey guys, I was also wondering about healthy alternatives while in PA school without having a kitchen available and I am now considering a crockpot to put in my room that i'm renting right now. Any specific crockpots that you would recommend or that I should avoid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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