Lunch of champions

I know better, I really do. I've taken Human Nutrition courses, read plenty of legit nutrition scoop and even hired a personal trainer earlier this year to help contribute to my health quest. I've experienced first hand how much better I feel overall when I'm eating like a health rockstar. Being an athlete, I know the importance of fueling my body. I know what efficiently fuels my body and what's just fluff. I know my jazz.

But sometimes I don't do so hot, and this time the budget is the culprit.

A tricky budget is nothing new in my world, but I always figure it out one way or the other. I'm not always the wisest of consumers and I waste money on things that I convince myself I will die without, which then takes those funds from more important things or goals. One of the bigger goals being returning to student status in the fall and finishing my dance degree next spring (I took this last year off due to finances, for those readers new around here). I'm so close, only two semesters to go!

I've been chipping away at some hefty past-due tuition at the university over the last year and now that I'm down to the wire - two months until fall semester! - I'm in full-on penny-pinching mode. If I had forced myself into said mode months ago this wouldn't be so critical now, but c'est la vie. Long story short, I'm cutting corners and food is one of them... which means three days this week so far I've eaten cup o' noodles for lunch. Ah yes, so nutritious.

I know, I know... you don't need to tell me. But to help give myself some peace of mind, I give my cup o' noodles some oomph with half a tuna or egg salad sandwich (eggs and canned tuna are great cheap protein options, P.S.) and whatever fresh veggies were on sale that day at the grocery store. I keep snacks simple with more veggies and/or fruit and a protein such as yogurt or cheese. And Homeboy has saved the day by feeding me substantial meals for dinner.

I know I can do better than this. I know it's possible to eat on the cheap without sacrificing all nutritional heft. It simply a matter of getting creative and disciplining myself to meal prep better than I have over the last several months. And although I may know my jazz, I don't doubt that there are ideas and tips you all might have that are new and fresh to me... so please send your own healthy-but-cheap strategies my way!

Bon appetit!

xoxo
J