Quick meals for (extremely) busy pre-meds

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CupcakeMD

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Hey everyone,

Diet-wise, how do you get by on a really, extremely busy schedule? I'm looking for anything filling, semi-healthy, and able to eat in class. This upcoming quarter, my schedule is like this:

9-12pm - tutor/work
12-3pm - class
3-6pm - research

I plan to eat breakfast, but I don't have a break for lunch. I can't eat while I tutor or research, so I'll need to eat in class. 🙁 I was wondering if anyone has gone through this before, and what did you eat to get by?

So far I've thought of:

1) Sandwich + apple slices
2) Cold pasta



Any suggestions are welcomed! Thanks so much!!

-starving pre-med
 
Last edited:
CupcakeMD said:
Hey everyone,

Diet-wise, how do you get by on a really, extremely busy schedule? I'm looking for anything filling, semi-healthy, and able to eat in class. This upcoming quarter, my schedule is like this:

9-12pm - tutor/work
12-3pm - class
3-6pm - research

I plan to eat breakfast, but I don't have a break for lunch. I can't eat while I tutor or research, so I'll need to eat in class. 🙁 I was wondering if anyone has gone through this before, and what did you eat to get by?

So far I've thought of:

1) Sandwich + apple slices
2) Cold pasta



Any suggestions are welcomed! Thanks so much!!

-starving pre-med
Click to expand...

you can do falafel inside pita. or really, anything inside pita. you can bring a little presliced platter of cheese with crackers and fruit. do a lot of snacks and fruits. but do interesting fruits so you don't get bored - dates, starfruit, etc. You can prepare salads and then just buy those little dressing packs. Any kind of power bar. Dried fruit bags. Nuts.
 
Yeah, granola bars, power bars, fruit bars, chocolate bars, candy bars, and anything bars is pretty compact and plus, they taste good.👍
 
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Cheez-its, granola bars, celery, cheese cubes, yogurt.

When you get breakfast, get the biggest thing of coffee that is an appetite suppressant.

So are cigarettes. (I do not recommend these, but I can't tell you they don't work).

Protein bars, mix granola into yogurt, rice cakes, cold pizza, pretzels, nutri-grain bars, pop-tarts.

I'm sorry none of these things are super filling, cold cut sandwiches maybe? I just suggest going to like Taco Bell and getting like quesadillas or something, then eat them cold in class the next morning. Thats if you want something filling and don't mind sacrificing some of your healthiness. Just some ideas though.
 
Eat everything whats good, just please please please dont eat smelly food in class. I hate when my classmates do it.
 
I would stay away from anything that makes a lot of noise when eating like celery and carrots. Even thou the teacher probable will not hear you the person setting next to you might be annoyed. I usually take a sandwich and some dry honey nut cheerios.
 
Clear out your freezer. Pick one day a month to cook where you don't really have anything better to do. Pick 9-12 recipes (some that you really like and want to double or triple). Print out a big grocery list, go shopping 2-3 days before you cook, and then spend 1 day cooking. Put individual servings in freezer bags, LABEL them (V. important), close freezer door.

You are now done with cooking for the month.

It's not as bad as it sounds, because everything takes less time when you're doing it all at once (i.e. doing all the chopping at once, then all the stirfrying while having some black bean burgers in the oven, etc.) I can do my once a month cooking in about 7 hours and be good to go for a month. Just google 'once a month cooking' or 'freezer cooking'.
 
I advice you not to hurry when you eat.If you eat eat healthy.

Why eating healthy is good?

A prof. i know he was in his 60s. He had 2-3 appointments with Doctor per day( he does not live in US, doctors are not expensive there) And he was all on medications. One day fellow of his advised him to stop eating junk, and live healthy life style. So he did, after a year he was completely young and fresh.
The trip they made to country side, the students with professors climbed to the mountain. The only 2 people who reached the top was this prof. and another athlete.

So he started at hid 60s, and had become like a young. So imagine if he would have started at his 18s.
------------

I always tend to hurry, i walk very fast. Sometimes, i see that the things are screwed. I say to myself "F*** everyone else, I love and respect myself more than all the rest taken together and i stop hurrying. I come to class/work last, and most of the times it works out for me.
 
marele86 said:
Clear out your freezer. Pick one day a month to cook where you don't really have anything better to do. Pick 9-12 recipes (some that you really like and want to double or triple). Print out a big grocery list, go shopping 2-3 days before you cook, and then spend 1 day cooking. Put individual servings in freezer bags, LABEL them (V. important), close freezer door.
Click to expand...

Not as important as labelling?! 😱



I think I shall try this when I go to med school!
 
Compass said:
Not as important as labelling?! 😱



I think I shall try this when I go to med school!
Click to expand...

i do a smaller scale, weekly version of this, involving the fridge instead of the freezer 🙂 sunday evening is my cooking time. i highly recommend something regular like this 👍
 
ramen + cup

joking thats nasty and so unhealthy

umm, cold cuts, canned tuna, whole wheat bread, tomatoes, lettuce, usually eat 2 sandwiches for lunch, a bowl of cereal or an egg for breakfast, clif bars or powerbars for snacks, boneless chicken breast or salmon for dinner.
 
Ramen is death if you eat it daily. And it's certainly not easy to carry around, also salty as all get-out. Yogurt is not. Unfortunately, I have lactose intolerance so I occasionally go odd.
 
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Thanks everyone! They seem to be all great suggestions, and I'm going to make a list of all your suggestions.

marele86 said:
Clear out your freezer. Pick one day a month to cook where you don't really have anything better to do. Pick 9-12 recipes (some that you really like and want to double or triple). Print out a big grocery list, go shopping 2-3 days before you cook, and then spend 1 day cooking. Put individual servings in freezer bags, LABEL them (V. important), close freezer door.

You are now done with cooking for the month.

It's not as bad as it sounds, because everything takes less time when you're doing it all at once (i.e. doing all the chopping at once, then all the stirfrying while having some black bean burgers in the oven, etc.) I can do my once a month cooking in about 7 hours and be good to go for a month. Just google 'once a month cooking' or 'freezer cooking'.
Click to expand...

Wow this is brilliant. I'll give it a try.

Yudid said:
just please please please dont eat smelly food in class. I hate when my classmates do it.
Click to expand...

Haha same here. I'll try to stay away from smelly food. 😛
 
you could also get a crock pot- i use my roommate's all the time, and whatever i make lasts all week. if you want really easy recipes, google 5 ingredient crock pot. def don't eat too much processed stuff0 look out for high fructose corn syrup- it is in EVERYTHING. in terms of eating class- i love challah and peanut butter, yogurt, grapes with string cheese and crackers...
 
Odwalla bars are excellent. When I didn't have lunch breaks I would pack an odwalla bar, some deli meat and some fruit. Healthy and fairly filling.
 
Stock up on your favorite kind of nuts (I prefer almonds) and Cliff Bars and eat them while you walk between class. If you elect to eat in class, for the love of god avoid noisy food like chips/granola/etc. Take something like orange slices or a banana.
 
protein powder (~30 g) funneled into a 0.5 L bottle, add water, shake/dissolve, add more water to fill.
around 25 g of protein, 110 kcal
maybe that and some carbohydrate with a low glycemic index (e.g. oatmeal)
 
When i have busy schedule i usually eat diff. snacks, crackers, yogurt + coffee, i am a starbucks addict...
 
Didn't you ever have pack lunches as a child? The same principal applies. That being said, I always found a thermos of soup to be a satisfying lunch when I was on the run. I liked homemade chicken rice, but you can pick your poison.
 
Breakfast:
banana, crunchy peanut butter sandwish or blueberry bagel, cup of cereal with a cup of milk, two egg whites, and 2 pieces of bacon, apple juice. 10 minutes.

Lunch: tuna sandwich (whole small can, romaine lettuce, raw sweet onion, slice of cheese, whole grain bread), green apple, cup of mixed vegetable, serving of basil wheat things, orange juice. 10 minutes.

Dinner: serving of hot pasta (angel hair), extra virgin olive oil, two roma tomatoes, cup of broccoli, cup of spinach, 1/4 cup of walnuts, half an avacado, half cup of garbanzo beans, and cranberry juice. 20 minutes.

~$300/month.
 
ILikeDrugs said:
Breakfast:
banana, crunchy peanut butter sandwish or blueberry bagel, cup of cereal with a cup of milk, two egg whites, and 2 pieces of bacon, apple juice. 10 minutes.

Lunch: tuna sandwich (whole small can, romaine lettuce, raw sweet onion, slice of cheese, whole grain bread), green apple, cup of mixed vegetable, serving of basil wheat things, orange juice. 10 minutes.

Dinner: serving of hot pasta (angel hair), extra virgin olive oil, two roma tomatoes, cup of broccoli, cup of spinach, 1/4 cup of walnuts, half an avacado, half cup of garbanzo beans, and cranberry juice. 20 minutes.

~$300/month.
Click to expand...

dang, you eat fast, man.
 
marele86 said:
Clear out your freezer. Pick one day a month to cook where you don't really have anything better to do. Pick 9-12 recipes (some that you really like and want to double or triple). Print out a big grocery list, go shopping 2-3 days before you cook, and then spend 1 day cooking. Put individual servings in freezer bags, LABEL them (V. important), close freezer door.

You are now done with cooking for the month.

It's not as bad as it sounds, because everything takes less time when you're doing it all at once (i.e. doing all the chopping at once, then all the stirfrying while having some black bean burgers in the oven, etc.) I can do my once a month cooking in about 7 hours and be good to go for a month. Just google 'once a month cooking' or 'freezer cooking'.
Click to expand...

I know this sounds like a pretty stupid question but does this work for pasta/spaghetti, rice, mashed potatoes? The thought of sticking that kind of stuff in the freezer for a long time scares me, especially since there wouldn't be any preservatives, unlike TV dinners. And does it taste even a little funny (leftover taste, not rotten food taste)?

My food is always fresh (or left in fridge for a day max) or TV-dinner type food, heh.
 
oyoy said:
protein powder (~30 g) funneled into a 0.5 L bottle, add water, shake/dissolve, add more water to fill.
around 25 g of protein, 110 kcal
maybe that and some carbohydrate with a low glycemic index (e.g. oatmeal)
Click to expand...
Protein shake? But I'm a girl... :laugh: Thanks though.

amakhosidlo said:
I eat all my food in bar form.

Maximum efficiency.
Click to expand...

I don't like bars, but I think I might have to resort to that this quarter. lol

ThaliaNox said:
Didn't you ever have pack lunches as a child?
Click to expand...

No.. only school lunches hahah. But thanks

ILikeDrugs said:
Breakfast:
banana, crunchy peanut butter sandwish or blueberry bagel, cup of cereal with a cup of milk, two egg whites, and 2 pieces of bacon, apple juice. 10 minutes.

Lunch: tuna sandwich (whole small can, romaine lettuce, raw sweet onion, slice of cheese, whole grain bread), green apple, cup of mixed vegetable, serving of basil wheat things, orange juice. 10 minutes.

Dinner: serving of hot pasta (angel hair), extra virgin olive oil, two roma tomatoes, cup of broccoli, cup of spinach, 1/4 cup of walnuts, half an avacado, half cup of garbanzo beans, and cranberry juice. 20 minutes.

~$300/month.
Click to expand...

I like eating fast too 🙂
 
IHeartSleep said:
I know this sounds like a pretty stupid question but does this work for pasta/spaghetti, rice, mashed potatoes? The thought of sticking that kind of stuff in the freezer for a long time scares me, especially since there wouldn't be any preservatives, unlike TV dinners. And does it taste even a little funny (leftover taste, not rotten food taste)?

My food is always fresh (or left in fridge for a day max) or TV-dinner type food, heh.
Click to expand...

Nah, those are really good questions.

If you want to freeze a pasta dish, make sure you undercook the pasta by at least 1-2 minutes. Reheating it after freezing will cook it to completion.

Potatoes work fine when covered in liquid (like a curry that has some potato chunks in it.) But anything where potatoes are the main ingredient is no good, as some varieties turn black when frozen without liquid.

Rice works GREAT frozen - a good trick is to make a pot of rice one day, pop the rice into the compartments of a muffin tin, and freeze it. After it's frozen enough to hold its shape, you put them all in a big freezer bag and chuck it back in the freezer - individual servings of rice whenever the mood strikes!

And finally, the preservatives are absolutely not needed - just eat the meals within 6 months (after would probably also be fine, to a point, but who knows what that point is.. so "6 months" is a decent rule.) The preservatives in TV dinners let them get away with a lot of questionable storage techniques... but since you won't be transporting your food long distances, you're good.

The taste is actually totally normal. I was skeptical when I first tried it, but was willing to sacrifice some taste for convenience - turned out to not be a problem. The one area that is variable is (strangely enough) spices and herbs - some get stronger in taste when frozen, some get weaker. I've never been able to detect this with my meals, but I'm the type of person who will eyeball pretty much any amount for spices - ("...aaaand, that's roughly 2 Tablespoons. Probably.") so they're never in proper balance to begin with anyway.
 
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u guys are way too concerned about healthy foods. Just remember: food is for energy. It whatever you can find so long as it isnt chemical heavy. Make time for exercise and you'll be perfect.
 
Go to grocery store.
Buy a big package of corn dogs.
Tuna, miracle whip, bread, chopped celery - tuna sandwich
Salmon filets, garlic powder, margarine, salt, pepper, squeeze lemon - eat with rice
Corn still in the husks (5 for 1 dollar here) - wrap in wet paper towels 2:30 minutes in microwave.
granola bars are always good. eat one during the day about one per every 2 hours.
 
texahn said:
Corn still in the husks (5 for 1 dollar here) - wrap in wet paper towels 2:30 minutes in microwave.
Click to expand...

Ha! I remember when corn was still 5 for a dollar. Now it's more like 2, maybe 3 for a dollar.

Don't try to bring anything that needs to be heated that also has a pungent smell, whether you like it or not. It will permeate, and someone in your class will get sick.

Personally, I mix a package of vegetable dip in with a block of cream cheese and eat it with crackers and/or bagels. Yummy.
 
Exalya said:
Odwalla bars are excellent. When I didn't have lunch breaks I would pack an odwalla bar, some deli meat and some fruit. Healthy and fairly filling.
Click to expand...

And the Odwalla chocolate shakes! Yum!

Most of the stuff I snack on when I study are various cereals, bars (try something less crunchy, like Lara Bars, in class), and pretty much anything that you can eat by hand.

PS. You all have amazing ideas for when I run out of any time. Thanks!
 
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