college punk

[Mai_Tai]

A lot of recepies I see and read about seem very cumbersome. They seem like they would take a long time to prepare, and most are meticulous with measuring the ingredients. I guess, the more you prepare them the more natural the preperation comes and it becomes second nature.
My question is, since I'm a college kid, with very little money and a freaky schedule with classes, what are the best quick meals I can fumble up without getting sick of eating the same stuff.
I want HIGH protein, which I plan on getting help through shakes too, and a moderate amount of carbs that are sufice enough to energize my workouts.

171 lbs, 5'10, 20yrs old. I want to gain 15 lbs in the next year. I'll take protein, creatine, and glutamine supplements, but real food is the key, and I'm lacking in knowledge.

Help a dumb kid out.

MT

[nickrizz]

Im in the same boat as you, i just put up a thread about high sodium. I eat a lot of canned raviollis and stuff, if i can i prepare my food the night before but i know what you mean. Someone help US!?!

[Needtobeswoledup]

I'm also in college and one thing i use everyday... george foreman grill... u can cook any kind of meat on it... add some mrs dash to the meat and it's realtively low in sodium and tastes ok...

[mfenske]

I work at a college so I can relate to the hours. My secret weapons are:
1. George Forman Grill. This thing rocks. Throw a frozen chicken breast on there and in like 10 minutes, voila.
2. Pouches of Tuna. Less than $2.50 and 50 plus grams protein.
3. Buy a good rice steamer (from an Asian food store). You can keep rice in there for days at a time. Always hot and fresh.
4. Nuke a couple of potatoes or yams and put them in the fridge.
5. Protein pancakes. I take Jiffy brand mix and put like 4 scoops Vanilla protein per 1/2 batch and they are awesome. Protein and carb in one.
6. Big bags of chicken breasts. Here in WI I get like 4 pounds of boneless, skinless for less than $10.
7. Frozen Veggies. Cheap. Just as good as fresh and you don't have to clean them. Nuke em' and you're good to go.
8. Ground Turkey Breast/Bison/Sirloin. Very lean ground meats that are reasonably priced and are excellent when cooked on George Forman.
9. Protein Oatmeal. I mix 2TBSP Peanut Butter with my morning oatmeal and 1 scoop vanilla and one scoop chocolate protein.
10. Tupperware and a cooler. With these two things you have no excuses to not eat when and where you need to.

Just a few to get you started. Keep at it man, 15 pounds in a year at 20 is DEFININTELY attainable. Mark

[nickrizz]

I have a problem cleaning my George Foreman grill. Everything sticks to it and i cant get all the stuff off. How do you clean it?

[mfenske]

How I clean the George Foreman is entirely dependant on how lazy I am that day. If I am being lazy (and I often am) I just let it heat up a bit and take a paper towel, fold it in half a few times and wipe it down. If I am feeling ambitious I actually take soap and water and wash it off. Mark

[Kato]

How I clean the George Foreman is entirely dependant on how lazy I am that day. If I am being lazy (and I often am) I just let it heat up a bit and take a paper towel, fold it in half a few times and wipe it down. If I am feeling ambitious I actually take soap and water and wash it off. Mark

Exactly!!!!

Kato

[Needtobeswoledup]

i just use a sponge and paper towel... my roomate has one that has'nt been cleaned in 3 months... still works fine...

[DocHoliday]

I take the paper towel approach, but I scrap nearly everything off. This thread kind of got turned into "how to clean my foreman" thread.

[Mai_Tai]

Thanks mfenske.

I was hoping to get a reply like that, it took like two weeks, but that's ok. I want to put on at LEAST 15 lbs in one year. I'm a slow gainer though, so I set my goals like that. I did buy a foreman, and I've had some really good frozen chicken before. Tyson has this honey mustard chicken....holy crap! I need to get a little more hot and heavy on my intake of vegies. I love tuna, so that won't be a problem.

Needtobeswoledup,
Mrs Dash is just a seasoning right? What's the benifits of eating foods low in sodium?

MT

[Needtobeswoledup]

Yep mrs dash is seasoning... they have lots of diff flavors of it... i have almost all of them . Eating low sodium= better for your heart and you retain less water

[clockworks]

screw all the bullshit. i'm a college kid too, and i stopped eating for any kind of enjoyment about a month ago. now every meal is cheap, easy, and purposeful. same meal, 5 times a day:
can of tuna (easy, all you need is a can opener and fork)
1/2 sweet potato (8 mins in microwave and its ready to eat)
protein shake (milk, peanut butter, whey...again easy/fast)
snacks: pb/j on whole wheat bread
raw veggies whenever

for a long time i tried to have variety and interesing and tasty things in my healthy diet. in the end, it became too difficult to prepare each meal, too expensive to prepare each meal, etc.

when you are eating these incredibly boring and maybe not-so-good tasting things, do NOT think "oh god this food blows", DO think "chew chew, swallow, i'm getting stronger". no more eating for pleasure for me...only eating for/with a purpose...=)

-- clocky baby

[mfenske]

Now that I can relate to. My wife and I were talking about this the other day. We went out for a cheat meal and we felt like crap afterwards. She goes " I really don't eat for reward any more". I agreed and told her that I just ate what I needed to satisfy any nutritional requirements I have. As far as the food being boring, sometimes it does. All I have to do is take a look around at all of the fat, lethargic people and suddenly the food tastes better. Mark

[clockworks]

Now that I can relate to. My wife and I were talking about this the other day. We went out for a cheat meal and we felt like crap afterwards. She goes " I really don't eat for reward any more". I agreed and told her that I just ate what I needed to satisfy any nutritional requirements I have. As far as the food being boring, sometimes it does. All I have to do is take a look around at all of the fat, lethargic people and suddenly the food tastes better. Mark

man, that is totally the attitude i'm developing now...=) even on my cheat meal, i still can't bring myself to eat >really< bad foods. also, you are so right about looking at people with bad physiques and seeing what they eat...its great motivation to eat your own good food...=)

-- cb