It's peanut butter jelly time

It has been awhile since my last post, for good reason. On top of graduating, getting married and starting a career, I decided to relocate to take on a full-time job! Good-bye home town Tuscaloosa, hello, bay side Daphne. Moving is no fun.  

“Last week I helped my friend stay put. It's a lot easier than helping someone move. I just went over to his house and made sure that he did not start to load his shit into a truck.” -Comedian, Mitch Hedberg

My friends love me, because I always hit-up the family on moving day. Now that I am a little settled in my house, with an air mattress and my cat, I feel I can take a minute to blog about this past week. Wait! Where's Brian, you say? Relax; he will be with me shortly. He is working on transferring down with his current job!

Moving on...

I forgot how hard it is to eat solo. Back in the day, I had variety in my diet. It consisted of various fast food dollar menus! We know it is easy to grab and go when there is two of you, but that seems like the only option when there is just one, right? Wrong! I would like to pat myself on the back, because I have only eaten out once this past week! And it was a kiddy meal (portion size). It is hard to plan out and cook full meals when it's just you. I planned like I was going away to camp...sandwiches, fruits, veggies, nuts, and cereals. It is possible to get in a healthy meal this way. You may be thinking that sandwiches can get real old, well allow me to give you a few suggestions to mix it up. 

Notice above-my food survivor bundle. Lots of whole grains with fiber and essential vitamins. Protein in the peanut butter and milk. Satisfy that sweet tooth with sugar-free jelly and low fat yogurt. I would have the cucumbers and zucchini out, had I not already eaten them! Now, on a typical day with the hubby, I aim to have a lot more fresh produce and lean meats. 

The past week, I have been living off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. 

I LOVE them and I may never get tired of them. But, our bodies like to have something new, so I must listen. Omelets have been an easy solo meal. Egg whites with chopped peppers and reduced fat cheese. Serve with salsa! I use cereal a lot for desserts and even for a meal. You gotta have something sweet! Well, I do. My latest favorite find is Kashi's Toasted Berry Crumble. 

It's like Captain Crunch for adults! 

One would argue that produce may go to waste since there is only one person to eat. Have you went down the frozen and canned aisle lately? Fruits and Veggies galore! Buying for one should not brake the bank. 

**Some tips when buying canned items: First, if you have the opportunity to buy fresh, do it!

Second, drain and rise the canned food item off with water before preparing. This gets rid of most of the added sodium and sugar. Look on the labels for reduced sodium, light syrup, etc. **

 So, you see if it's just you for a day or week or like me =( a month, there's no need to eat out for every meal.

In Summary...

1. Think of your favorite fast foods and try to recreate with store bought food items, think health!

2. Pack the pantry like packing for camp. Breads, nuts, fruits veggies. Veggies come in single serve now!! Try to skip the salty snacks like fried chips and buttery popcorn.

3. Mix it up, have breakfast for dinner. Crack one-two eggs (egg whites to minus the cholesterol) with a dash of low-fat cheese, fresh spinach leaves and a splash of salsa....yumm omelet.

Sandwiches
PB&J
Whole wheat bread
Peanut Butter
No sugar added/Sugar-Free Jelly
Turkey  club
Whole Wheat bread or Whole Wheat Pita bread OR Whole Wheat tortilla
Lean/Low-sodium Turkey
Low-sodium Turkey Bacon
Low-fat cheese
Grilled Cheese
Whole Wheat bread
Low fat cheese

Quesadilla
Whole Wheat tortilla
Low fat mozzarella cheese
Sliced red, green, and yellow bell peppers
Salsa
Veggie Pita Wrap
Whole Wheat Pita bread
Hummus
Spinach
Chopped Peppers
Cucumbers
Reduced-fat feta cheese  

**** Remember to go by serving sizes **** 

One serving of peanut butter is one Tablespoon which is 200 calories!!! 

Read your labels and make sure that there are no hidden trans fat. 

Remember the "h" word Hydrogenated=Trans Fat.

 

Side Items (because you can't just eat a sandwich)   

Fruits
Veggies
Whole Grain Crackers, Chips
Peanuts
Hummus with pita bread 

Trail Mix 

Not a week of compromise with the hubby, but a hard week none the less. Please, continue to read and learn as the compromises of NewlyWed Nutrition, Mission:Healthy Husband and Wife, continue. Now go, pack your pantry like you are going to camp!