Everyday, you should eat lunch. At school, that can seem a little more difficult due to the limited options in the lunch line.

Here at Skyline, options can include things like nachos, pizza, cheese sticks, sandwiches, and more. These options are delicious, but, most of the time they aren’t very filling. Packing a lunch from home can help you stay awake and energized while you are trying to learn.

“My freshman year, I got nachos frequently because I could pick and choose what went on them,” says Natalie Hannewald (‘27). “But then after a while, I got really tired of it, so then I wouldn’t eat lunch. Then I would get really tired later on in the afternoon, so I started bringing my own lunch, and I could go to the store with my parents to pick out something that I actually do want and I was excited to eat it.”

One great strategy for packing your lunch is a meal prep. A meal prep is when you prepare your meals in advance for the week. Meal preps can include salads, overnight oats, pasta, and so much more. A great way to find meal preps ideas are on Pinterest, Tik Tok, and Google. “Some things that I pack in my lunch are minimally processed snacks, meal prep recipes, fruit, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on sourdough,” says Amara Reddy (‘28).

Next, to go along with your meal prep, you can bring a snack for lunch time. You could bring something like popcorn, or chips. You can also bring something like fruits and vegetables. Just make sure that you are bringing something that you know you will eat during lunch. “I’ll bring fruits and vegetables that I know I will eat during lunch,” says Sophie Gamamet (‘29).

Lastly, you should pack some kind of snack that you can eat while you’re in class. The lengthy class times can be tiring, so you should always have something in your backpack that can help you refuel. Some snacks you could include are pretzels, protein bars, fruit snacks, chex mix, and pop corn. Some more snacks that will keep you energized include string cheese, homemade trail mix, or a smoothie. “I will have apples or pretzels or something later on in the afternoon.” says Hannewald (‘27).

Either way, if you bring a lunch from home or buy it at school, make sure they are both filling and nutritious. Foods like candy and sweets can actually make you feel more tired. Of course it is ok to have a few sweets during the day, but make sure your snack includes protein, or carbs to keep you full. This is so you have energy throughout the day and you can keep your focus in class instead of focusing on your hunger.