I can’t put the food down. I just can’t. From snacks, to gum, or even water, food has become a secondary action in order to truly pay attention to what I am learning in school. Sitting in math class? My cookies are there too. AP Lit? Got the Poptarts. The bell for Journalism just rang? I am already eating my Lucky Charms.
Over the last four years of my high school career, I have effectively curated a list of good and not-so-good forms of nourishment to bring to classes.
#1 – Poptarts
Most incredible invention to bless the earth. Genuinely saved my stomach every day. No joke. I don’t get up early enough to eat before I leave for school, and honestly, they are the perfect size to not only put in your backpack and go, but also make you full until you can get more food. Only downsides: wrapping is crinklyyyyyyyy, so if you are trying to be discreet? Don’t even try. Also, they break easily in backpacks, so don’t keep them there long-term.
#2 – Pasta
Holy cow amazingness. While I bring this to school with the intention of eating at lunch, six out of ten times I cave before then. If you have a really good thermos that keeps them nice and warm, oh man. Perfection. In my extremely professional opinion, the trick is to bring salt with you in a small bag. While I definitely get hate for this, this hack has changed the pasta game for me. If you salt before school, you can’t taste the sodium chloride come lunch; therefore, the only reasonable action is to bring salt and add it in as you eat!
#3 – Cake
In the event of full transparency, bringing cake to school has not been my best moment. To those thinking of bringing some, this is not to say don’t do it, but be warned, it just doesn’t hit the same. Cake is meant to be eaten semi-cold and with ice cream, but our school environment doesn’t provide such a situation, and thus, my advice is to simply wait till you are home and gorge yourself then.
#4 – Nutella
Nutella has my heart and soul. Literal perfection. Also, it is an underrated perfect addition to a morning routine. Keep a jar of Nutella in the car, grab a banana and knife before you go, and boom. Breakfast. (You could substitute Nutella for peanut butter if you feel a little adventurous.) Now, sometimes, one gets a little peckish during the day (understandable) and wants to have access to said Nutella during the day. So bring it with you. Will you get side-eyed? Yes, for sure, no doubt there. BUT! You will have Nutella. So, worth it. Also, our lunch line provides bananas, so not only can you have banana and Nutella in the morning, but throughout the day as well.