Food in Class?

Ever since high school, I've always needed something with me to eat or drink during a class. Maybe it's the comfort or distraction of having something to nosh on? I also HATE eating while driving- I'm horrible at it. Plus, I really like to savor and enjoy every bite when I eat so inhaling something while the majority of my focus is on the road just does not appeal to me.

The problem with my eating in class habit is what I eat. When people eat in class (trust me when I say I ALWAYS observe people when they eat-- what are they eating?, how are they eating it?, why didn't they finish that?, do they realize how bad that is for them?, ooo that looks dang good....etc) I notice they typically eat snacky, not so healthy things that usually come out of a bag that has been sitting in a vending machine. I'm not a vending machine girl. Never have been. Since I was little my mom ALWAYS packed me not just a lunch but snacks and drinks as well-- she never gave me lunch money so vending machines were never an option. When I had my own money, and they were an option I just didn't want them, I preferred packing my own food.  So my class snacks are a bit divergent from vending machine fare.  I'll never forget one time in undergrad I brought dinner to a night class, it was a container of lentil soup that I wrapped in a huge ball of tin foil to keep warm, and ate with a silver spoon I brought from home. When I unwrapped it the smell of the soup permeated the whole classroom and I heard a girl sitting near me whisper to her friend, "omg..that b*tch is seriously eating lentil soup right now".  Sorry, but that soup fueled me for class a lot better than a  seventy-five cent bag of Fritos would have!!

I guess the things I bring to class may seem a bit odd, or stinky, to others. You'll usually catch me munching on containers of steamed veggies, veggie burgers, chicken breast and salad, scrambled egg whites cooked the night before, variations of fruit and last semester I even ate spaghetti squash with tomato sauce and turkey meatballs in class (that one got some looks).

a typical b-fast..eggs, veg, paprika..box it up & take it along!

Another reason I eat in class so often is because I time my meals. I like to eat 5 or 6  times a day- at least-and I make sure never to go more than 3 hours without eating. So if that time falls in the middle of class, sorry but I'm not going to keep my body waiting and risk slowing my metabolism, I'm going to open my stinky container of broccoli and chicken and whip out a fork and napkin and nosh while I note take. The stares don't bother me, I stare at you when you eat too. A lot of people usually end up asking me about it, too.

" That looks good! What is that?"
"That looks weird...um, what is that?"
"I notice you eat a lot! I heard that's really healthy, how do you remember to eat? I always forget when I'm busy"
"wow, did you make that?"
"how do you eat that cold?! Does is still even taste good?"

To that last one, no, it's never as good cold!! But it is still yummy, just not as yummy. Usually, I find a microwave somewhere....sneaking into teacher lounges.

This week and next week at school I'm going a little overboard though, and even I feel a little ridiculous. My meals are so structured this close to show time and Tuesday I'm in school all day long so every meal from my second to my last have to come with me in a big giant cooler. So Tuesday's I'm a total bag lady with my bag of books on one shoulder and giant orange cooler on the other- oh yeah, it's bright orange.

Last night in class our teacher told us we could not eat. This is the first time I've ever experienced this rule enforced. The class goes from 5 pm to 7:35 pm -- hello, dinner time!? Before 5 is too early for me and I don't get home until a little after 8 which is too late.  So I'll be bringing my dinner anyway and sneaking out into the hallway for a few minutes to quickly go enjoy my pre packed dinner.  Hey, you do what you gotta do, right?