Calorie Tracking for Teachers

The Teacher's Nutrition Challenges

• Short lunch periods — 20-30 minutes if you're lucky
• Staff room temptations — Donuts, birthday cake, holiday treats
• Stress eating — Parent conferences, grading, behavior issues
• Limited bathroom breaks — Affects hydration habits
• Exhaustion after school — Too tired to cook
• Summer schedule shift — Different routine entirely

Quick Lunch Strategies

With 20 minutes, you need food that's:

• Pre-prepped — Open and eat
• No reheating needed — Microwave lines are long
• Won't stain — You're going back to students
• Satisfying — Need to last until 3-4 PM

Perfect Teacher Lunches

• Mason jar salads — Dressing on bottom, shake and eat (400 cal)
• Wraps — Turkey, hummus, vegetables (350 cal)
• Bento box style — Variety without mess (400-500 cal)
• Grain bowls — Eat cold (quinoa + chicken + veggies) (450 cal)
• Soup in thermos — Hot lunch without microwave (300 cal)

Surviving the Staff Room

• Eat before entering — Don't go in hungry
• Sit away from the treats — Out of arm's reach
• Bring your own dessert — Portioned, planned
• It's okay to say no — "No thanks, I just ate"
• Budget treats strategically — Birthday cake yes, random cookies no

Snacks to Stash in Your Desk

After-School Exhaustion Meals

Too tired to cook? These take under 15 minutes:

• Rotisserie chicken + bagged salad + store-bought rice
• Eggs + toast + frozen vegetables
• Canned soup + deli sandwich
• Sheet pan meal (prep ingredients Sunday, assemble daily)
• Healthy frozen meals (keep a few on hand)

Sunday Prep for Teachers

1 hour on Sunday = stress-free week:

1. Cook 2 proteins (chicken + eggs) — 20 min
2. Prep vegetables (wash, chop) — 15 min
3. Make grain base (quinoa or rice) — 20 min
4. Portion snacks into bags — 5 min
5. Assemble 5 lunches — 10 min

Hydration Tips

Limited bathroom breaks make teachers avoid drinking. But dehydration causes:

• Fatigue (you'll think you're hungry)
• Headaches
• Difficulty concentrating

Solution: Drink most of your water before school and during prep periods. Aim for 60+ oz daily.