How Convenient

On a sunny and somewhat warm day over break I went with a couple friends on a walk to the gas station that is right down the street. It took a long time to find “nutritious” foods to choose for a well balanced meal. After looking around for about 10 minutes, I found my meal! I noticed fruit right away; surprisingly the fruit looked aesthetic. I chose an orange, along with some almonds. I found V8 Splash blends (with servings of both fruits and vegetables). The only other components needed were dairy and grains. At a gas station, I found it impossible to find whole grains; so I chose a bagel to fit in my breakfast meal. It took awhile to find a dairy product unless it was milk, but I already found the juice to drink. I found string cheese, and it was 3 for $1.89. Overall, the meal came to $9.24 with tax. It was a delicious meal for a breakfast, and it was satisfying and full, rather than filling up on doughnuts and coffee in the morning.

I noticed most foods at a convenient store were expensive, especially nutritious foods. It takes a few minutes to look around and find something better than a bag of chips and a soda a gas station, and I personally like the meal I chose over junk food. 

I chose my foods based on the “choose my plate” diagram. I filled most of my meal with fruits and vegetables like the plate has in the diagram with the juice and an orange. The almonds were a great and healthy choice for a protein intake, however they were salted, but at a corner store there is not much variety. String cheese was an excellent choice for a dairy product; it has been years since I had one. I will look for them next time at the store. Choosemyplate.gov offers a lot more than a list of foods one can eat. It has a physical activity component, tools and resources to use for healthy eating and tips on healthy weight management and eating.