Getting wasted on a Saturday night should be the least complicated part of your life, and yet you always feel like shit afterwards, which kinda ruins the vibe of the whole next week. Whether you completely forgot to eat beforehand or you literally scarfed down an order of garlic bread two seconds before the pregame, you’ve never really nailed down the eating part of the night. In order to black out successfully without spending the next morning with your head in the toilet, you’ll need to eat something substantial before, but not anything so heavy that it would prevent you from getting drunk. Here are some of the ideal pre-drinking foods.
1. Avocado Toast
Ever wonder why it’s so damn hard to make it from your Uber to the inside of the club when you’re in heels? It’s literally like your legs literally forgot how to move and you forgot how to stand up straight. That’s because when you drink a ton of alcohol, the potassium in your body gets depleted, which can lead to dizziness and weakness in your muscles. In order to counteract that, you’ll need the B6 vitamins and healthy fats found in avocados, which is why avocado toast is perfect to eat before drinking. Plus, the bread component helps give your body some carbs so you don’t pass out after three tequila shots on an empty stomach. Just try to stick with whole wheat bread or something with fiber. It’s 2017, are you seriously still eating white bread?
2. Pita Chips & Hummus
Hummus is an underrated lifesaver when it comes to preventing hangovers. Just like avocados, chickpeas are super high in B6 vitamins, which have been proven to prevent hangovers. Chickpeas also have fiber in them, so they’ll keep you full enough to not (completely) pig out at a random diner at 3am. In terms of what to dip, raw veggies are obviously a healthier option than pita chips, but they might be hard on the stomach and make you nauseous later on. We’re not telling you to devour an entire bag of Stacy’s chips before you even put your skinny jeans on for the night, but a few chips with hummus won’t hurt, and it’s a good pregame snack anyway.
3. Asparagus
Asparagus may not be your go-to vegetable on a Saturday night, or on any night for that matter, but it turns out asparagus is filled with amino acids and minerals that help protect your liver once you start drinking. Apparently, when you eat asparagus before taking shots, its nutrients protect your liver cells from alcohol toxins, which will prevent you from being super hungover in the morning. To make them edible, sprinkle a little olive oil over them with some salt and pepper and pop them in the oven for 45 minutes. We’re asking you to be a LITTLE less lazy, but you’ll thank us when you wake up tomorrow feeling somewhat functional.
4. An Omelet
A little breakfast for dinner never killed anyone, but no, we’re not asking you to rehash waffle and pancake night from your sorority house. Omelets are obviously healthy and pretty filling, and they’re actually really good to eat before going out. The egg whites have protein in them, which will keep you full throughout the night without making you bloated or nauseous. Plus, the yolks are filled with calcium, vitamin D, and acetylcholine, which helps your brain function when you’re eight shots deep and can’t find your friends. Add a few vegetables to the pan and you’re basically Julia Child, minus the shit ton of butter, obviously.
5. Pickles Or Olives
I know this is a weird trick, but it actually works, so it’s worth a shot. You’ve probably never wanted to snack on these foods before going out, but the sodium in pickles and olives help ward off hangovers because they automatically replenish the body with electrolytes. Usually we’re not into eating a ton of sodium before drinking because it could cause bloating, but by snacking on some pickles or olives before you go out, you’ll have enough sodium in your body to stay skinny while preventing a hangover. It also happens to be super convenient that most bars have a jar of olives for martinis. Just in case you reaaally didn’t have time before.
6. Salmon
If you’re out to dinner before a night out and you’re not sure what to order, the grilled salmon is always a good bet. Aside from the fact that salmon is filled with protein and healthy fats, it has a shit ton of B-12 vitamins, which usually get depleted in your body when you drink alcohol. B-12 has a huge effect on metabolism, mood, and blood sugar levels, so you don’t wanna start screwing with it. By eating salmon before drinking, you’re filling your body with vitamins that will help you recover tomorrow morning when you’re lying in bed regretting every second of your Snapchat story. Instead of feeling your usual Sunday morning combo of regret and nausea, you’ll just be a little less nauseous. It’s a small win, but we’ll take it.
