Read it here.

Learn all of this and more by signing up for the “Skinnygirl Cooking for Your Naturally Thin Life” at The Learning Annex in New York City. The event takes place on September 22 at 7 o’clock.

Click here for more information. Sign up early to secure a spot, and see you there!

1) Cheers!

Make a signature cocktail. Why buy all that booze and play bartender? Save time and money and pick your poison. My suggestion is Skinnygirl Sangria. Mix, chill and serve immediately.

Buy a cheap galvanized tub, fill with ice and chill Coronitas (mini Coronas). I found mine at a Costco liquor store. Have a bowl of lime wedges available. The smaller sized bottles reduce the waste that comes with people only drinking half a beer and it also ensures that the whole beer is cold.

Be green and save on bottled water by serving fresh, colorful and impressive pitchers of water with sliced cucumbers or sliced lemons and limes.

2) Switch it up.

Serve gourmet turkey burgers for flair. Make them healthier without sacrificing taste by serving them on whole wheat English muffins.

Add other creative and unexpected options like Kobe beef hot dogs with assorted mustards.

3) Make dessert cute and creative.

Scoop your favorite frozen yogurt between 2 large cookies, wrap individually and serve them piled on a platter.

Make Rainbow Fruit Skewers. They’re a pretty dessert that brightens up your table.

4) Use decor you can use later.

Waste not. Want not. Fill bowls with lemons, limes and oranges, add in some green leaves and use them as centerpieces. Later you can use the fruit in lemonade, garnishes and recipes.

Have fun!

You must eat what you like but you must think ahead:

Salads are great but pick your battles. Choose vinaigrette type dressings instead of something creamy. Pick your protein: chickpeas or beans or tofu or chicken. Pick your second fat (after dressing): cheese or avocado or bacon. You decide. Just remember that your diet is your bank account.

For sandwiches, stick to veggie or turkey sandwiches on whole wheat. Pick your fat: cheese or avocado or mayo, plus your protein. If you’re a vegetarian, cheese can act as your protein. Dijon mustard is always a better bet than mayo. Places like Subway and Quiznos have great healthy whole grain bread options with veggie or turkey selections.

Even at fast food restaurants, there are better options. Pick your battles. If you’re craving fries, have them and a low fat salad. If you want the burger, great; then no fries. A salad wouldn’t hurt here either. You decide what the lesser of evils is, what you REALLY want and make it work by making your other choices be healthy ones. I’ve been known to choose a shake from a fast food joint as my daily sweet treat, yet I’ve also chosen a plain baked potato and salad when everyone has fried sandwiches. You choose.

Drinking:

As far as drinking goes, please be 21 and please don’t ever drive. You shouldn’t have more than two cocktails. Nothing is sloppier than a drunken college girl; be the wise, mature, respected one. Drink light beer or clear liquor drinks such as vodka or clear tequila or of course Skinnygirl margaritas. I think it’s best if you don’t drink at all. You will feel and look so much better. Please drink water in between drinks if you do and please eat a protein snack before drinking and DON’T drink your dinner. Also keep in mind that drinking leads to binging and more over indulging the following day. Reel it in!

Enjoy these moments. You will always look back on them. Make choices so that you aren’t stressed out about your weight. A little bit of thought before hand will allow you to think about studying and boys and all the fun stuff!

Read more of Bethenny’s back to school advice here!

1) Stock that tiny little refrigerator and small kitchen of yours with fun, yet healthy snacks, good ideas include:

• Handful of raw nuts and dried fruit
• Hummus or nut butter on whole grain bread
• Frozen edamame (most supermarkets sell it now)
• Whole grain pretzels with a small piece of cheese
• Sliced turkey with a bit of mustard (excellent high protein snack)
• Meal bars (choose those snacks with ingredients that you can pronounce)
• Canned organic all natural soups (good comfort food and easily prepared in a microwave)
• Salty snacks can be pop chips, soy chips, baked chips and salsa.
• Fresh fruit
• Greek yogurt, instant irish oatmeal, and Kashi Good Friends cereal (add fruit and a bit of sweetener for a great snack or breakfast)

2) Don’t diet:

Don’t deprive yourself. If you want pizza, have it. Just have one slice, add veggies if possible, but first eat a salad with vinaigrette (skip the cheese-you chose the pizza). Fill yourself up on the good stuff first. The key is to pick your battles. Hamburger? Great. Just eat half the bun and forgo the cheese if possible. Turkey burgers are fine but don’t be fooled into thinking they’re “diet food.” Burger rule still applies here. Veggie burgers are a good choice; Boca Burger makes a great one. That, with low-fat cheese on a whole grain English muffin, is great.

3) Cut back on portions:

Because there aren’t always the healthiest options at colleges, don’t deprive… but don’t overindulge, either. Understand that nothing in small portions is fattening, so you can have more of a good investment choice or less of a bad one. From now on, through the rest of your life, you will be faced with choices. Make the right ones for you.

Bethenny Answers – One of the greatest challenges a woman can face is to balance work and family. I’m so fortunate because my office is at home. This means I dash out for meetings and appearances but I can always run home to feed Bryn, pump or get in a snuggle.

Love distribution is the biggest challenge. Bryn, Jason and Cookie all need love and somehow I feel like I’m the heart of the whole love operation. I’m a strong force, so when I’m out of whack, the dynamic is as well. Sleep is the most important commodity. With it, I can manage everything.

A Fan Asked – How do you keep the celebrity limelight out of your home life?

Bethenny Answers – Simply put: I either work or stay home in pajamas. Jason and I lay around watching TV and cooking, so we have two drastically different sides to our existence. Mexican food with margaritas is our idea of an outing.

A Fan Asked – How is Jason adjusting to fatherhood?

Bethenny Answers – Jason is an excellent partner and truly a devoted father. He does equal to or more than I do. I really chose the right teammate.

A Fan Said – Keep on talking about your new knowledge of bringing up Bryn because we are living it vicariously through you. We can say to ourselves, “oh, yeah! been there done that! Through your humor, we are reliving it.

Bethenny Answers – It is so true that many people have been through motherhood, but it truly is a rite of passage and everyone’s opinion is a new, enlightening perspective. I look to my fans to get me through every new challenge I face.

On being in front of the camera: “BGM? was an incredible learning experience documenting the most magical time of my life. I put my personal life out there because I owe that to the viewers.”

On Jason: “He really is a grounded and tolerant human being. I have no idea why he hasn’t run for the hills. We’re ying and yang.”

On nannies: “We don’t have a nanny but we have had a baby nurse. she is so helpful, she teaches me every day, and I couldn’t work if I didn’t have her.”

On her mother: “My mother hasn’t expressed any interest in meeting Bryn… Life is hopefully long, so I don’t know what the future will bring.”

On religion: “Jason goes to church every Sunday. I have to be supportive and allow Bryn to be Catholic… Faith, culture, structure and guidance are good things.”