Going to college is a really exciting experience. But being away from home for the first time can be stressful, and colleges are filled with so many unhealthy foods that it may be hard to choose the proper things to eat everyday. Colleges often times offer meal plans for incoming freshmen and you obviously want to use those to your advantage so that you do not waste your money. No one wants to gain the freshman 15, but not eating at all is never an option to keep off the pounds. You need fuel to help you do your work and to keep up your strength so that you do not get sick during the semester. (Seriously, getting sick is a killer for your GPA in college.) Staying healthy is the goal, and I am here to help give you advice so that you can enjoy the college experience fully.
-Breakfast, a really important part of your day, especially if you have morning classes. Now if you find yourself in a rush because you are not a morning person, have no fear, I have the perfect solution for this problem. Get a quick smoothie! On my campus,we have Jamba Juice and it is perfect to get a yummy fruit smoothie with a whey protein and antioxidant booster, and any other vitamin booster that you choose. This will give you some fruit and good protein to start your day. Whey protein is also very good for your metabolism, so it's a bonus. Vitamin and antioxidant boosters will keep your strength up and decrease the likelihood of getting sick during the semester.
-Another quick breakfast is eating breakfast biscuits. These are perfect to pack with you and are very delicious! They give you whole grains and a little bit of protein to start your day. They are also low calorie so you can even use them to snack on.
-Lunch, important after most of your classes are over, or if you have a lab, is the perfect time to eat something before you go. A perfect lunch would be something as simple as a salad. We have a place on campus, called Edgy Veggies, that will make salads for you. I would suggest making your own salad with whatever greens and veggies that you want. You can get some chicken or hard boiled eggs for a protein boost. Then ask for an olive oil based dressing, on the side. Cream dressings like ranch tend to have more calories, so it is better to have an oil-based dressing. You should ask for the dressing on the side so that they do not drown your salad in excess dressing.
-Another option that you can have is sushi rolls. Sushi is a very light lunch and it is very delicious. If you are afraid of trying fish, have no fear, you can try vegetarian sushi. My friend and I get some with cucumber and avocado mixture, and it is amazing.
-One more lunch selection I have is to go and enjoy a nice cup of soup. If you have a nice cafe on campus I would definitely suggest going there, no matter how the weather is. I love soup, as it can be a very light and satisfying meal. A small soup with a multigrain baguette is perfect! Again, I would suggest a soup that is not cream based, if you want to reduce the calories, but this is not a necessity when choosing a soup. You may also get a soup that is full of vegetables to help kick up the healthiness of your lunch.
-Depending on your school rules and how they charge for food, your lunch can be the last big meal of your day, and this is totally fine if that is what you choose. You just have to keep some healthy snacks in your room incase you get hungry. This is helpful when you are studying! Here are some suggestions on healthy snacks that you can keep handy in your room:
-Granola bars- Now you do have to be careful when choosing these because granola bars can have a lot of sugar. I have found a couple that I always keep on me because they are delicious and have a good amount of protein in them. That would be Luna bars and Think Thin bars. These bars have a variety of flavors and are lower in calories and sugar. They both also have a lot of protein.
-Dried Fruit- Dried fruit is a good way to keep fruits in your dorm room, without it going bad and is a snack that is low in calories. It is very delicious and will give you a taste of sweetness during the day.
-If you love chocolate like I do (seriously its an addiction), then I have a perfect snack/dessert option to keep in your room: Brookside Dark Chocolate Covered Fruits. Dark chocolate in small amounts has been proven to be good for your heart, and having it with fruit just ups the healthy factor. Even if you do not like dark chocolate, you will love these candies! They are juicy and delicious and I love them!
-Cereal and milk- Seems simple enough, but, again, it is also a great snack! Choose any healthy cereal, like Special K or Fiber One, that has some protein and tastes great. Then always keep almond milk or low fat milk in your fridge.
-Nuts! Another great protein option! Keep little bags of whatever ones you would like handy for an easy snack.
-Peanut butter or Nutella! These again are delicious and another protein filled snack. Just get a spoon and enjoy! Both of these also go great with fruit.
Dinner- If you find yourself wanting a bigger meal before you go to sleep I suggest going to a pasta place. Simply ordering some whole grain pasta with a marina sauce and cheese is a perfect way to end your day. You can also add chicken to give yourself a protein boost to your dinner. Another way to make your pasta even healthier is to add vegetables that you love :) The vegetables increase your fiber and vitamin intake for the day. To keep the calories low, order the smaller portion (a little can go a long way with pasta because it's so filling), and again try to stay away from cheese based or cream based sauces.
Another tip- have lots of water packed in your room/fridge. Buying bottled water on campus is expensive (it's $2.00 per bottle at my school), so it's cheaper just to keep refilling your own. This can also be another way to avoid consuming more soda than you want in your diet.
Good luck and have fun with this upcoming semester!
-Katrina
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