Eating Healthy at College

Eating healthy at college can be difficult. Dining halls are temping with their displays of pizzas and cupcakes and it can be difficult to find time to make full meals for yourself. There’s nothing wrong with indulging every once in a while, but establishing a healthy diet in college is a must. Some of us live in dorms with nothing but a fridge and a microwave. Others have a full kitchen. Regardless of your living situation, there are ways to manage eating healthy and balancing your diet.

If you are living in a dorm there are certain no-bake meal options that are healthy and easy. For breakfast, oatmeal is a go-to inexpensive and healthy option. Try Quaker’s lower sugar or high fiber options. They taste great and leave you full for hours at a time. Greek yogurt is another healthy option. Buy a bigger container and have a little each day and it will last you a while. Add some granola and fruit and there’s a great meal option that won’t cost you too much. For lunch and dinner, there are some frozen meal options that taste delicious and because they’re frozen, they don’t go bad. Kashi and Lean Cuisine have some great, unique, frozen entrees. You’re bound to find something that you like, as there is so much variety.

While eating on campus, it can be tempting to go for the fastest option and grab some fries and chicken nuggets or pizza. That’s great every once in a while, but opting for the salad and fruit more often can go a long way. When grabbing sandwiches on the go, opt for whole wheat bread and lots of veggies. Get fruit on the side rather than a bag of chips. Little changes like this in your everyday meals will have you feeling better about what you’re eating.

If you are lucky enough to live in an apartment and have a full kitchen, make use of the oven and the stove! Sauté vegetables with some olive oil. Buy chicken, freeze it and defrost whenever you want to sauté it or bake it in the oven with seasoning. Veggie burgers or frozen turkey burgers can taste great, are inexpensive and you can keep them in your freezer for as long as you want. Whole wheat pasta is a great option that you can experiment with and make many different ways.

I don’t know many college students that don’t look forward to eating great meals when they get home. Home cooked meals are the best. But there are ways for you to make some delicious and healthy meals for yourself at school. Making slight changes in what you eat on campus as well as making an effort to eat and cook some healthy meals for yourself can be quite effective in terms of feeling better about what you eat at school and starting a healthier path.