College Eating, how to I make it healthier?
Hey All,
I live in the dorms at my school, and was wondering how to make the best out of the food I'm given at the dining hall. It's an all you can eat buffet like place, with all sorts of different food options, however most lack in nutrition and are abundant in calories, fat, and cholesterol. Does anyone have any ideas to help me out? Thanks so much in advance!
It was hard for me living at home, where I could pack a healthy lunch, so you've got a tough problem to tackle!
Dorms are renowned for "home-style" foods that are loaded with calories, but if you load up on any steamed veggies they have (as opposed to ones fried in oil, etc.), and have some dark, leafy greens and iceberg lettuce with light dressing or lemon/vinegar with a little bit of olive oil, then you should be able to fill up without packing in the calories.
Drink plenty of water, tea, black coffee, Crystal Light, and/or diet soda (really any liquid with few or no calories!) in advance, so you don't feel as ravenous when you actually get to the food.
Do they have fresh fruit there? Fruit that's high in fiber and low in cals is another option to help you feel fuller, longer, and on less calories.
If you guys have a mini-fridge in your dorm room, I suggest putting some healthy snacks in there. Things like fat-free yogurt, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and cucumber make great snacks, can easily be dressed up a little if they get too boring, and are nutritious as well as low in calories.
Hope this heps! Good luck in the studies and the dieting :)
"There are no bad foods, only bad diets"... so it's a question of balancing up rather than aiming for some mythical perfection.
One very simple solution is to try to get as many vegetables into your diet as possible. Vegetables have the advantage of being low in calories but bulky and nutritious. Even the worst cafeteria usually has a selection of green salads and vegetables on offer. Fill most of your plate with those first and then add anything else second and in smaller amounts. Doesn't matter then if you add pizza, macaroni cheese or steak and kidney pie, you've still got a reasonably good balance. This technique works equally well at buffets, barbecues and any other help-yourself eating situation.
If you're at school you're presumably very young and have plenty of opportunity to be active. Being young means your enery needs are automatically quite high and being active increases that further. So even if your food is a bit high in calories you will probably burn it all off, no problem. Fat and cholesterol are not an issue unless you're a) overweight and b) have blood cholesterol problems already.
I'm with GI Jane and Natalina -- veggies are your best friend.
I lived in the dorms for four years of college (I was even an RA for three) and what kept me going was the salad bar. Yeah, it gets boring to eat salad a lot, but you'll learn how to mix it up. I used to cut up the grilled chicken breasts into a salad and I would try not to do the same combination of vegetables a day (ex: Monday would be salad with tomatos and kidney beans, Tuesday would be beets and onions on the salad).
You cannot get enough vegetables. Be creative, but try to balance. I know that seems vague, but try to keep a mental list of where you know you can go for semi-healthy food. Oh! And if you can, keep healthy snacks in your dorm room (carrots, apples, etc.).
Let me know if I can help -- I've definitely been down the road of dorm eating.
I also eat lots of oatmeal, hard boiled eggs, fruit instead of the desserts, and I always load up on veggies.
It's not impossible to eat well in the dining hall, it just takes a little more thought and planning. My school also posts the menu with nutritional info online, which is helpful.
I work for a University in Dining Administration and I've noticed that a lot of students don't take full advantage of what the campus food service has to offer. Like mentioned above, take advantage of the salad bar, made to order sandwiches, and fresh fruit. Our dining hall actually offers many vegetarian and vegan entrees and sides on a daily basis, and I believe many college campus dining programs are heading towards this as well.
Things like kashi go lean, raisin bran, oatmeal, fresh fruit, yogurt, egg whites/egg beaters, made to order omelettes, etc. are generally universally available for breakfast options. Here we also carry a wide variety of whole grain breads, english muffins, and bagels. Most dining halls will also carry non-fat and soymilk, but you'll usually have to specifically ask one of the workers for the soymilk.
Lunches could consist of a salad and a made to order sandwich. That way you get to pick and choose what and how much is included in your meal.
A lot of universities are taking on the "mongo" grill type cookery as well, where you can get made to order stirfries (with or without oil/sauce.) Our University also has an inhouse sushi chef that does a wide array of sushi on certain days of the week. Baked potatoes are a common option, I know we have them 3-4 times a week and baked chicken is one of the main features of every dinner.
Skip the ice cream, brownies, cookies, french fries, etc. Though the french fries can be baked, they are generally fried in large batches and sit in their own grease for a while before they make it to the serving line.
What you can do, if it remains a concern is approach the general manager of the dining hall, or even the food service director about your concerns. My director meets with students on a weekly basis to get feed back about what they want to see in the dining hall/eateries across campus.
One odd question, which you might not know the answer to: is the food service on your campus in house or run by a 3rd party vendor like Aramark?
i stayed at a college for a weekend and found what worked for me was choosing 1 meal item (aka, grilled cheese sandwich, small slice of pizza, preferably something carb/proteinish, not worrying about fat) then a bowl of fruit and a bowl of veggies. sometimes dessert. it worked for me, but then again, it was only for the weekend. Eating foods that look like the original, like cut up fruits and veggies, made me feel better about what i was eating.
Just eat the good stuff.
yeah my campus is run by Aramark food services.
Ah, the dining hall... Since I have a crazy major, 2 jobs, and a sport, I feel your pain at going to the dining hall to eat (its tough to cook besides on the weekends....) I agree with everyone on the salad thing- lots of veggies! Also, my dining hall buffet area has a microwave. I make a big bowl of raw salad bar veggies, (especially the organic options- look for them, alot of schools are going towards organics) add some water (and maybe a little bit of soup - if its a broth-based veggie or something- adds a lil flavor- thats one of my favorites!) and microwave until it gets soft =). Then, just add a piece of grilled chicken - lots of places offer it if you ask, or its in the salad bar- and you've got it made!
It might be all you can eat, but only take what is a good portion size. Also take a balanced varied meal. The high fat stuff is good for you in moderation. I agree with everyone, the majority of what is on your plate should be fruits and veggies, but do not forget protein and grains. Try to find whole grain (they should have whole wheat stuff). Use your noggin and what you know about proper nutrition and you'll be fine. If all else fails...move more to balance it out lol .
Go for the vegetables first... pack your plates HIGH with vegetables and salads. THEN pick up little pieces of meat and other things here and there. It always worked for me.
