INTRO:
à Many reasons why college students gain the dreaded freshman fifteen, and one of those reasons is the experience of eating in a college dining hall. The food may not be great, but it’s plentiful, and it’s not necessarily very nutritious!
à To help you eat as healthfully as possible in your cafeteria, here’s a guide to food you should choose and foods you should eat only in moderation.
FOODS TO CHOOSE:
à Fresh Fruit
Cafeterias are full of processed foods, and a piece of fresh fruit is as close to nature as you’re going to find. Try to eat a piece of fruit every day. It’s also a good idea to incorporate fresh fruit into other dining hall options – like by cutting a banana into a bowl of cereal, or by eating fresh strawberries with yogurt.
à The Salad Bar
Load up on healthy, fresh veggies as often as you can. Proceed with caution, however. Eat fatty salad toppings like cheese and croutons in moderation, and avoid full fat salad dressing.
à Whole Grains
When ever possible, eat whole grain bread, cereal, pasta and tortillas. These are immensely more nutritious that products made with processed white flour. However, you may have to ask to find out if products are actually whole grain. Lots of brown breads and such are made with processed wheat flour, which is not nearly as nutritious.
à Water
Water provides an abundance of health benefits and may help fill you up. Get into the habit of drinking at least a small glass of water with every meal.
à Healthy hot or cold cereal
No, this does not mean eat Coco Puffs every day, but eat your fill of Cheerios, shredded wheat, oatmeal, and anything else that’s relatively healthy. Even if there’s some sugar in your selection, this is a much healthier breakfast habit that bacon, pancakes, and other fatty choices.
à Ketchup, mustard, and other low-fat condiments
Ketchup is not the best food available – it’s full of high fructose corn syrup – but a tablespoon of ketchup is a much healthier alternative than a tablespoon of mayonnaise. Other good condiment choices include salsa and vinegar.
à Low fat or fat free frozen yogurt
Of course, this is a food to eat in moderation. However, it’s a much healthier alternative to ice cream or other fatty desserts, so if your cafeteria offers a frozen yogurt machine, enjoy it.
NOT SO HEALTHY CHOICES:
à Juice
Juice is not nearly as healthy as fruit. Even 100% juice lacks the fiber of a piece of fruit and has lots more calories. Drink juice in moderation, like a glass with breakfast, but don’t substitute juice for more healthy fruit choices. Orange and grapefruit juices are better choices that apple because they are a good source of vitamin C.
à Soda
Having a soda machine in the cafeteria is a little like eating at McDonald’s every day. It can be tempting to load up on soda at lunch and dinner. Obviously, this is a quick way to add empty calories. Don’t make the mistake of loading up on diet soda either; as this is filled with chemicals and can actually make your body crave sugar.
à Full fat salad dressings
Most salad dressings are almost 100% fat, and can up the fat content of a healthy salad many times over. Always choose low-fat salad dressings, and use sparingly. If oil and vinegar are available, these are better choices – light on the oil, heavier on the vinegar.
à Fatty breakfasts
For many students, the eggs and pancakes and bacon and other traditional breakfast favorites are quite a temptation. However, these should be enjoyed in moderation, or perhaps eaten as a treat after a grueling early morning exam. If the cafeteria offers dishes made with egg substitutes or egg whites, choose these, as they are much lower in fat.
à French fries and other fried foods
These are a quick way to load up on calories. If you’re going to eat fries, try eating a very small serving.
à Mayonnaise, butter, and other fatty condiments
On a sandwich, try using ketchup and mustard instead of mayo. If low fat mayo is available, go for that, in moderation. Butter, of course, is something to keep to a minimum.
TIPS:
à Choose more fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and veggies are healthy, filling and low in calories.
à Take advantage of the salad bar.
Often times, salad bars have a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, so you can mix it up every time you get a salad.
à Don’t forget the protein.
It’s filling and good for you, so include it at every meal. Add some grilled chicken to turn a boring salad into a full meal. Other lean proteins include deli meats (especially chicken and turkey), tofu, tempeh, eggs and egg whites.
à Don’t ladle dressing into your plate.
For example, put it in a small cup and dip your fork into it to save calories and fat.
à Add vegetables to your meals.
Mom’s not there to make sure you eat your vegetables each day, but they’re still important. Go for green vegetables like broccoli, spinach and green beans instead of less nutritious and higher calorie sides like fries. This will help you meet your daily quota of three to five vegetables.
à Choose fruit over chips or other fried snacks.
So when you’re hungry between classes, choose portable fruits like apples, bananas, grapes, raisins, pears and the like.
à Instead of whole or 2% milk, choose 1% or skim milk as a drink or cereal topper.
à Only fill your cup once.
If you treat yourself to a cup of soda or juice, only fill your cup once.
à Drink water.
Water is important for all bodily functions.
à Only allow yourself to get one plateful of food.
Don’t let all you can eat dining halls suck you in!
à Look up the nutrition facts for your school’s dining hall.
Many schools now offer nutrition facts either at the dining all itself or online. When you get the facts, you can make educated decisions and eat well-proportioned, healthful foods.
à Choose a balanced meal.
Eating a variety of foods and food groups will help you obtain the nutrients your body needs. A good base meal to strive for has a lean protein source, a carbohydrate source (like whole grains), a small amount of far, and a fruit or vegetable serving.
à Practice portion control.
You may not be able to control how your food is cooked or what is served to you each day, but you can control how much you eat. Learn how to estimate proper portion sizes for various foods and you will easily be able to keep your calories in check.
à Be creative.
If you don’t like the hot food offered, try to combine food from different areas of the dining hall. For example, add a grilled chicken breast to a salad or veggies from the salad bar to a sandwich or a wrap.
PERFECT PORTION SIZES:
à Because most dining halls are all you can eat, it is easy to go overboard. Stay in control of how much you eat by being aware of potion sizes. Use these everyday objects to estimate your portion sizes like a pro.
1 tsp = One Die
Estimate the proper serving size of fats and oils by picturing a single die, which is about the size of a teaspoon.
1/4 cup = One Egg
A medium egg is about the size of a one-quarter cup. That's the proper size for serving of dried fruit.
1/2 cup = One Billiard Ball
One-half cup is about the size of a billiard ball. A half-cup portion is a single serving of the following foods: cooked grains (such as oats or brown rice), dry cereal, raw fruit (canned, fresh or frozen), cooked vegetables, and cooked beans or legumes
1 cup = A Baseball
One cup is about the size of a baseball. One cup of raw, leafy greens (like salad) counts as a serving of vegetables and one cup of milk counts as a single serving of dairy.
6 oz = A Hockey Puck
Fluid ounces are often harder to measure, especially when glasses and cups vary in size and shape. But 6 oz. of volume takes up about the same amount of space as a hockey puck, which is equivalent to one serving of 100% fruit or vegetable juice
2 Tbsp = A Ping Pong Ball
Estimate a 2-tablespoon serving size (which is equal to one serving of nuts, seeds or peanut butter) by picturing a ping pong ball.
2-3 oz = A Deck of Cards
Although most servings of meat, tofu and fish double or triple the standard serving size of 2-3 ounces, you can eyeball your protein portions by picturing a deck of playing cards
1 oz = A Pair of Dice
One ounce. That's the proper serving size for a serving of cheese. You can estimate your portions knowing that one ounce of cheese is about the size of a pair of dice
HEALTHY SNACKS:
à Keep your room stocked with healthy snacks you can grab when you’re hungry between meals and or at night. Some healthy suggestions are:
Animal crackers
Canned fruit
Crackers
Energy (or protein) bars
Fresh fruit
Granola bars
High fiber cereal
Nuts
Oatmeal
Pita bread
Popcorn
Soup
Trail mix
Tuna fish
If you have a fridge, try:
Hummus
Yogurt
Low far milk
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