As Adam Sandler said in the movie Billy Madison, "Back to school. Back to school. To prove to dad that I'm not a fool." Well, sometimes it is easy to be fooled about the foods you are eating once you go off on your own. However, making good food choices can be simple if you put some effort towards your diet.
As a freshman, the dining commons offers so many food choices that it is easy to forget that you don't need to eat a hamburger, a cheesesteak and a tuna fish sandwich all at once simply because they are all offered for dinner. I attribute my weight gain freshman year to my developed attraction to the nightly eating of ice cream sundaes laden with butterscotch, Oreo cookie crumbs and sprinkles. I looked at it as simply celebrating my newfound freedom, but all the food choices can be overwhelming. Just pay attention to what and how much you are eating and try to vary your diet.
The many food choices in the dining commons also mean it is easy to get a healthy variety into your diet. The commons offers a Five Star rating meal card next to their food portions. These cards not only display the calories and fat content of the item, but they will also show if the product is high in protein, carbohydrates, calcium, iron, and will indicate low sodium foods by displaying a P, C, CA, I and LS star, respectively. Pay special attention to the calcium and iron stars because many students do not get enough of these minerals in their diets.
In addition, the cards will also state exactly how much iron is in the meal portion. This nutrient is particularly important because it is required to carry oxygen to your muscles. Without substantial iron, you may feel extremely sluggish and may have a hard time mustering up the energy for those all-night "study" fests. I leave the interpretation of the word "study" entirely up to you. Nevertheless, women should aim for 15 milligrams of iron and men should eat about 10 milligrams per day.
The cards will also indicate whether the food product contains dairy, wheat, seafood, nuts or eggs by displaying a little picture icon of the food -- so be on the lookout if you are allergic or have any strong food aversions. The cards will also display a letter M for meatless items and a letter V for vegan items. The dining commons does a good job in keeping students aware of what they are eating; just make the effort to read the card.
Living off campus can also provide students with healthy food alternatives. You are not surrounded with many already prepared food choices, giving you an opportunity to devour as many as you wish.
However, the lack of convenience may push students toward fast food. Instead of ordering pizza or Chinese night after night, keep your refrigerator stocked with cold cuts to make sandwiches. You would be amazed how quickly you can whip up a healthy version of a turkey club. Also, keep fruits in your fridge and grab them for a snack on your walk to class. Produce and other perishable foods will keep fairly well; just don't bury them behind all the beer.
The bottom line is this: Whether you are an incoming freshman or a returning senior, there are so many choices for a healthy lifestyle. Don't get overwhelmed when making food selections. Remember that those cheesesteaks will be there next week, too, so you don't have eat one as a side dish to your burger and fries. And if the local pizza joint recognizes your voice and has your order memorized, you may be eating there too much. Celebrate your freedom by making healthy food choices.
