It can be hard to take the time to eat healthily. Most of the time, with the busy lives college students have, it is easier to order food instead.
Assistant professor Jill Fabricius Keith, Ph. D. of Exercise Science & Nutrition, shared some tips and tricks college students can use to apply healthy eating habits to their everyday lives.
“Make nutrient-dense choices and save money on the grocery store. Celebrate when you eat healthily! You are making great choices for your own health. Don’t be overcome by guilt when you make less healthy choices,” Keith said. “Healthy Habits are lifelong. All foods can fit, we just need to aim for healthy choices.”
Another issue college students face is cost. Fruits and vegetables are often more expensive than a box of pasta, and they spoil sooner.
“It can be expensive, especially if most fresh produce gets thrown away before we eat it. Try to buy fruits and vegetables that are in season. Choose store-brand grains and canned items,” Keith said.
Keith also shared advice for managing “cheat days” or days where students can’t find time to cook for every meal.
“If you eat Mcdonald’s on a particular day, try to make your other choices more nutrient-dense for the rest of the day. And sugar-sweetened beverages, like soda, add a lot of empty calories, so be cautious with those free refills!”
Keith recommends meal planning and similar methods of food prep to make it easier for college students to eat healthily.
“Try to plan your meals and snacks for the week and make a grocery list and stick to it. Many times, our spur-of-the-moment purchases really add up the price. Also, think about the money you spend eating away from home, fast food, gas station snacks, etc. That adds to our food budget but often lacks nutrient density.”
“Smoothies are a great way to incorporate fruits, veggies, and yogurt or dairy. Nuts and seeds are easy to take to class or grab on the way to work or practice.”
Keith provided the following tips as a general goal for a healthy diet.
“Aim for at least five servings of fruits and vegetables. Choose whole grains when you can, brown rice, whole wheat bread, etc. Go lean with protein, nuts, legumes, fish, chicken, These lean sources of protein also provide healthy fats. If you consume dairy, choose low-fat dairy options. If you don’t consume dairy, look for plant-based milk with vitamin D and calcium,” Keith said.
“Go easy on high fat, high sodium foods, good examples of these are most fast foods, and avoid fad diets. They are often overly restrictive of different food groups, are challenging to maintain, can be expensive, can result in nutrient deficiencies, and don’t result in long-term weight loss.”
