Whether it’s in Trivette, Central, or the Student Union, we have all found ourselves sharing a meal with a friend in one of App State’s dining facilities during our time as undergrads. For some, namely those living on campus, eating in our cafeterias is a no brainer. When Mom and Dad are paying for your meal card and you have a thousand dollars or more to blow each semester, why wouldn’t you take advantage of three free meals a day? However, for those of us who remember weighing in after freshman year to find that we had gained more weight in a single year than we ever thought possible for our adolescent metabolisms, eating in the cafeterias can be a daunting experience, because even when the so-called “healthy choices” aren’t very healthy, it’s hard to tell what’s what. Want to know the truth about App State’s cafeteria food? Here it is:
It’s the middle of the day and let’s face it, after that huge Economics exam, you are starving. You stroll into Central Dining Hall for a quick on-the-go meal before your next class. What’s the first thing that catches your eye? Of course, it has to be Chik-fil-a.
As a student at Appalachian, it bewilders me how many students get seriously hyped up over Chik-fil-a in our cafeteria. While it may not be my first choice, it is most students,’ so here’s what you need to know about your on-the-go chicken sandwich:
1 Classic Chicken Sandwich (no sauce) with 1 side order of Waffle Potato Fries (also no sauce)
- 740 calories (37% of your daily value)
- 32 g of fat (49% of your daily value)
- 1520 mg of sodium (63% of your daily value)
Add one packet of the signature Chik-fil-a sauce to your meal and you have increased your values to a whopping 880 calories, 45 g of fat, and 1690 mg of sodium. Does it still sound appetizing?
Ok, ok, so we probably aren’t all Chik-fil-a junkies. If you’re like me and you are hungry for lunch, you’ll probably head upstairs straight to the wrAPPS line. There are a lot of choices here and the healthier ones are clearly marked on the menu with an apple symbol next to them. Let’s say, today, you are channeling your inner vegetarian and choose the standard Garden Gate with everything on it, here’s what you are getting:
1 Garden Gate Wrap
- 323 calories (16% of your daily value)
- 16.44 g of fat (25% of your daily value)
- 634 mg of sodium (26% of your daily value)
If this is your first choice when entering the cafeteria, give yourself a pat on the back. A vegetarian wrap clearly trumps the Chik-fil-a sandwich from a health standpoint. But, let’s say you aren’t all that into your leafy greens and are more of a meat eater. In this case you may choose the Hungry App. Here’s how it compares:
1 Hungry App Wrapp
- 554 calories (27% of your daily value)
- 33.28 g of fat (51% of your daily value)
- 2015 mg of sodium (84% of your daily value)
We all crave pizza every now and then so, let’s head over to the big stone hearth in the corner of Rivers Street Café to satisfy your craving. Fire Side Pizza is fresh and always smells incredible. Maybe you’ll go for a standard slice of pepperoni pizza today. And what’s pizza without the delicious cheesy breadsticks that we all love? Check out this meal choice:
1 slice of Fire Side Pepperoni Pizza with 1 order of Fire Side Cheesesticks (2)
- 1,104 calories (55% of your daily value)
- 42.57 g of fat (65% of your daily value)
- 1,377 mg of sodium (57% of your daily value)
Pizza is great but what about that amazing McAllister’s Mac & Cheese? If your freshman year was/is anything like mine, you indulged on this stuff almost everyday. Whether you ate it on the side of your sandwich or got the big cup as a meal, you have to admit that it is good. But did you ever really know what you were putting in your body? We do:
1 small cup of McAllister’s Mac & Cheese
- 230 calories (11.5% of your daily value)
- 13 g of fat (20% of your daily value)
- 550 mg of sodium (23% of your daily value)
We all know that eating right is important especially as our metabolism begins to slow down; however, sometimes the word healthy can be deceiving, especially in our dining facilities. If you’re curious about how your meal choices add up, visit the Appalachian Food Services website (http://www.foodservices.appstate.edu/dining/nutrition-resources) and use the MyNutrition resource to track your meals in our cafeterias.
*All totals are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.