Maintaining a healthy diet in college can be hard. Here are a couple ways to maneuver the challenge and feel like your best self!
1.Grocery Shop Wisely
Like many college students, I am always low on funds. Because of this, I am very selective about how I spend my income, especially when it comes to food. I have made it a personal rule that I will only spend money on food that is healthy, and not accessible to me at school. My pantry (a giant tub under my bed) is filled with Smartpop, raw trail mix, apple chips, almond butter, and at least five different flavors of dried chickpeas (I’m addicted). My fridge and freezer are usually full of salad mix, carrots, hummus, cucumbers, berries, and a couple a pre-made freezer food for days when I’m really low on time.https://i.pinimg.com/736x/10/28/7d/10287d7acb7e8ebe9d1c633289ebd0eb–food-groups-buddy-the-elf.jpg
2. Prepare/ Plan Meals Ahead of Time
Having a plan for the week is a great way to keep yourself on track. For me, this helps sort out when I’ll be using points vs. meal swipes throughout the week. Preparing meals for the week is also beneficial. If you’re living on campus and don’t have a kitchen, this task can often seem daunting. I’ve prepared salads for the week as well as bean, rice, and quinoa. It’s easy to make and stores easily in my tiny fridge. Since I already have healthy options available, I make sure those don’t go to waste. Additionally, if you set it up right, you can lay out your week so that you can avoid dining hall food as much as possible.https://i.pinimg.com/736x/88/8a/bc/888abc867e35ee852be23676f0675c55–adv…
3. Chill Out with the Takeout
Eat out the right way. As wonderful as our dining hall food is, it can get tiring eating the same food every day. Since the dining hall always has pizza and fries, when ordering out I try to make sure I find healthy options that I wouldn’t usually find on campus. Fresh veggies and marinated tofu are usually my go to’s. Plus the leftovers are delicious meal options for the next two days!http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/73/732c179be13b4b328bdb0e270bc94215deb657e3de8647e277ce8c158a74f95d.jpg
4. Set Personal Limits
Dining halls are full of “college carbs.” Fries, pasta, pizza, and a large dessert variety. Practicing self-control is easier said than done. Try to set limits for yourself when planning your meals for the week. One small dessert/ unhealthy snack every other day or one unhealthy meal option per week are goals I’ve set for myself thus far. Self-control doesn’t mean depriving yourself! Just try to set boundaries so you can feel like your best you.
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5. Snack Right
Since you’ve already got a fridge/snack tub full of healthy choices, try to always carry a snack with you. That way you can keep your energy up between classes and won’t be as likely to overeat in the dining hall later. Additionally, be extra careful about snacking while studying. It’s a sad moment when you realize you just stress ate an entire Costco sized bag of Sour Patch Kids while studying the functions of the brain. Instead, try eating during study breaks instead.http://theorganicadventurer.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/LoveSnacks.jpg
6. Stay Hydrated
I know we’re all tired of hearing it, but keeping yourself hydrated really is essential to maintaining a healthy diet. The diet of the average college student contains an abundance of coffee, sodium, and other dehydrating factors. For this reason, we often are dehydrated without even noticing it. Drinking water also improves memory function, so carry your water bottle to class with you, and try to finish a whole bottle while studying before grabbing a snack. I keep a pitcher of lemon water (because I’m boujee like that) in my fridge and try to down at least three bottles a day.
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