Everyone knows that eating healthy while you’re in college is not the easiest thing to do. If you live on campus, you don’t have a stove or a pantry to accommodate ingredients for real meals, and there are lots of tempting options for meals that aren’t super healthy like Chick fil A and Panda Express- although definitely delicious! Even if you don’t live on campus, sometimes it can still be hard to find time to cook nutritious meals. Here’s a few tips to help you stay healthy this semester.
1. Don’t go to the grocery store when you’re hungry.
This usually results in you buying a ton of food, plus whatever junk food is your favorite. Go when you’ve just eaten something, and think about what you’re buying.
2. Just because someone invites you to go to out to eat doesn’t mean you have to order something.
I know this might seem strange, but sometimes a friend or a classmate might invite you to come eat with them when you aren’t very hungry. Don’t feel obligated to order food if you aren’t! You can have a good time and good conversation even if you don’t eat, or if you don’t get a whole meal.
3. Try to buy healthier food for your dorm.
If you live on campus, you already have a meal plan for the semester. While there are definitely healthier options like The Wellness Kitchen, Plains2Plate, and Chicken Salad Chick, I know in my case, a lot of the time I end up in some of the unhealthier places just out of habit or because it’s closer to my next class. So for your snacks or food you keep in your dorm, try to buy whatever healthy snacks you like. Some of the things I’ve found so far that are good and also easy to keep in a dorm room or take on the go are fruit like apples and bananas, veggies like fresh broccoli or cucumbers, and yogurt with granola. Also, for breakfast, granola bars-the kind that aren’t just all chocolate and sugar-and oatmeal are good options as well.
4. Try not to mindlessly eat unhealthy snacks.
I know I definitely do this sometimes! Sitting in my dorm room, studying, kind of bored-what do I do? Reach for the snacks! Try not to do this unless you’re reaching for something healthy.