For most college freshmen, living on campus is their first foray into living on their own. Doing your own laundry, waking yourself up in the morning, getting your work done, and most importantly: feeding yourself. It can be very challenging to make healthy choices when your dining options are seemingly unlimited. Additionally, as a college student, you are constantly balancing classes, activities, jobs, and a social life. This is no easy feat, and adequately fueling your body is the key to getting it all done.Â
While eating something green once in a while sounds simple enough, it is a lot easier said than done. What we have failed to mention so far, is that while the choice of what to eat is left up to individual students, the choice of when to eat it is frequently out of their control. Busy students have to fit their meals in between classes, meetings, rehearsals, practices, and a million other commitments that are constantly begging for their time. Because of this, I have put together a guide to finding healthy dining options on campus at all hours, based on my own personal experiences.
Disclaimer:
Before we get into the meat of this article, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge that I am not a health professional, and this is by no means a guide to weight loss. I believe that food is fuel, and that as driven students, we need to be eating in a way that can sustain the busy lifestyles we are living. If you are struggling with your relationship with food, I implore you to close this article and seek assistance from a licensed health professional. If you are a UB student, nutrition counseling with a licensed dietician is available through the university and can be found through the student life website.Â
What is “healthy eating” in the first place?
Contrary to what your favorite fitness influencer may tell you, a diet consisting of vegetables and tea is not enough to fuel the average person. Campus dining at UB recommends the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) MyPlate model for balancing food groups. I did the work of reading through the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, but I recommend you read it for yourself, as it is available at myplate.gov. The full document goes into more detail, but the main message is that the key to a good diet is eating real food. High-quality protein sourced from both plants and animals, full-fat dairy without added sugars, colorful and nutrient-dense whole fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and fiber-rich whole grains are the main food groups that the USDA advises people to eat daily. They also suggest people limit the amount of processed and artificial foods they consume. Aiming to hit all of these food groups is what makes it easier for me to make healthy choices on a busy schedule. Individual people have different dietary needs, so make sure to take illness, age, dietary restrictions, and ability into account when figuring out what your personal nutritional goals are, as well as the advice of your health provider.
The Importance of Breakfast
During my time at UB, I have found that breakfast is usually the easiest time to get a balanced meal in. Things happen during the day, and unexpected responsibilities can make it hard to fit lunch and dinner into the operating hours of the healthier dining options on campus. Prioritizing breakfast makes sure that I start the day off well, and that I’m not ravenous by lunchtime. Dining halls such as Crossroads Culinary Dining Center on North Campus open at 8 am on weekdays, as do food court style options such as Student Union.
Knowing Your Windows
Another important part of staying fueled is knowing what is open when I have time to eat. The hours of all dining options are listed online, as well as their menus. Knowing what you are going to eat and where you are going to eat it can make it so much easier to just grab a meal and head to wherever you need to be next, without having to waste time toiling over where to go, only for it to be closed when you get there.
Stocking Up for Late Night
The biggest obstacle I have found while trying to eat well on campus, is the fact that it is nearly impossible to find a vegetable past 8:30 pm. Most dining options close fairly early, and the only places that stay open until 11 (in Ellicott at least) are Hubies and Perks. While a piece of pizza or a milkshake is great every once in a while, these options don’t provide the balance I am often seeking after a rehearsal, or before a late-night study session. And the hours are even worse on the weekends, when it is a challenge to find anything to eat at all. I often find myself at the Elli stocking up on ramen, chips, and minute-mac and cheese, and still not getting the nutrients I am after. The solution I have landed on is running to The Bowl during the day. It requires a bit of pre-planning, but if you play your (UB) cards right, your dining points can get you a bowl of fresh fruits and veggies, and easy protein, as well as other nutrient-packed snacks, that will keep you going in those moments when campus feels like a grocery store before a hurricane.
Remembering to Let Yourself Live
As much as a perfectly balanced pound of clean nutrients from The Bowl feeds my body, a chocolate avalanche croissant and a large java chip frappuchino from Perks feeds my soul. I can not say enough that food is fuel, but that does not simply mean that its only purpose is to keep your body from shutting down. It can also be fuel in the sense that it gives you something to look forward to. I love to get a post-rehearsal cup of ice cream with my friends, just as much as I love the fact that the turkey wrap I ate beforehand gave me the energy to get through the rehearsal in the first place. You are so much more than what you eat.
In Closing:
Once again, this advice is nothing more than anecdotal evidence. It is what works for me, my body, and my schedule. The only things you should be listening to are your body and your doctor, but I hope this article has inspired you to find a new meal on campus that feeds your body and your soul!