It’s time to face it: the school year is in full swing, you’re up to your eyeballs in assignments (can someone say midterms?), and your body is feeling a little neglected from all the last minute, not-so-healthy food runs. With our time scheduled down to the very millisecond, it can feel almost impossible to find time for a decent meal. Thankfully, Chaptown has quite the array of on-campus dining options. There are plenty of options that can get you through your day with flying colors, instead of making you feel like a giant tub of butter.
Einstein Bros Bagels
It’s technically a given that college girls are in love with bagels. Bagels are heaven. But unfortunately, bagels have this weird ability to go straight to our backsides, and not in a sexy, Iggy Azalea way. That being said, Einstein’s is a really easy and convenient place to go when your stomach is yelling at you from hunger and you just want a dang bagel. Make sure you’re getting the most out of your meal:
EAT THIS: Whole Wheat, Thintastic Bagel with your choice of Cream Cheese Shmear, tomato, and avocado.
Adding the tomato and avocado to the bagel gives you just a little more oomph, not to mention some awesome healthy fats.
Other Healthy Options: Thintastic Chicken Pesto Lunch, Thintastic Egg-Whites, Strawberry Chicken Salad
NOT THAT: 9-Grain bagel with Cream Cheese Shmear. Just the bagel packs 300 calories and 6 grams of fat. You’re much better off getting the Thintastic, whole wheat bagel and saving those extra calories.
Other Options to Avoid: Turkey-Sausage & Cheddar Egg Sandwhich, Napa Valley Chicken Sandwich, Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake (a whopping 800 calories!!)
The nutrition facts for all of Einsteins’ products can be found here.
Jamba Juice
Smoothies can be a very nutritious and satisfying way to dull that hunger pang between classes. But they can also be packed full of sugar that will send you soaring and then make you crash later. Don’t let that happen. Jamba Juice also has tasty alternatives to smoothies that can help you avoid that dreaded crash.
EAT THIS: Carribean Passion Smoothie (16 oz). Strawberries, peaches, passion-fruit mango juice, and orange sherbet. Ooh how tropical! Perfect for that beach body.
Other Healthy Options: Kale-ribbean Breeze Smoothie, Steel-Cut Oatmeal, Tropical Greens Fresh Squeezed Juice
NOT THAT: Strawberry Surfrider Smoothie (16oz). This sucker comes with 300 calories and 70 (repeat: SEVENTY) grams of sugar in the smallest size.
Other Options to Avoid: Chocolate Moo’d Smoothie, Sourdough Parmesan Pretzel, Mango-A-Go-Go Smoothie
WOW
WOW has recently improved its menu, including more vegan and gluten-free items. Many of their items are still very high in sodium and fat, so be careful before attacking those barbeque ranch fries (which are SO good).
EAT THIS: Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Side Salad
While WOW’s chicken is not organic, it is delivered fresh daily and is never frozen. Choosing grilled over fried is always the better option, and if you’re looking to make this meal even better, you could ask for extra garnishes (greens and tomatoes) and skip the bun.
Other Healthy Options: West Coast Veggie Wrap, Veggie Burger
NOT THAT: Texas Burger
Yikes! With 1,180 calories, 90g of fat and almost 2,000mg of sodium, this burger is almost an entire day’s worth of food in one meal. That’s a no go. Plus, all the grease and saturated fats will leave you feeling bogged down and sluggish. So not what you need.
Other Options to Avoid: Philly Burger, Kentucky Wrap, Kentucky Club Salad
Subversions
Even though the line is somehow always long, Subversions has some decent options for meals on campus — as long as you have some time to spare!
EAT THIS: Turkey Sandwich: whole wheat sub with tomato, greens, onions, swiss cheese, oil & vinegar
Okay, obviously we all wish that the sandwiches from Subversions actually looked this good (complete with the heavenly cloud backgroud). But, this sandwich is the perfect dinner to get you through your 7pm class; it has a healthy balance of protein and carbohydrates and the veggies will perk you right up!
Other Healthy Options: Veggie Sub on Wheat, Sesame Ginger Chicken on Wheat, Ham & Cheese on Wheat
NOT THAT: Meatball Sub
With almost twice as many calories and sodium as the turkey sandwich, this little guy can leave you feeling bloated for days. I’ve heard the meatball sub at Subversions is quite addicting too, so try to steer clear!
Other Options to Avoid: Classic Italian, Louisiana Roast Beef, Chicken Parmesan
With midterms coming up, it is incredibly important to fuel our bodies with nourishing food so we can do our best. It’s amazing the difference good food makes! So next time you’re tempted to shove a two pound burger from WOW into your face, remember that there is always an opportunity to eat better and live better.