French fries…Pizza…Cheeseburgers…Ice Cream…You name it, we got it. Duke excels in so many different areas- academics, sports, and school spirit are just a few. As you could probably tell immediately upon stepping foot on campus freshmen year, culinary excellence is no exception. College is filled with options- you decide what you want to study, what you want to do in your free time, and, in this case, what you want to eat. For many, eating healthy in college is quite difficult. Busy schedules, late-night studying, high levels of stress, and the infamous weekend munchies have most collegiettes™ reaching for the greasy hamburger instead of a healthy, nutritious alternative. There are many different reasons for this tendency-while some students are not health conscious, others want to pursue a healthy lifestyle but feel it is quite useless in a world filled with such delicious (but often unhealthy) options. It is the latter group that I wish to help in the following compilation of healthy options at some of the most popular eateries here on campus.
Meal items:
Greek Salad- 195 calories (9.7 g fat)
*Note: dressing and croutons not included
Cajun Chicken Salad- 202 calories (4.8 g fat)
*Note: dressing and croutons not included
Lite Italian Dressing (2 fl. oz.)- 80 calories (4 g fat)
Fat-Free Honey Dijon (2 fl. oz)- 90 calories (0 g fat)
Cajun Fish Wrap- 382 calories (9.3 g fat)
Portobello Mushroom Sandwich- 337 calories (10.6 g fat)
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich- 475 calories (7 g fat)
Artichoke and Roasted Red Pepper Pizza- 467 calories (10 g fat)
Side items:
Steamed Broccoli- 85 calories (5 g fat)
Steamed Veggies- 55 calories (3 g fat)
Chicken Gumbo Soup (cup)- 75 calories (3.4 g fat)
Chicken Noodle Soup (cup)- 90 calories (2.7 g fat)
French Onion Soup (cup)- 60 calories (2.6 g fat)
Minestrone Soup (cup)- 60 calories (0.75 g fat)
Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich- 350 calories (9 g fat)
Honey Mustard Snack Wrap or Chipotle BBQ Snack Wrap (Grilled)- 250 calories (8 g fat)
Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken- 290 calories (8 g fat)
Fruit n Yogurt Parfait- 160 calories (2 g fat)
String Bean Chicken Breast- 170 calories (7 g fat)
Potato Chicken- 220 calories (11 g fat)
Mushroom Chicken- 220 calories (13 g fat)
Broccoli Beef- 130 calories (4 g fat)
Side items:
Veggie Spring Roll- 160 calories (7 g fat)
Hot and Sour Soup- 100 calories (3.5 g fat)
Mixed Veggies- 70 calories (0.5 g fat)
*Note: Shrimp and pork dishes here tend to be higher in calories.
Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich- 300 calories (4 g fat)
Chargrilled Chicken Cool Wrap- 410 calories (12 g fat)
Chargrilled Chicken Garden Salad- 180 calories (6 g fat)
Chicken sandwich without butter- 400 calories
8-Count Nuggets- 260 calories (12 g fat)
Side items:
Side Salad- 70 calories (5 g fat)
Hearty Breast of Chicken Soup- 140 calories (4 g fat)
Fruit Cup- 70 calories (0 g fat)
Try these too!
Soft tacos- with Chicken or Black Beans
Salad
Tex Mex Salad Wrap
Tip: Use salsa as a salad dressing, or Fat-Free Italian or Raspberry Vinaigrette!
The Refectory:
Vegan Dal and Rice (“most nutritious meal at the Refectory”)
Veggie Wrap
Vegan Chili
The Perk:
Turkey Pesto Wrap
Grilled Chicken Salad
Chef Salad
Low calorie smoothies:
– Strawberry Oasis- 70 calories (0 g fat)
– Mango Beach- 70 calories
(0 g fat)
– Peach Breeze- 80 calories (0 g fat)
Low calorie meals:
Sante Fe Chicken Salad
Hummus and Tabouli Salad
Thai Chicken Wrap
Twinnies:
Sushi (avoid the creamy sauce on top)
Chicken, Veggie, Spinach, and
Smoked Salmon Wrap
With this collection of nutritional information and healthy eating tips, I hope that I have helped you make better meal choices on campus. This is not to say that you don’t deserve that delicious Oreo milkshake from the Loop, you may just not deserve it every, single time you eat there (which for many of us, is once or twice a day). Buon appetito!