One of the most dreaded aspects of college is the notorious freshman 15. As you head off to college, you will soon be inundated with food choices in your dorm cafeteria, as well as from fast food restaurants surrounding campus. Learning how to identify healthy foods will help you prevent weight gain, but will also ensure that you are as healthy as you can be as you enter this new chapter in your life.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables offer a host of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that help build your immunity and give you the energy you need to attend class, engage in social activities and complete your assignments. Aim to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Your dorm cafeteria likely provides some, but the grocery store will have many more choices that you can store in your dorm room for quick snacks. Bananas, apples, grapes and carrots are all easy to stash in your backpack for an energy boost between classes.
Milk and Other Dairy Foods
As a new college student, you have entered adulthood, but your bones are still building mass that will last for the rest of your life. You need between 1,000 mg and 1,300 mg of calcium per day, and consuming milk each day will help you reach these goals. Pour a cup of skim milk over your breakfast cereal, eat a piece of cheese as a snack or add cheese to your lunch sandwich and drink a large glass of skim milk with dinner. Other calcium-rich foods include yogurt, leafy greens and beans.
Whole Grains
The fiber in whole grains will supply you with plenty of energy for attending class, doing your homework and attending extra-curricular activities. Fiber is also important for keeping your digestive system working properly and reducing instances of bloating and painful gas. Eat high-fiber breakfast cereal or oatmeal for breakfast, which you can get in most college cafeterias. Take a granola bar or whole-wheat crackers to class for a high-fiber snack. Make your sandwich on whole-wheat bread and opt for brown rice and whole-grain pasta over white versions.
Lean Meat
Most college cafeterias offer high-fat meats, like pepperoni pizza and greasy cheeseburgers. While these will supply protein, they are also high in saturated fat and salt. As a busy college student, you need adequate amounts of protein in your diet so you have the energy you need to meet your many obligations. Lean meats are more nutritious than fatty ones and still supply a healthy amount of protein. White meat chicken, lean steak and fish are all options you can usually find in college cafeterias or order at restaurants when you go out to eat.
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