Eating healthy in the dining hall can be extremely difficult, especially when students have access to so many unhealthy foods. The daily pizza line or the myriad of various cookies, cakes, and pies offered in the dining halls can be hard to avoid, but with these tips students will be sure to stay away from the junk food and adopt healthier eating habits.
Breakfast
Eating oatmeal with a little bit of brown sugar, walnuts, and banana slices is a very filling and delicious meal for breakfast. Students can also add other toppings to their oatmeal, such as chocolate chips or dried cranberries to spice up plain oatmeal. Cereals with little sugar, like Special K, Raisin Bran, or Honey Nut Cheerios, paired with Skim milk or Soy milk are also great breakfast choices, much healthier than their sugary alternatives like Frosted Flakes and Fruit Loops. Scrambled egg whites are another healthy breakfast option, and anything from bacon to spinach can be added to this dish to give it more flavor and depth. A small piece of fruit, such as an orange or apple, along with a small bowl of yogurt with slivered almonds, are great additions to any of these meals and can make for a healthy and balanced breakfast that will give students enough energy to last till lunchtime.
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Lunch
Soups with plenty of beans and other vegetables, such as minestrone soup or lentil soup, are perfect for lunch because they have less sodium than others like chicken noodle soup. A salad with low-fat dressing or vinaigrette would also pair nicely with a soup, along with a whole wheat bread roll. Whole wheat wraps filled with brown rice, grilled chicken, black beans, tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese are another amazing lunch option. They are also very filling and are a great source of whole grains. The lettuce in the wrap can even be substituted for spinach for added nutrients. Grilled chicken and vegetables or hummus with celery and carrots are good sources of protein and, if paired with a smoothie, these meals can satisfy one’s daily fruit and vegetable servings.
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Dinner
Dinnertime offers students some of the same food choices as lunchtime. However, students can change the type of vegetables or toppings used in each meal. Students can also eat grilled salmon, grilled shrimp, or sushi along with a sweet potato and brown rice. Warm cinnamon apples are another tasty alternative to the sweet potato. For dessert, frozen yogurt is a delicious and healthy choice that comes in various flavors and can be adorned with many different toppings, such as nuts, crushed cookies, dried fruit, or even cinnamon apples. A smoothie is another healthy dessert that will satisfy one’s sweet tooth without packing on too many extra calories and raising blood sugar levels.
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These healthy food options are sure to make eating at the dining hall easier and more enjoyable, and with so many great options students are sure to find something they like.