Spiral Bound The musings, crafts, and research of a music major

It’s your first year on a college campus, and you step into that cafeteria for the first time. All the sudden, you’re surrounded with meal choices: tofu, mysterious-looking lasagna, a full array of desserts, and the salad bar. While you may have been able to control exactly what you ate (most of the time) in high school, the fate of your health is now in the hands of Aramark Food Services. Here are just a few tips I’ve been living by for the past few weeks to help me get back on track with good nutrition for my training schedule:

Breakfast: skip the cafeteria. Not only will it be nice to sleep a little later and spend a few extra moments getting ready in your room before classes, but you will probably end up saving yourself quite a few calories. Instead of being tempted by the grits, sugary cereal, and waffles, keep healthy breakfast food stocked in your room. My current “pantry” is stocked with Bob’s Red Mill brand “Muesli” Hot or Cold Cereal (110 calories per serving), Think Thin Protein Bars (~200 calories per serving), Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal (140 calories per serving), and Whole Foods Banana Nut Muffins for weekends (~250 calories per serving). 

Lunch: Hit the salad bar. I don’t know about your school, but mine leans heavily upon pizza, lunch meat, and grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. So, my favorite option is to hit the salad bar. I usually start with spinach greens and I add cheddar cheese, kidney beans, sprouts, carrots, and Italian dressing.

Dinner: Think vegetables and fresh colors. Generally, the more colorful your plate, the healthier your food. Find a lean meat, then seek out some vegetables. Skip the pizza and the pasta as much as possible (unless, of course, you just ran 10 miles and you need some carbs).

The #1 rule I can give you for cafeteria eating: do NOT just wander about and pick up a few things that look tasty without thinking about their nutritional value! Don’t forget that you are filling your body with fuel, so pick fuel that’s going to support your active, runner lifestyle.