What to Avoid in Your College Cafeteria

Walking into your college dining hall for the first time might be quite the delight—everything you could possibly want is only a plateful away and the food is already prepared for you. But the downside to that is it’s an easy way to turn your healthy eating habits upside down.  Before you start eyeing that double cheeseburger with a side of fries, read these simple tips on what foods to avoid!

Soda/Juice Cocktails — Drinking soda and juice cocktails quickly adds calories to your diet.  Although diet drinks may not have any calories, they still are an unhealthy choice.  Soft drinks are usually always available in dining halls, so if you really wanted to, you could have a glass for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Don’t be the person to do that!  Choose water as a healthier alternative.  Buy low-calorie powdered drink mixes to pour in your water if you want to add some flavor.

Salad Dressings — Choosing a salad for one of your meals may be a smart choice, but when you load it up with spoonfuls of dressing (which is high in fat and calories), it defeats the whole purpose of trying to eat healthier.  Always look at the different choices available and choose ones low in fat.  Using oil and vinegar on a salad, for example, is healthier than ranch or blue cheese.

Mayo-Based Salad Sandwiches — Beware of tuna and chicken salad sandwiches.  At dining halls, hundreds of sandwiches are made every day so measuring the perfect amount of mayo for each one is not realistic.  Therefore, these types of sandwiches are very high in fat.  Choose other deli meat, like turkey or ham, on wheat bread with mustard.

Fried Foods — These are usually found in the grill line, depending on what your campus offers.  Be aware of what’s available each day and how often you eat the types of foods served in these lines.  Routinely ordering a cheeseburger or chicken melts with a side of curly fries for lunch is no different than eating at a place like McDonald’s every day.  Not only are these foods high in fat, but also dangerous to your health if consumed too often. If you ARE craving a hamburger, be smart about it. Skip the the bun and cheese and just wrap the meat in some lettuce instead. It's a great way to cut calories and still retain the taste you crave.

Dessert Trays/Ice Cream Machines — This one is obvious.  Just because sugary treats are available to you everyday does not mean you need to eat them.  Think of dessert as a reward and only eat it sparingly—like after you pass that super hard chemistry exam you’ve been stressing over all week! If you need a sweet fix, practice portion control and opt for the fat-free version of your favorite treat.

The Deadly Buffet — All you can eat is NEVER a good idea for any college student.  Instead of getting a tray to fill with food, pick up one plate.  This will help you eat the right proportion.  Fill half your plate with vegetables, and the other half with chicken or meat.

- By Desiree Murphy