Healthy Eats in the Dining Hall

I apologize in advance for only having one photo

As a college student, especially a college student with a meal plan, it can be challenging to stay on track with making smart and healthy food choices in the dining halls. Last year when I lived in the dorms and had a 7 day meal plan with no access to a kitchen, I thought it would be much easier to make healthy choices once I lived off campus and could do all my own cooking. In some ways it is so convenient to have a kitchen, but I don't think I really appreciated the perks of the dining hall until I no longer had unlimited access to them. 

The past two quarters, I wound up buying several individual meals so I could stay properly fueled up for the days that I had to be on campus for more than just a few hours. I usually go after my German class which ends a little after noon, so it's the perfect time to have a quick bite and hang out with friends. Actually, it's rarely quick. We usually wind up loitering in the dining hall for solid hour or two (I'm a professional procrastinator when I need to be :)

So let me get to the point. A lot of people struggle with the fact that the dining hall is all you can eat. They almost always have pizza, burgers, fries and other oh so tempting but oh so fattening foods. While these foods can definitely make it challenging to make good choices, it is by no means impossible. At my school, we are really lucky in that we have a lot of vegan and vegetarian options. Even though I am by no means either of those, it's nice to have the variation and the options. Also, the salad and sandwich bars are always good choices. Lots of protein (like cold cuts and tofu) and tons of fresh fruits and vegetables. 

Here's a run down of some ideas for things to eat in the DH!

Breakfast:

1. Scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, fruit

2. Scrambled eggs with cottage cheese (I'm so not a cottage cheese fan but my friend Noam loves cottage cheese and eggs!) 

3. Oatmeal with low fat yogurt and berries

4. Oatmeal with brown sugar and little bit of low fat milk and a banana

5. Peanut butter on toast with banana slices

6. "Pooh Bear Sandwich"- toast with peanut butter, honey and a few slices of bacon (I know it sounds weird but it is SO good) 

Lunch: 

1.Whole wheat or 12 grain bread, sliced turkey (or other cold cuts), low fat cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, sprouts and pesto. 

2.Whole wheat bread, ham, cheese and tomato heated up on the panini press with a side salad or cup of soup 

3. Mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, carrots, jicama and feta cheese (I don't like dressing, but oil and vinegar is always a good choice) 

4. Sushi! Sometimes our dining halls have sushi, and though it definitely isn't restaurant quality, it's still good 

Dinner: dinner is trickier because it varies a lot depending on what the DH offers. I try and stick to lean proteins like chicken and tofu and just eat tons of veggies. Remember Annie from my last post? She's the peanut butter queen so I often follow in her footsteps and have peanut butter and fruit for dessert. We also have ice cream machines that often have non fat choices so that's good when we're craving something a little more desert like! 

Anyway, that's all I have for now. Off to work and then study like a mad woman for my finals on Tuesday!