College Student forced to eat from the Cafe!!!

CeeJourney

My BIGGEST downfall is not having the correct tools to use in order to eat healthy!!!

... I'm a Junior in college and because I am a RA I am forced to stay in a freshmen hall where there are NO stoves... I just have a mini fridge & microwave!!! ANYbody out there has great recipes/ways for me to avoid the fatty foods in the cafe?? :sad:

skinnylove00

stock up on fruits!!!!! steal them from your dining hall, thats what i do. oatmeal is fabulously filling and you can cook it in the microwave. also, you can keep veggies in the freezer and steam them in the microwave. tons of options for you, babes!!

CeeJourney

THANK YOU!!!

cmriverside

Microwave veggie omelets. Can you buy a toaster oven? They're only $25 or so. I couldn't live without my toaster oven.

sc1572

I HATED that last year with my meal plan! Add me if you'd like!

Fruits, veggies, peanut butter and apples or bananas, oatmeal, Lean Cuisine and Smart One steamers, carrots, veggie/deli wraps, and many more!

stephabef

Get an air popper and pop some corn! Great to snack on and you can add garlic, lemon, etc to make it even yummier!

Soup, too. Try to get the low sodium ones.

Klegl

On my campus I have multiple restaurants. The cafe is the most tempting place ever!!! I walk in and I act like a little kid on Christmas! There is just so much to choose from and it is unlimited!! If I am eating by myself I go to other places and get sushi or salad. If I go to the cafe, I make sure I go with people who eat healthily and proportion their meals. It is all abou self control. If you want to eat in the cafe, go with people who will be a good influence on you. Try to avoid going with people who eat chik-fil-et and hit up the dessert station.

cr0wneddynam0

Utilize the salad bar, even if you just pick up something and then go back to your room to weigh it and add your own dressing there. If you don't know what it is then aim for the most calories within reason. My university always has cottage cheese in their salad bar and so I just count it was as the full fat variety. Also don't be afraid to bring measuring spoons or cups with you. I know I might look weird, but honestly I just stopped caring. I even measure my cream when I am at Starbucks. Also maybe look into the ala carte items that they offer. In my dorm there was usually packaged sushi or sandwiches. Just do the best you can. When I went back to school, I saw very fast why I gained weight the first time around. My school had subway's on campus that were part of the dining system also, maybe your school has something similar. Or what about convenient type stores? I think that you will find something that works for you!

McKayMachina

Get yourself a hot plate. Best thing ever.

Misiaxcore

My friend actually had a recipe book for using the microwave O_O it had like, a thanksgiving dinner on the cover too lmao. Maybe you can find one? It looked like it was from the 80s though, but maybe a library or used book store could still have them.

squishycow7

are you allowed to have a coffeemaker??

my friend used to boil water with it to make pasta/cooked veggies/mashed potatoes/etc! it's a start anyhow

SergeantSunshine_reused

Microwave veggie omelets. Can you buy a toaster oven? They're only $25 or so. I couldn't live without my toaster oven.

yup i snuck a George Foreman freshman year. life saver!

mewaybright

It isn't so much what they serve, it is more about portion control. If they give you a plate full of food you halve it before you eat... portions here in this country are stupid huge.

Jorra

I've lost all my weight while being on a meal plan, it's possible!

Take advantage of the salad bar and grilled chicken. Guess everything the best you can. I used to bring measuring tools but now I can eyeball things pretty well. I know how far up on the caf cups is a 1cup measurement and I can guess what 2tbsp of cream cheese or salsa looks like.

sc1572

Microwave veggie omelets. Can you buy a toaster oven? They're only $25 or so. I couldn't live without my toaster oven.

yup i snuck a George Foreman freshman year. life saver!

^YES!! I love that grill!

mandahq

Like mention before get a toaster oven. I couldnt not of survived college without mine!. stocked up on your fruit and veggies. and cook chicken for salads, quasadias (sorry about my spelling), wraps, etc. you can do lots with chicken

djp4him

Salads are always good just get the dressing on the side and stay away from fruit salads that have the creamy dressing to it. Fresh veggies and fruits. If you have veggies stay away from the ones cooked in butter and try to stick to the steamed veggies. If you want something you can cook in the room weight watchers, healthy choice and Lean Cuisine make good lo-cal meals (not sure how much room you have in your fridge/freezer). Other than that Chobani Greek Yogurts are high protein and will stay with you longer. Just do your best to keep High Protein, Low Carbs and you should do fine. Stay away from fried, go for baked or grilled.

audram420

I love the chicken ranchero smart ones...and the digiorno 200 cal pizzas...I eat them everyday at work. Can you have a small crockpot for soups?!?!

RAQUELINATOVAR

when i was at college, i took my own peanut butter and jelly sandwich and i couldn't even afford to get a pop from the vending machine....not even chips with it.

enjoy your college life no matter how much money you've got !!

TheGlen

I'm not sure what the rules are like in your dorm, but when I was in school I lived for a few years in a basement apartment where I couldn't have a stove. I did all my cooking on an indoor grill (like the George Foreman...only there are way nicer ones out there).

I would cook frozen chicken breasts and just add some veggies to the grill for the last few minutes. You can also make sandwiches and grill press them like a panini. Some of them have alternate plates to use as a griddle for cooking pancakes/omelettes, etc.

CeeJourney

are you allowed to have a coffeemaker??

my friend used to boil water with it to make pasta/cooked veggies/mashed potatoes/etc! it's a start anyhow

OH YES! I HAVE A COFFEEMAKER! GREAT IDEA...THANKS!

CeeJourney

THANKS EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR GREAT IDEAS! I WILL BE GOING GROCERY SHOPPING THIS WEEKEND AND DEFINITELY USING ALL THE RESOURCES YOU ALL HAVE PROVIDED :happy: