Cafeteria Food for University/College Students

<---Former student. I'll tell you what I did WRONG, haha.

Be really, really careful with the starches. No, carbs aren't bad, at all. But in a cafeteria setting, they're going to be your calorie bombs - mass-made pastas, mac and cheese, potato dishes, bread rolls, bagels, desserts, etc., and it's easy to way overdo it with them when fresh produce is lacking and protein sources are mediocre at best. Salad bars (if you're careful with your toppings and dressings) can be your friend. Seek out protein as much as possible. Broth-based soups can be very filling and light. Keep healthy, filling snacks (fruit, nuts, protein bars...you don't say if you have a mini fridge but string cheese, yogurt, etc) in your room so that you're not tempted too often to sneak down for "just a bite" (if they're open in-between meals). Mass made foods are likely to be higher in sodium so make sure to keep up on your water intake if you're prone to water retention. And, above all, watch your portions. You don't have to eat it all just because it's there and you can (and you paid for it...that was my downfall, lol). Good luck!

The salad bar was definitely my best friend. I liked to make a spinach salad with garbanzo and kidney beans, peas, olives etc. top with a little bit of cottage cheese and some grilled chicken. Yumm. We also had an all day omelet station which was nice. I would also add some grilled chicken to that for some extra protein. Cottage cheese on top of toast was also a staple for me as were burrito bowls.

My downfall came from the dessert station, but that may be due to my addiction of cookies... Overall, just make the same smart choices you would if you were cooking for yourself. Don't have pizza and french fries for every meal, but also don't forget that you can indulge and still be fine! Good luck!

At the college where I work it used to be called the "freshman 15" (gaining 15 pounds the first semester) but now it's referred to as the "freshman 25". Two mistakes many of the students make:

1) They think they can out exercise a bad diet. They can't. Exercise is important and will help you mentally as well as physically, but it won't keep the weight off.

2) They don't pay attention to how much they are eating. I started working at the college 18 years ago and the difference between the sizes of students it tremendous.

So I would suggest knowing you limits, practicing self control, make time for physical activity and enjoy your experience.

When I was in college it was called the freshman 10. My family GP even told me about it when I was a high school senior.

Try buying an electric burner and a small pan and pot to cook on in your room just in case you don't feel like you HAVE to eat the food in the cafeteria. You may need a mini fridge if you don't have one already and keep some food you want in there. I never really ate cafeteria food in college since I commute to school, but like others have said try getting a salad, some grilled chicken, a burger with no bun and some other sides that feel a bit healthier. If you really wanna have something breaded and fried one day, try eating only half of it one day, save the other half for the next day, so that way you're not eating this huge 900 calorie sandwich in a sitting.

IF that's allowed. That would have been confiscated from the dorms at both schools I lived at.