What to eat when I go to college?

cutiekaylaa
cutiekaylaa Posts: 70
edited September 27 in Food and Nutrition
So in a few months I will be heading off to college and I will be living in residence. I will not have an oven and I'll only be able to get groceries like once a week. Does anyone have any suggestions of healthy things that I can make to eat? I will only have a fridge and a microwave. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. :)

Replies

  • kittyloo123
    kittyloo123 Posts: 300 Member
    will you have a hotplate? anyway, i could get by with no oven. I hardly use mine. If you have a microwave, and a fridge. What can't you have?
  • supershiny
    supershiny Posts: 170 Member
    I'm at college right now and when I lived in the dorms, I lived on greek yogurt, cheese, soup (pacific brand in a box, 4 servings/box!), hot dogs (low fat/sodium), and ww pasta/rice. The rice/pasta you can cook in a little rice cooker (they are ~$15 at target) and the best ones have a basket you can put on top to steam veggies and such while your rice cooks! Oh and you can manage portion sizes with a digital food scale (easiest way to measure things without a kitchen, for sure). They are also sold at places like Target.

    Hope some of this was helpful :)

    Good luck in school and avoiding the cafeteria!! haha
  • wondrturtle
    wondrturtle Posts: 17 Member
    I would keep a focus on salads. You can get pre-cooked, pre-sliced chicken or steak to put on top. Fresh fruits and veggies. Tuna. Kashi granola bars, Nature Valley Granola bars, Emerald has 100 calorie packs of cocoa roast and cinnamon roasted almonds, beef jerky, turkey jerky. I'm sure there are shelf stable "healthy" dinners available but I don't use them so I don't know what they are. Good luck and have fun!!!

    Robin
  • ramberbo
    ramberbo Posts: 23
    I did really well my first years eating Hummus, salad, cottage cheese and wheat thins. then I failed with too much cheese, late night snacks, dressings, and processed foods.
  • gimedatnow
    gimedatnow Posts: 173 Member
    I love to stock up on oatmeal (suuuper cheap and a lot of fiber!), eggs, fresh fruit, yogurt, salads, tea/coffee, and one "meal" theme per week like easy to grill chicken. I'd recommend staying away from cereal, bread, and crackers -- they're way too easy to overeat, especially when you're hungry.
  • Smittyinthesun
    Smittyinthesun Posts: 120
    I was on the meal plan in the cafeteria, I recommend it for you, it gives you way more food choices and less to worry about. I know it costs a few bucks.
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
    When I went to college, I actually LOST the freshman 15 (or 20...) so it's possible! :bigsmile:

    Try to eat as much as you can that doesn't require heating, such as nuts, fruits, raw veggies, salads, healthy sandwiches, yogurt, etc.

    Microwave meals typically have LOADS of sodium so try to stay away from them as much as possible! However, I LOVE Amy's organic burritos! They are all about 300 cals, very filling, have lots of protein and fiber. So just look at labels carefully.
  • GoKelsey
    GoKelsey Posts: 15 Member
    Well, your biggest concern shouldn't be about what you buy to eat, it should be what you'll eat at the dining center! A lot of students living in the dorms gain weight because they have an all-you-can-eat buffet at every meal. Be sure to practice portion control--create healthy, balanced meals from what is offered. But don't feel like you're limited to the salad bar--you can have other things as long as you're smart about it. You should stock your room with healthy foods. Fresh fruits & veggies can be taken with you from the dining center & saved for later. If you're spending long periods of time on campus, you may be tempted to hit up a vending machine for a snack. Packing healthy options in your bag will help out. I always had granola bars or mixed nuts with dried fruit in my bag. Another thing to be aware of is how active (or inactive) you are. Sitting in class and then in your dorm all day doesn't burn calories. However, I actually lost weight in college because I did so much walking across campus. So if you're on a big campus, you may not even need to hit the gym! ;)
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