College Students Have A Lot On Their Plates

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Classes, studying, extracurricular activities, student groups, jobs, social life… let’s face it, college students definitely have a lot on their plates!  With the dining halls being all-you-care-to-eat, again, I see a lot of student’s plates piled high!  Let’s try to lighten the load on those plates shall we?  Here are some tips on eating in our “buffet style” dining halls so you can avoid that so-called “unavoidable” weight gain that has been so easily associated with being in college.

1.     Know What You’re Eating & Prepare Yourself!

Just like many other restaurants, CDS lists all of their daily menu offerings and nutritional information online!  Just visit www.dining.unc.edu!  If you click on the “Menus and Hours” tab, you can view our menu offerings a whole month in advance!  That’s right!  Whether you want to view it from your computer or on your mobile device, all the menu items along with full nutrition and allergen information, and ingredient listings are all there at your fingertips!  Preparing yourself in knowing what we are serving before you walk into the dining halls will allow you to make a decision (usually a better one) on what to eat and will eliminate the overwhelming feeling upon entering.  Know what you’re going to eat and have “tunnel vision” so you’re less likely to stray or be tempted by the burgers, pizza and cookies.  A good rule of thumb is to treat our all-you-care-to-eat dining halls just like any other restaurant you would go to where you’re given a large menu and you have to choose and order one thing you want to eat.  Don’t worry if you miss out on something you wanted to try!  We follow a 4-week menu cycle and we’ll be serving the same foods again soon!  So you shouldn't feel like you have to eat and try everything all in one sitting!  Also, we have reusable to-go containers!  If you fill your plate too high because your eyes were bigger than your stomach, feel free to take some of it with you to-go and eat it later.  Since your body can only digest so much in one sitting, it’s much healthier and better on your waistline to space out your portions rather than eat a large amount in one sitting because excess can be stored as fat.

2.     Enjoy Your Food but Eat Less!

It’s not always what you decide to eat but it’s how much!  You can still enjoy your favorite foods like burgers, pizza, and dessert but in smaller portions.  For those high calorie, high fat temptations, use a smaller plate and don’t eat them every day.  Have a “cheat day” or better yet a “special day” to treat yourself.  One day is not going to make or break your diet.  Just like eating healthy one day is not going to have any great benefits, one day of eating a burger or dessert is not going to jeopardize your waistline.  It’s the overall picture or one’s overall diet that’s most important.

3.     Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables!

      Start at the salad bar!  The salad bar is a great place to get your 5 servings a day of fruits and vegetables!  Go for dark leafy greens like spinach because the darker the green, the more nutrient-rich.  Also, try to vary your colors on the salad bar – green lettuce, red tomatoes, orange carrots, purple beets, etc.  All fruits and vegetables vary in colors and contribute different nutrients that the body needs.  Challenge yourself to get at least 3 different colors in your salad!  Top your salad with different protein options like beans, chickpeas and quinoa, and opt for soft cheeses like mozzarella which is lower in calories and fat.  Fruits and vegetables contain a lot of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E & K which are better absorbed by the body if there is some type of healthy fat to aide in absorption.  Oil-based dressings are not lower in overall fat when compared to cream-based dressings, but they are lower in saturated fat.  They are high in good fats such as mono and poly unsaturated which aide in nutrient absorption!  Looking for hot sides?  Check out all of our stations throughout the dining halls which all have at least one vegetable option, and be sure to top your sandwiches and burgers with lots of fresh vegetable toppings!

4.     Make Half Your Grains Whole Grain!

      Whether you’re at the deli, pasta station or pouring yourself some cereal, make the switch to whole grains!  3g per serving or more is a good source of fiber!  Make sure the ingredient listing says 100% whole grain or whole wheat!

5.     Rethink Your Drink!

Consider how often and how much you drink sugary beverages such as sodas, specialty coffees, energy drinks, fruit juices, sweetened tea, and sports drinks.  Drinking water or low-fat milk instead can help you manage your calories.

6.     Watch the Extras!

Sauces, gravies, condiments and dressings tend to be high in calories, fat and sodium!  You don’t have to do away with all sauces and condiments but just limit the amount or put them on the side.  Also, try substitutions such as oil and vinegar or mustard instead of mayo, or instead of ranch for dipping your vegetables, try some hummus!

7.     Make It Your Own!

Don’t feel like you have to choose pre-made plates!  Feel free to mix and match from different stations and design your own healthy, well-balanced meal!  Top your sandwich, wrap or pasta with fresh vegetables from the salad bar.  Top your salad with some lean protein like chicken, turkey or fish from other stations.

8.     Don’t Linger!

Although food is a huge social experience and the dining halls are a great place to hang out with your friends and meet new people, avoid staying for long periods of time to reduce your temptation to keep eating.  Also, avoid eating just because your friends are eating or because you’re bored.  When you find yourself eating when you’re not truly hungry, that’s when you start to put on the extra pounds.