In this blog I will be answering Frequently Asked Questions about food and diet in college. These questions were collected from my peers who also live in dorms or greek housing.
- How often do you eat?
- For me personally living in a greek house, meals are offered twice a day, lunch and dinner, which I usually try to eat and then grab a quick breakfast (either a power-bar or cereal). When I lived in the dorms, I would go to the dining hall and grab a quick breakfast, then have lunch and dinner. It is important to have a regular diet, eating at inconsistent times throws off your digestive system, and then your body can’t process the food in a healthy manner.
- Do you snack a lot?
- Let’s face it, it’s really hard not to snack. Especially when Wal-Mart isn’t far away and your favorite bag of chips is only $3. But there are better ways to snack, I’ve recently replaced my chip obsession with almonds and carrots and other crunchy, healthy foods. Snacking is normal and often encouraged by nutritionists, it’s important to know how to snack wisely though.
- How do you make a meal with only access to a microwave and a toaster?
- I would opt for a large toast with either avocado or eggs (which can be made in a microwave), with a side salad. Here is a link that has different recipes that can be made in a microwave: 39 Delicious Things You Didn’t Know You Could Make in a Microwave
- How do I avoid the “Freshman Fifteen”?
- You can avoid the notorious “freshman fifteen” by practicing a healthy lifestyle. This means eating healthy and incorporating some exercise. For me as a freshman, I really didn’t exercise often but rather focused on what food I was consuming. I didn’t have the time as a full time student taking 18 credits to go to the gym for an hour, or at least I didn’t have the time management skills in order to go to the gym. This meant eating regularly, and avoiding late night snacks. This leads into the next question…
- How bad is late night snacking?
- Many studies have been done to test the theory whether or not eating late at night was bad for your health, in terms of weight-gain. Well, as a matter of fact, the studies prove that if you stop eating during the hours of 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. you will lose weight, and wake up hungrier which will prompt you to eat the most important meal of the day – breakfast. (https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a20812633/stop-eating-after-dinner-to-lose-weight/)
Cristina's College Food 