How to Get College Students to Choose Healthy Foods

For many students, college is the first time to be away from home. That means there's no one telling you when to go to bed, who to hang out with or what to eat. Many college students choose to indulge in fast food, causing weight gain and bad habits that are hard to reverse. But you can choose healthy foods while on campus, without breaking your bank.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Eat 3 meals a day. Skipping meals will cause you to become too hungry, and then you'll gorge on the first foods you find. Many times, that will be unhealthy foods. And research proves that if you start the day with a healthy breakfast, you're more likely to eat healthy meals the rest of the day.
2. Learn what you need to eat. This helps you make the right decision when it is time to sit down for lunch. You should have whole grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, healthy fats and protein at every meal.
3. Consider alternatives. Instead of fried foods, go for grilled or baked foods. Whole grains are healthier than refined grains and fruit is a better option than sweets like cookies and ice cream. You should also choose low fat dairy when possible.
4. Stock up on study snacks. Keep granola bars, popcorn, trail mix, oatmeal and other healthy options on hand in your dorm room and in your backpack. This will help keep you from picking up the phone to order the large pizza in the middle of the night.
5. Think about your drink. Choosing water over sugary drinks is better for your entire body. Drink at least 64 ozs. of water every day. When you do drink something other than water, choose a low fat, low calorie drink.
6. Enjoy unhealthy foods in moderation. If you're eating all three meals every day, you shouldn't be starving when you sit down to eat some pizza. Limit your portion size and try to include some fruits and vegetables with your meal.