Classes are Starting! What do I do for food?!

Start off right by fueling up!

Happy first day of classes!

It's always a stressful first few days. We're still learning where our classes are located, buying books, and beginning to find time to fit it all into our day. The last thing college students even want to think about is their health. It's all good! We've got a lot on our plates-no pun intended....but let's face it...we need to take care of our bodies. It is important to maintain a healthy you, and with our class schedule and limited time to exercise and eat right, as students we need to find a balance. As a Registered Dietitian, I always painted a picture to my clients: think of your body as a car. You drive it from Point A to Point B, take it in for regular check-ups, and give it fuel to run properly. Similar to a car, we should find time to fit in physical activity (such as walking to-and-from class), go in for annual physicals at the doctor, and fuel your body with the food it needs to feel your best.

So where to begin? We're already overwhelmed with new assignments and readings. When it comes to healthy eating, let's start from scratch. First, let's fill our pantry with brain food-foods that will help you get through your day and fuel your body. Below is a good, basic checklist of foods to start with-and yes...I threw in quick and easy because there will just be days where cooking is NOT an option. Let's start with the basics:

Basic College Food List:

• Breakfast Foods: whole grain breads/cereals, English muffins, fresh fruit, eggs and/or egg whites, oatmeal, yogurt and low-fat dairy, and lean meats
• Lunch Foods: low-fat lunch meat, sandwich wraps, mixed salad greens and veggies, baked chips or whole grain chips, fruit, natural peanut butter, and frozen meals such as lean cuisines/healthy choice, and more (avoid those bagel bites, pizza rolls, and other high-fat/no nutrition foods)
• Dinner Foods: frozen vegetable steamer bags, brown rice, lean meats: chicken breasts, pork, lean ground beef, tofu, fresh vegetables, whole wheat pasta, and frozen healthy meals
• Condiments: mustard, ketchup, reduced-fat mayonnaise, vinaigrette salad dressings, olive oil/canola oil for cooking, non-stick cooking spray
• Basic spices for cooking: salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and parsley are great beginner spices to add great flavor to your foods.

First, make a list. Think of the foods you want to have in your pantry for the week. Think of meals you'd like to prepare at night (and have for leftovers). You never want to shop without a list for two reasons: (1) you can easily go over budget by purchasing items you didn't need, (2) sometimes if you shop hungry, you'll want to buy foods not on the list, and sticking to a list helps to avoid the temptation. When shopping, think of http://www.choosemyplate.gov/. We want to select foods to give us a variety of nutrition at each meal: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein foods, and dairy. It's important to have a variety on our plate at meal time because this will ensure we are getting our important vitamins and minerals to maintain a healthy immune system and brain function. On a restricted diet or have food allergies? Make sure if you are unable to eat a food group that you are taking a multi-vitamin daily. This will make sure you are getting the nutrients your body needs. Always check with your doctor first before loading up on supplements.

Next, how to shop? Do the outer parameter of the store first: most stores have similar layouts, and you can grab all the main food groups by staying on the outside to avoid high-fat, high processed foods that tend to be in the middle isles. How to stay in budget? There are a lot of great tips from SNAP education you can Google. Lastly, do you have basic cooking equipment? If not, here is a brief list of "must have" cooking tools:

• Cooking Pot: for soups, beans, rice, pasta, and vegetables
• Cooking Skillet: for cooking meats, vegetables, and more
• Cooking Sheet/pan: for baking foods
• Utensils: cooking spatula, large spoon, tongs, knife, and cutting board

Of course you can buy more equipment once you get comfortable cooking. I'll make sure to include some great websites for recipes and cooking tips to help get you started. By filling up your pantry with healthy food, you are preparing for a healthier you during the school semester. Keep a routine of checking the pantries and keeping a shopping list. The more prepared you are in the kitchen, the easier it is to be healthy. Questions? Feel free to ask me anytime through the comments section on the blog. Happy first day of classes everyone!

Happy Eating,
Sarah