Nutritious Foods Can Be Found These Days

Feb. 24, 2005
By Mike McGivern
Staff Writer

As college students move away from home life and into dorm life they will encounter many obstacles.  Coping with messy roommates, making a schedule that will leave Friday open to do anything, and finding the specials from Papa Johns. Among these obstacles is the dreaded freshman 15.

Most students are used to having a balanced meal when they are in high school but find that maintaining a balanced meal can be difficult.  Although the Sodexho food service at St. Ambrose offers nutritious meals for students, they are most times over looked. 

The cafeteria on campus always supplies a vegetarian meal as well as a vegan meal.  Besides the main course lines and the side grill, a salad bar and a sandwich bar are offered as other options for a meal.

Even though students are eating the foods that are provided many times their meals are not well proportioned.  The Dietary Guidelines for Americans says that for a healthy diet people should include these foods into their daily meal plans: three to five servings of vegetables, two to four servings of fruit, two to three servings of a dairy product, and two to three servings of meat or poultry.

By walking into the cafeteria or the food court, all of these vital food groups can be found.  The food court offers pre-made salads, sandwiches and many other foods that are served off the grill.  Although fried foods may taste better, a grilled chicken does not have nearly as many calories as fried chicken.

Besides a sloppy eating habit many students run into conflicts that are school related.  These conflicts can disturb the eating habits of a student.  School stress or a scheduling conflict can affect what foods a student eats.  Many times if a person is stressing about a class, they find themselves studying so much that it is difficult to find a stopping point to get something to eat. 

A scheduling conflict can cause a student to find food else such as a fast food chain or a pizza joint.  Everyone’s body is different, so some people may not see the affects of eating fast food three times a day.  For the most part fast food restaurants offer foods that contain meat or vegetables, both of which or important. 

A healthy lifestyle can’t be reached just by eating healthy.  A good work out routine is as important as eating right.  Walking from class to class counts as a good workout.  Any activity that involves a person walking or running is going to help maintain their health.

St. Ambrose offers many activities for students to participate.  The intramural program is a very good opportunity for students to get out of their dorm rooms and be active.

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