Navigating the Dining Hall

College life inevitably means eating cafeteria-quality food at the dining hall.  Whether its greasy pizza, salty fries, or sugary cookies, the dining hall is full of mediocre food that packs on the pounds.  Buffet-style halls can make it even harder to avoid the “Freshman 15.”  When you can load up your tray with as much as you want, you are liable to consume more than 1,000 calories per meal!  Even the seemingly “healthy” choices can be deceptive.  My college did a study last year and found the dining hall chefs added shortening (vegetable oil loaded with trans fats) to pasta, stews, mashed potatoes, cakes, and more.  Salt content can also be outrageously high in dining hall food.  Many options are prepackaged and bought in bulk to accommodate large numbers of diners.  Consequently, the food has excess amounts of sodium from preservatives.

So, what’s a hungry college student to do?  Well, the dining hall is not a complete diet disaster.  Many schools now display nutritional information to help you make an informed decision.  If yours doesn’t, consider talking to the dining hall manager to get the details you want.   Still looking for suggestions? Here are some of my top dining hall picks for a healthy meal:

• Salad Bar – Make yourself a large, delicious, and healthy salad.  Make sure to add plenty of fresh veggies in a variety of colors.  Some of my favorites are broccoli, tomatoes, and sliced peppers.  Also, check for lean protein options (beans, poultry, tofu).  What to skip?  Cheese!  Most halls use overly-processed, full-fat cheese.  Be wary of salad dressings too.  Most are full of fat, calories, and sodium.  A better option is to use some oil and vinegar.  Just remember, pick olive oil (it has a lot of healthy fat) and use no more than a tablespoon.  Personally, I skip the olive oil and just use a little red wine vinegar, but pick what works for you.
• Sandwich Bar – A custom-made sandwich can be a great choice for lunch or dinner.  Choose whole-wheat bread, lean meat (turkey or chicken), and fresh vegetables.  One slice of cheese is fine, but don’t overdo it, and be sure to skip the mayo (try oil and vinegar or mustard instead).
• Omelets - Many schools have an omelet bar where you can pick your toppings from an array of fresh vegetables.  In fact, some dining halls now offer egg white only omelets!  Just be sure to avoid ingredients like bacon, sausage, and cheese.  Also, make sure the omelets aren’t cooked with tons of oil, and ask if you can get yours entirely without oil (if its a custom omelet bar, they will usually accommodate this request).
• Fresh Fruit – On any given day you can probably find at least three kinds of fresh fruit in the dining hall.  You can add peanut butter to apples or bananas for some added protein and healthy fats (keep the peanut butter to around a tablespoon).  You can even put this combo on some whole-wheat bread for a vegetarian sandwich option.  Another great idea is to add fruit to a bowl of healthy cereal, low-fat cottage cheese, or yogurt for a healthy breakfast.  Looking for dessert?  Grab a piece of fruit and bypass the cakes and cookies.
• Skim Milk – Skip the sodas and artificial juices.  Skim milk adds protein and calcium to your meal without contributing the fat and sugar of other drink options.  If skim milk seems to watery for you, see if your school has 1% milk.