How college students eat now could dictate how they will eat after they graduate.
Because the life of the typical college student is busy, students don’t always have the time to create a healthy meal.
“It is a real issue, and its not going to go away. You are setting yourself up for creating bad habits,” said Staci Nix, a U foods and nutrition professor.
The college years are a prime time for students to develop lifelong habits, according to Jeanne Goldberg, a member of the Council for Women’s Nutrition Solutions.
“We need to teach these young men and women how to establish proper nutrition now, so they can live longer, happier and healthier lives.”
Nix said lack of time is the biggest excuse students have for not eating healthfully.
Virginia Cannon, a senior Spanish major, said she often grabs a cappuccino at the Union for breakfast after staying up late the night before.
But some students feel problems linger in choosing what to eat on campus.
“It seems like all [the] choices are greasy and full of fat,” said student Danielle Jacobs.
While Chartwells provides pizza, fries, burgers and soft drinks, it also has some nutritional options, which include a burrito bar, a sandwich bar and daily soup.
“If you want to get a salad, you can get a salad. If you want something that is not healthy, you don’t have to be healthy,” Cannon said.
“Normally I don’t eat [at the Union], but [when I do] it’s usually things like a slice of pizza,” said Dave Sohm, a junior.
Not balancing the good with the bad is contrary to what experts say is healthy. Good nutrition comes from consuming a wide array of foods.
Vegetables and fruits are essential for vitamins and minerals. Experts said it is not necessary to cut out all greasy food, but be advised when grabbing a slice of pizza to consider eating an apple, too.
Also, processed foods that are high in fat, sodium or processed sugars should be consumed in limited quantities, according to Judy Amburgey-Peters, an assistant professor at Wooster College.
There are solutions for people on the go.
“Prepare in advance and pre-package meals on Sunday for the week,” Nix said. Carrying small bags of fruit or crackers around campus help curve hunger and are still good for the system.
The McKinley Health Center in Illinois offers more quick solutions: Plan ahead, make a double or triple batch when there is time to cook and stock the fridge with quick-to-fix ingredients.