When you first go to college, it can be really hard to adjust your eating habits from what you're used to.
There won't always be a fridge or pantry full of food, or a meal cooked and waiting for you when you get home from school or activities. With that being said, there will be a lot more freedom when it comes to your eating habits. You will be able to choose what you're eating, what time you're eating, and how much you get to eat.
The dining hall life is a very interesting one. There are plenty of options, although it may not always seem like it, and a lot of them can be healthy! When I came to college, my first mistake was always going for the unhealthy options in the dining halls and basically never eating vegetables.
After my freshman year of college, I decided I was going to become a vegetarian.
The main reason I wanted to make this lifestyle switch was that I never really enjoyed the taste of meat anyway unless it was a cheeseburger or chicken nuggets, and neither of those options is particularly healthy or good for you. The thought of eating helpless animals had also been weighing on me for quite a long time, and the negative effects that these industries have on the environment are alarming. Long story short, it's been over two years now since I went vegetarian, and I have never looked back.
While I have had some trouble from time to time finding things to eat while at college, I have felt more energized and overall healthier since making the switch. The main concern with eating vegetarian is making sure you get enough protein into your diet. Some easy go-to proteins that are most likely in every dining hall include Greek yogurt, chickpeas, black beans, quinoa, and oatmeal or oats of any kind.
Although I do believe being vegetarian is a great option for human, animal, and environmental well-being, I also do understand that this is not something everyone would be interested in.
If you are a big-time meat-eater, good for you! However, if you have been thinking of going vegetarian and are worried about how that will work in college, I promise you it does work! Be sure to do your research on what you should be eating and what is in your dining halls or local grocery stores, and make a plan that you can stick to.
Becoming a vegetarian in college doesn't seem doable, but I promise it can be done. And, hopefully, you'll enjoy the veggie lifestyle as much as I do!
