This article discusses how colleges can implement healthier lifestyles for their students in four easy ways.
"Watch out for the Freshman 15" is a common phrase many of us are told before we get to college. With the lack of good healthy food options available on campuses, what else are students supposed to eat? College and universities should provide healthier food options around their campuses.
We get this newfound independence when going off to college . No one can tell us what to eat, how to eat, or when to eat it. Swiping meal cards can be done at the snap of a finger. Seems like the dream, right? What more could we ask for?
Those things can be great, at first, but it is not enough to sustain a healthy eating lifestyle. Poor nutrition can affect our daily health as well as have long term effects on our bodies. Poor nutrition can contribute to being overweight or obese, high blood pressure, heart disease, type-two diabetes, and the capacity to work overtime(SA Health, 2020). Unhealthy eating can affect more than just our physical health. The relationship to our diet and mental health are more closely connected than most people realize. What we put in is what we will get out. If greasy foods are mainly being consumed, then a "greasy" performance in daily activities will likely be the outcome. Staying focused on schoolwork can be hard when the food eaten at lunch makes us drowsy. According to an article on Aetna, a health guide website, "When you stick to a diet of healthy food, you're setting yourself up for fewer mood fluctuations, an overall happier outlook and an improved ability to focus" (Alice Gomstyn, 2020).
Having consistent nutritious foods on college campuses can not only help with symptoms of depression and anxiety but improve mental agility overall. College students already have enough on their plates with having to maintain a fast-paced lifestyle in. Between classes, jobs, internships, being away from home, and extracurricular activities, the lack of healthy foods should not be a concern for anybody. On average, college and university charges about $4,500, or $18.75 per day, for a three-meals-a-day dining contract that covers roughly eight months of an academic year, according to the Hechinger Report (2017). With how much they charge students for meal plans there should be a more consistent and accessible way to get all the healthy food groups in a student's diet.
This is not to say that universities do not offer healthy foods at all; there simply is not much variety in the foods they provide. However, there is an endless number of fries, burgers, pizza, chicken tenders, ice cream, and just about any fried food you could name. It is also very convenient to just grab and go. This is not the same case for healthy foods. About 95 percent of college students fail to eat the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables. Mainly because there is a limited amount of fruits and vegetables each day that is provided on campuses. Most of the time you can get a hamburger, fries, a drink, and a cookie for the same price as a fruit up, some carrots, and a granola bar. That is not equitable. If universities did half as much as they do for the unhealthy foods, students would be better for it. Here are four ways that universities could implement a healthier lifestyle for students:
1. Implement restaurants centered solely on fresh, healthy foods
Oftentimes, students make unhealthy choices because they do not know there are other options. If it is possible to have multiple fast-food restaurants on campus, a few healthy ones in the mix will not hurt.
2. Make the food more appealing.
No one wants to eat a random pile of seasonless, stale vegetables. Add more flavor in what is served. Advertise healthy eating around campus through posters, pictures, tv ads, and social media. Make the students excited about healthy eating.
3. Add Diversity to Menus
By adding more diversity to menus, it will be easier to accommodate a variety of people, rather than just a specific crowd. Having more options for vegetarians, vegans, gluten-free, dairy-free, and so forth makes a big difference for many people. Offering more plant-based foods rather than just meat. Also offering more ethnic foods is a good way to bring diversity to the menu. By doing so it could offer new taste and bring familiarity to international students or people who don't usually eat American food all the time.
4. Balance out the healthy to the unhealthy ratio
This could mean offering a least one nutritious meal at breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. Or providing at least five different types of fruits and vegetables and a few whole-grain options. For every fried food option there should be a baked version of it.
College campuses need to recognize the impact that certain foods can have on a student's daily life. Making a little change to the menu can create a big difference. By implementing healthier menu items students will be able to; get the proper nutrients in their bodies, stay focused throughout the day, and be less likely to become physically or mentally ill.
