Need help eating clean/healthy in college.

[jaded]

Hey guys, I'm a university student and I'm on a mandatory meal plan and eat most of my meals in the dining hall. I need some tips/advice on eating clean and healthy while here and while on the meal plan. You can see the daily menus here: https://housing.queensu.ca/foodservices/menu_cal.asp

There's also a salad bar, fruit, etc. The problem is the dining hall doesn't really offer clean, protein rich foods like chicken breasts and whanot, and I'm having trouble eating clean, getting enough protein, etc. The meal plan is expensive (around $2000) so I feel like it's such a waste of money when I don't eat in there, and besides we're not provided with cooking facilities so I can't really cook my own meals. I do have a small fridge and microwave in my room, so that is an option. Do any of you have any suggestions?

 

[ashley2212]

Hey guys, I'm a university student and I'm on a mandatory meal plan and eat most of my meals in the dining hall. I need some tips/advice on eating clean and healthy while here and while on the meal plan. I do have a small fridge and microwave in my room, so that is an option. Do any of you have any suggestions?

I dealt with exactly the same problem. I ended up eating only tuna, hardboiled eggs, and salad from the dining hall. I bought the rest of my food and kept it in my room. DO NOT TRUST ANYTHING THEY PREPARE!!! They prepare meals in bulk and toss in tons of oil and other shit you don't need. Don't eat anything pre-made. I wish I had a more cost efficient way to advise you, but that's the only way I could get through it. Good luck!

 

[KWKSLVR]

Do you have to get in on the meal plan?

 

[jaded]

Do you have to get in on the meal plan?

Yep, it's a mandatory meal plan if you live in residence on the main campus :/ You can't opt out of it, which really sucks.

 

[NJRipped]

You can get high protein pre-cooked chicken breasts, turkey burgers at Costco that only require re-heating in the microwave.

Hey guys, I'm a university student and I'm on a mandatory meal plan and eat most of my meals in the dining hall. I need some tips/advice on eating clean and healthy while here and while on the meal plan. You can see the daily menus here: https://housing.queensu.ca/foodservices/menu_cal.asp

There's also a salad bar, fruit, etc. The problem is the dining hall doesn't really offer clean, protein rich foods like chicken breasts and whanot, and I'm having trouble eating clean, getting enough protein, etc. The meal plan is expensive (around $2000) so I feel like it's such a waste of money when I don't eat in there, and besides we're not provided with cooking facilities so I can't really cook my own meals. I do have a small fridge and microwave in my room, so that is an option. Do any of you have any suggestions?

 

[jaded]

You can get high protein pre-cooked chicken breasts, turkey burgers at Costco that only require re-heating in the microwave.

Thanks! I'm goin home for the weekend so I'll be sure to look for these.

 

[BlondBomber]

I too went through the same shit. I looked at the menu for tomorrow, and I would have to say that the menu, while a bit elaborate, is no way easy to navigate if you care about what you eat. In the morning, I would say have the Cream of Wheat and the hardboiled eggs. For the other meals, I would have to say that you have to try and eat parts of some of that shit. I also had a micro-fridge, I would recommend protein shakes (make sure to ask if you can use that appliance in your room, you can't at some schools), and easy to prepare shit, but that too is hard to find if you want something non-processed. Defrosting chicken breast and cooking them in a microwave got interesting, and I learned that salad greens turn pretty quickly. I guess I would say, eat the best you can, supplement w/shakes.

 

[CrazyK]

I'm going to be entering a University in January. I think a good idea would be to pick out an item, and just take out of it what you want to eat. For instance, get a cheese burger, and just throw away the bun. Count calories like a mad man, and you should be alright.

 

[ashley2212]

I'm going to be entering a University in January. I think a good idea would be to pick out an item, and just take out of it what you want to eat. For instance, get a cheese burger, and just throw away the bun. Count calories like a mad man, and you should be alright.

Just remember, like I said... be careful of the food they prepare themselves... remember they buy it in bulk and prepare it for a massive group of people in the cheapest way possible. Don't trust that it's decent just because it's something that you would prepare at home.