Eating Healthy Is Possible for College Students

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Choosing fresh fruit is both convenient and healthy.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – When life gets hectic, many people turn to convenience and convenient foods, including students on college campuses who are juggling classes, studying, work and other activities.

Instructor Nancy Buckley in the human nutrition and dietetics program in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Science's School of Human Environmental Sciences has tips and suggestions for avoiding convenient eating which can lead to unhealthy habits.

"Maintaining a healthy diet when the new school year begins may seem like a challenge, especially when cooking equipment is limited," said Buckley. "However, if you have a knife, a cutting board, microwave, refrigerator and maybe even a toaster, the possibilities may be greater than you realize."

Healthy, nutritious and pre-prepared food options at grocery stores include spiralized and chopped vegetables, sliced fruit, precooked chicken, canned tuna and salmon, hard boiled eggs and ready-to-eat salads.

Comparing nutrition facts labels is important, especially the serving size and calories per serving. Here's what to look for:

• The daily value is a percentage based on a 2,000-calorie a day diet (five percent or less is considered low; 20 percent or higher is high).
• Choose products lower in sodium, saturated fat, cholesterol and sugar, and higher in fiber.

Buckley recommends stocking up on fresh fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy for quick and easy healthy snacks.

With a microwave, she suggests a mug meal, which is a popular trend. Options are soups, omelets, oatmeal and even chocolate cake.

"Soup is easy to make in the microwave," said Buckley. "Choose a combination of precooked chicken or other lean meat, canned beans or peas, frozen vegetables, small pasta shapes, couscous and quick-cooking grains, and add stock and seasoning before microwaving."

Another popular trend is overnight oatmeal (soaking in a liquid overnight in the refrigerator) topped with fruit, nuts and spices to increase nutrient content and variety.

A toaster can lead to whole grain toast topped with avocado, eggs or nut butters and fruit, which provide satiety (feeling full), nutrients and fiber.

Recipes are available on the School of Human Environmental Sciences website here, for omelets, pizza dip and more.

For more information and suggestions, visit Choosemyplate.gov/college.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.