Avoiding the college diet downfalls

Dinner at college 

Dinner at home 

Between the communal showers and strange roommates, college is a whole lot different than home. Let's be real, we’re not in Kansas anymore. It’s then safe to recognize that our eating habits are completely different from the ones we left back at home. The closest thing to the beacon of light that was once a stocked fridge (courtesy of the parentals) is the Dominos delivery man/woman that comes to the front door of your dorm while you are in your slippers. If all the food you ate during the late evenings/wee-mornings of the weekend doesn’t make you feel nutritionally hung over, than the three desserts from the dining hall will.

 

Eating in college is categorized by an inconsistent schedule, a multitude of bad (but tasty) food temptations, eating on the go, and price-determined eating. Vegetarians are not immune to these college-eating woes DUN DUN DUNNNN. So to make things easier, I'll share with you some of my vegetarian eating tricks to the age-old college diet downfalls.

Bored eating while studying 

Cuddled up in my brownstone with some tea

Besides popping in a fun piece of flavored sugarless gum, my favorite trick is making a really large cup of tea. I usually go for non-caffeinated tea, so that I can stay at a consistent homework pace without crashing.  The tea always smells wonderful and lifts my mood. It gives me something to hold and focus on while I’m reading, so that I’m engaged in something but not completely absorbed. Tea also has its health benefits and can keep you hydrated.

You actually need a study snack. Someone nearby has Cheetos…

Strawberries bough on Commonwealth Ave

The sad pitfall that many unsuccessful vegetarians fall into is that they begin to eat really poorly. This usually happens because they don’t know what to eat and therefore resort to junk food or they believe the junk food makes up for the meat that they are not eating. This is not true, or good. Nobody wants to be one of these unsuccessful vegetarians. That’s why it’s so important to BE PREPARED FOR SNACKAGE. Always have a few healthy snack items either in school bag or in your room.  I recommend cut up vegetables, pretzels or pita chips, nuts, pieces of fruit, low-fat chocolate milk, and my personal favorite, protein bars. Apart from the chocolate milk you can throw any of these items in your bag and forget about them for a while. They all offer fiber and or protein that can both satisfy your hunger while giving a studying boost. There are so many fun vegetarian snack ideas to try. 

 You have to find dinner in a convenience store 

Naked drinks come in so many flavors 

It happens to the best of us… convenience store dinners. Whether because we are running between classes or because it’s late at night and there is no other place open, most vegetarians have had that dreadful moment where they walk aimlessly around a convenience store in hopes of some semblance of a meal. Fear no more! I have done it enough that I have come up with a few solutions. (Results will vary depending on each store.) If the store has Kashi frozen vegetarian meals (and I have future access to a microwave), I usually go for that. If not, I’ll grab a Naked juice, some sort of whole grain bar like and Odwalla bar, and a slice of Cracker and Barrel cheese. You get your fruits and veggies, grains, and protein. Granted, convenience store dinners are not optimal, but thankfully Boston has convenience stores located on almost every block and may are opened until late hours of the night, servicing many late night adventures.

My stash of treats from Trader Joe's on Boylston

Overeating at the dining hall

This might sound silly, but I promise this will work if you actually do it. Go to the store a buy a special dessert. I recommend a novelty that you don’t usually buy yourself, like a special dark chocolate. Keep the treat in a special spot and then get really excited about it. Only allow yourself a little bit of this treat at a time. The dining hall desert does not seem so cool anymore, does it? I even use this to bribe myself to get my homework done. It works.  

Last night's revenge 

Making eggs at my friends apartment on Ashford

Vegetarian eggs benedict at Trident on Newbury

I swear by egg and cheesed after a late night on the town. Scramble up some eggs and use low fat cheese and multi-grain bread and you have yourself a little miracle worker sandwich. The eggs not only add a kick of protein, but also have high amounts of cysteine, which breaks down hangover causing toxins. Score! Tasty while doing work for our collegiate bodies at the same time!

Skipping breakfast for the sake of sleep

Almonds for a quick breakfast 

I probably snooze my alarm five times each morning. I have the timing of walking to my classes down to a science. For me, breakfast must be quick, easy, accessible and preferably in my dorm room while I’m getting dressed. My favorite way to do this usually involves taking fruit from the dining hall (which my school allows). Ill grab two bananas, cut them up, and throw some peanut butter and honey over them. Its super quick does not require any cooking. You also start the day off with some protein, which is good for any vegetarian. My second favorite method is grabbing a handful of nuts and dried fruit and eating them together. Both methods leave you surprisingly full, and for me at least, help me wake up and power through my classes.