For me, one of the toughest parts of the transition to freshman year college life was leaving my mom and dad’s yummy and healthy home cooking. The dining hall, while at first extremely overwhelming, can become extremely monotonous and limiting in a matter of days. It’s so easy to just turn to the pizza or french fries, since they seem like the safest options and save you from the task of creating something at the subpar salad bar. But the dining hall doesn’t have to be a drag! I am sharing an average day for me in the Northwestern dining halls, and a few tips to make your meals both healthy and exciting.
1. Breakfast
The most important meal of the day, and college students often overlook. While I do admit to skipping a full meal for a breakfast bar (RX Bars are my favorite) on the mornings of my 9 a.m. class, I do try to get to the dining hall for breakfast as often as possible to fuel my body for a busy day of classes. My go-to meal is usually a piece of wheat toast, with peanut butter and banana on top. If you want some extra sweetness, a pro-tip is to snag some honey from the coffee and tea counter. I accompany my toast with some hot coffee – I take mine black – and if I need some extra fuel, a hard-boiled egg.
2. Lunch
In my personal experience, lunch is the hardest time to stay healthy. Usually, you’re rushing in and out of the dining hall between classes, and barely have time to think. This is the time when a salad sounds both unsatisfying and unappealing. But lunch doesn’t have to be this way! My go-to meal – especially post workout, which is typically when I eat lunch – is a veggie and grain bowl. Now, these bowls don’t look much like the beautiful green Buddha bowls that you see on you Instagram feed, but if you make them right, they taste almost as yummy!
Since the dining hall salad bar and hot meals always vary, my bowls vary too. I usually start with a base of barley or farro, and some greens. Then, I look around the whole dining hall for the best veggies. Don’t be afraid to mix and match from different areas – creativity is the key to a delicious bowl. I often take food from the vegan station and mix it in with vegetables from the main hot meal and salad bars. Finally, I top off my bowl with some protein. I am a huge fan of grilled chicken, but I sometimes mix it up with tofu, or tuna salad, if the salad bar has it that day. Finally, I add a dollop of hummus – my favorite – and a few drops of balsamic vinegar. These bowls are hearty and filling, while still being fun, healthy and delicious.
3. Dinner
Come dinner time, I am always super hungry and ready for a hearty meal. Sometimes, the hot meal looks tasty – and healthy – but other times I am forced to improvise. Usually around dinner time, the dining hall always has rice, protein and lots of hot veggies – things that are not always available during lunch time. So, I recommend taking advantage of the greater array of dinner-time choices. One of the yummiest dining hall dinners, personally, is taco night. The rice, beans, vegetables, guac and salsa make for such a tasty and filling meal. Sometimes I opt for a taco salad, but this time I made a plate of the taco fillings. Here, I have barley, corn and black beans, with a side of mushrooms and grilled chicken. I topped my chicken with some Sriracha because I love spice. The guac and salsa on the side truly made the dish. I know this meal looks a bit like my lunch, but if you stay creative with your ingredients, grilled chicken and veggies never get old!