Shippensburg is a great little town, but let’s face it, unless you want to shell out the cash for a nice meal at University Grille, your dining options are limited. There’s always the temptation of fast food. And with greasy grub destinations just a short walk from campus the temptations can be overwhelming. Luckily, stock-piling fresh fruit and veggies in your dorm room isn’t the only way to eat right this semester. There are healthy options right here on campus!
#1. Breakfast Sandwich
Eat this: Starbucks’ Spinach, Feta & Cage-Free Egg White Breakfast Wrap
Whether or not the Starbucks in the library was a deciding factor for you when choosing Ship, you can’t deny it’s pretty awesome. You already start your morning there with a coffee, why not eat something too! This wheat wrap filled with 19 grams of protein and only 290 calories will not weigh you down. Because no one wants to be bloated during a 9 a.m. Biology class.
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Not this: Sheetz’s Sausage Melt with egg and cheddar cheese
Don’t get me wrong, I really, really appreciate Sheetz. Not many other parts of the country have a gas station double as a destination for the hungry and hungover. But we all know how easy it is to get carried away at the MTO machine. “Why yes, I would like boom boom sauce, a jalapeno pretzel and every kind of cheese you have,” but eating right is all about self-control, right? While a sausage melt bright and early –or late at night –may seem like a great idea at the time, save yourself 596 calories and just say no.
#2. Chocolate
Eat this: Outtakes’ Chocolate Pudding Parfait or Chocolate Covered Strawberries, both available on rotation at the Galley food court in the CUB
Unfortunately, the Old Main fountain sprays water, not chocolate. While I would gladly trade in my textbooks for white overalls and a job at Willy Wonka’s factory, I doubt that will happen, atleast not this semester. Luckily, the CUB has great little pre-packaged chocolate snacks available –they count as a meal too! No flex required. Try the chocolate covered strawberries, only 35 calories! Or for something a little more, try a chocolate pudding parfait, 220 calories!
Not this: F’real Chocolate Milkshake
You never forget your first. I was 13. I pressed “less thick” and watched in awe as that frozen block of chocolate was lifted and entered the seemingly magical milkshake machine –like Rumpelstiltskin spinning straw into gold. I was so mesmerized I didn’t even bother to look at the nutrition facts. One chocolate F’real milkshake contains 580 calories and 63 grams of sugar.
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#3. Southwest Salad
Eat this: Century Café’s Southwest Turkey Salad
You may not have known that Century Café existed your first semester at Ship and that’s totally understandable. If you go there be prepared to run into a professor, dean, financial aid officer that may have seen you cry, etc. But also be prepared to indulge in delicious paninis and salads, like the Southwest Turkey Salad. Two cups (one serving) of this salad is only 150 calories. It’s also loaded with 15 grams of protein for you to use on your hike back from Old Main.
Not this: McDonald’s Southwest Salad with Crispy Chicken
You may think salad is always a good choice, but with 21 grams of fat and 450 calories, this is one you can live without.
#4. Buffalo Chicken
Eat this: Chickendipity’s Buffalo Chicken Snack Wrap
Packed with 11 grams of protein, this filling wrap only has 240 calories, when topped with lettuce, tomato, celery and bleu cheese dressing.
Not this: McDonald’s Bacon Buffalo Ranch McChicken
This salty sandwich contains over 50 percent of your daily sodium intake (yikes!) and comes in at 420 calories. Save yourself over almost 200 calories and stick with Chickendip’ –you can add a strip of bacon to any wrap for $1.00!