Integrating Veggies (college edition!)


By:  Ines Cheng, Healthy Aggies Intern

As college students it is often difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The time and energy it takes to make healthy meals can sometimes seem burdensome. However, there are many different strategies to more easily integrate vegetables and fruits and other healthy foods into your everyday life!

  1. Smoothies!

It can be difficult to eat as many fruits as you would like throughout the day. One easy way to incorporate fruits is to make smoothies in the morning. Combine some of your favorite fruits and add some protein (like yogurt or soy milk) to make a smoothie for a quick and easy breakfast. An extra step is to add spinach! Spinach is great for your skin, hair, and bone health and provides protein, minerals, and vitamins.

  1. Pack Veggies as Snacks

A great way to incorporate veggies throughout the day is to pack them before you leave the house. This way if you are hungry throughout the day you won’t have to buy a snack; the one you have is healthier than the alternative you could buy at the store on campus. Some easy snacks to carry around are carrot sticks, tomatoes and celery; pack a little cup of hummus or a string cheese stick to round it out.

  1. Meal Prep

Everyone is constantly raving about meal prepping because it really helps! Setting aside a couple hours in one day is much more efficient than spending time each day making food. Create big batches of healthy meals that you will be able to eat throughout the week. You will be less likely to eat out if you know you have food all ready to eat.

  1. Side Orders

It can be difficult to choose the healthier option at a restaurant. However, by making a conscious effort to replace one side with a healthier alternative benefits you. An example is to choose a salad instead of fries. Or replace certain pieces of the meal with healthier choices, such as a lettuce wrap instead of bread with a burger. This is a fantastic way to incorporate vegetables in meals when you go out.

  1. Know Where To Eat Out

In Davis it can be difficult to find restaurants that have healthy options. However, most restaurants will have at least one healthier option or one that you can alter in some way. Whenever you can, look for that balanced plate in the meal your order – a serving of protein, a whole grain, if possible, and some fruits and veggies.  Ask for what you want!

Overall, living a healthy lifestyle can seem difficult but it is all about making small changes over time. Choosing healthy options over others (and doing it consistently) will alter your health for the better. Incorporating any of the above tips will help you eat in a more healthy manner without dramatically changing your life.