University Life: Foods to Buy and Not to Buy for a Healthy College Dorm

Keeping healthy in college is going to be a real challenge. I'll be going back to NIACC for my sophomore year, living in the dorms for a second year, and let me tell you, dorm cafeteria life is difficult.

Avoiding GMO's altogether at college (especially when you have no choice what you put in your body) is not going to be realistic. But, contrary to popular belief, you DO have a choice. There is a healthier option, even if you're low on cash.

If you have money set aside for food, consider going grocery shopping for healthier substitutions, and skip the cafeteria whenever possible, unless you'll be getting the salad bar with lowfat dressing. Believe me, once you smell the cheese curds, I don't think veggies will be your first choice.

In the mini-fridge:

• cottage cheese (good protein source)
• slices of cheese (good protein source)
• sandwich meat (good protein source)
• carrots
• lowfat salad dressings
• fresh fruit/veggies (avocados, lettuce, grapes, peaches, tomatoes, etc.)
• salsa
• lowfat cream cheese
• yogurt
• watter bottles (healthy substitute drink)
• hummus (good protein source)
• V8 juice or other healthy juices (good vitamins!)
• soy or almond milk, unsweetened, lowfat (good, healthier, and low-calorie calcium source)

In the pantry:

• canned tuna (good protein source)
• canned fruit/veggies (green beans, jell-o fruit cups, etc.)
• protein shake mix (good protein source)
• bananas (good potassium source)
• popcorn
• mixed nuts (good protein source)
• trail mix (good protein source)
• healthy corn chips (blue are the healthiest!)
• instant cups of mashed potatoes/rice
• granola or protein bars (good protein source)
• whole grain bread or bagels

Dorm Food No-No's:

• the stereotypical easy Mac
• the stereotypical ramen noodles
• fatty, processed, GMO-filled TV dinners (either frozen or not)
• salty, oily, fatty potato chips (made this mistake)
• sugary fruit snacks (natural fruit rollups or dried fruit is a good substitute!)

Remember, your health is number 1! Just because something tastes wonderful doesn't mean you should be putting it in your body. This sounds like common sense, but you'd be shocked by some people's mind states. I had a friend who weighed well over 400 pounds who thought that Lay's original (not even baked) potato chips were a healthy substitute. and she ate the entire party-sized bag.

College will be hard in lots of ways! Keeping healthy will probably be the least of your worries. But keep this in mind: eating clean and exercising will boost your immune system when all those nasty colds are going around, and keeping healthy in these ways will keep most stress at bay and also keep you happy emotionally. 90 percent of auto-immune diseases are caused by what we eat or our general (no-exercise) lifestyles. You need to take control of your life. Trust me, you'll feel a hundred times better.