Colleges and universities are back in session, and that means students are busy stocking their dorm room refrigerators.
As students are gearing up for a new school year – many have questions about how to eat healthy on campus without gaining the dreaded “Freshman 15”. Here are some tips for staying lean and mean this semester:
Eat Small Frequent Meals
Going long stretches without eating is a major downfall for people trying to eat right. Small frequent meals help you stay alert, keep blood sugar levels stable, and help you avoid overeating late in the day. Choose easy-to-prepare on-the-go meals, like this new Pirate’s Booty Mac & Cheese made with organic wheat pasta, real cheese and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.
Find Time for Fruit
Fruit is not just a fantastic between meal snack, it’s also a great way to incorporate nutrition into your meals. Try this Cranberry Chicken Salad on Flatbread recipe as an example of a super easy way to incorporate cranberries into your back-to-school meal planning.
Cranberries not only taste great, they are also really good for you. You probably know they help prevent urinary tract infections, which is true – but all cranberry products (like cranberry juice cocktail, dried cranberries, cranberry sauce and fresh and frozen cranberries) contain flavonoids. A specific type of flavonoid that is unique to cranberries actually prevent bacteria from sticking to cell walls, which prevents UTIs.
A new study in the journal Advances in Nutrition found that the bioactive compounds in cranberries not only help reduce the incidence of certain infections and maintain a healthy urinary tract, but they also improve heart health by improving blood cholesterol levels, blood pressure and reducing inflammation.
Snack Smarter
Did you know that 91% of American snack every day? And kids in particular need snacks, as their small stomach size can’t always meet daily nutrition needs in 3 meals alone.
But what you snack on matters – and here is a smart snack for you: sprouted grains chips. Way Better Snacks’ line of chips has sprouted grains, beans, and seeds. Sprouting helps to reduce certain anti-nutrient compounds that inhibit absorption – meaning that these chips have more bioavailable nutrients, and are more easily digested than other grains.
Grab Good To-Go Options
Now you might not think of a convenience store when you picture health food, but there are some pretty good options available out there today, and in particular at 7-11. The Fresh Food line at 7-11 offers fresh salads, sandwiches, seasonal fruit and snacks that would make any dietitian proud! Look for options with whole foods, minimal processed ingredients, and those that contain protein and fiber, which help keep you full.