2008 Woodie Awards
Nutritious options are necessary, simple
By: Brian McLean
Issue date: 11/7/07 Section: Lifeline
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Along with many college students comes a lengthy 'to do' list for each day of the week.
But often, these notes do not include a time reservation to eat.
"Plan to make eating important," said Elizabeth Jackson, a human environmental studies instructor and consulting dietitian.
Jackson, whose one-on-one consulting has her working with numerous students' eating habits, said many students fail to plan adequate meals, preferring instead to purchase quick snacks.
When faced with the task of cooking on their own, many students are lost, Jackson said.
However, she said, individual meals can require only marginal preparation. Eggs, pastas, canned beans, cereals - any of these can make for a decent meal and require little time, she said.
"They don't have to be real fancy," she said.
Another easy dish is an individualized pizza. Take a ready-to-eat pizza shell, some pasta sauce and cheese, and students could easily have a healthier alternative to a pizza delivery, she said.
"It's actually going to be a pretty darn nutritious meal," she said.
Jackson advised students to stay away from prepared frozen meals, which, when priced by the pound, are significantly less cost-effective than self-prepared dishes.
Christine Henries-Zerbe, director of the dietetics program at CMU , said scheduling meals really is not such daunting a task.
"Food is something that we all need, and it does need to be something important in your daily routine," she said.
Henries-Zerbe said college is a stepping-stone into the real world, and scheduling meals won't get any easier after graduation.
She recommended students set aside time to make meals, and if possible, share cooking duties with their roommates.
A home-cooked diet is better both monetarily and personally, she said. The nutritional benefits can give students a marked improvement in focus, she said.
"I think that they would feel better," she said.
But often, these notes do not include a time reservation to eat.
"Plan to make eating important," said Elizabeth Jackson, a human environmental studies instructor and consulting dietitian.
Jackson, whose one-on-one consulting has her working with numerous students' eating habits, said many students fail to plan adequate meals, preferring instead to purchase quick snacks.
When faced with the task of cooking on their own, many students are lost, Jackson said.
However, she said, individual meals can require only marginal preparation. Eggs, pastas, canned beans, cereals - any of these can make for a decent meal and require little time, she said.
"They don't have to be real fancy," she said.
Another easy dish is an individualized pizza. Take a ready-to-eat pizza shell, some pasta sauce and cheese, and students could easily have a healthier alternative to a pizza delivery, she said.
"It's actually going to be a pretty darn nutritious meal," she said.
Jackson advised students to stay away from prepared frozen meals, which, when priced by the pound, are significantly less cost-effective than self-prepared dishes.
Christine Henries-Zerbe, director of the dietetics program at CMU , said scheduling meals really is not such daunting a task.
"Food is something that we all need, and it does need to be something important in your daily routine," she said.
Henries-Zerbe said college is a stepping-stone into the real world, and scheduling meals won't get any easier after graduation.
She recommended students set aside time to make meals, and if possible, share cooking duties with their roommates.
A home-cooked diet is better both monetarily and personally, she said. The nutritional benefits can give students a marked improvement in focus, she said.
"I think that they would feel better," she said.
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