Most student athletes will tell you that eating on campus is totally incompatible with a sound training diet. Indeed it is a challenge to maintain a training diet in the midst of hot dog stands and fast food joints. Luckily, restaurants here at U of A have made some big improvements in the past several years, and you can find many nutritionally sound meals right here on campus. Following are some sample meals from some of the major restaurants here on campus that I consider to be nutritional winners.
First, keep in mind these general rules:
- anything fried is high in saturated fat and calories and low
in nutrients.
- turkey, chicken, and roast beef on a sandwich are lower in
fat than chicken and tuna salads which are typically prepared with mayonnaise.
- water and juices or sports drinks are better choices than soda
for both nutrients and hydration.
- go easy on salad dressings and creamy sauces which are typically
high in fat. Try the low fat salad dressings.
"A" Bagels
whole wheat bagel
3 oz. sliced turkey
1 slice swiss cheese
shredded lettuce
2 slices tomatoe
6 oz. frozen yogurt
1 bag Sun Chips
700 calories, 100 gm *CHO, 37 gm protein, 19 gm fat
other: good sources of fiber and calcium
substituting an apple for the yogurt and chips:
490 calories, 70 gm CHO, 28 gm protein, 11 gm fat, 6 gm fiber
note: the Veggie Wrap is also an excellent choice here
Louie's Lower Level
stir fry:
1.5 cups brown rice
mixed veggies (broccoli, carrots and onions used in this analysis)
3 oz. skinless chicken (cooked in oil)
670 calories, 82 gm CHO, 39 gm protein, 19 gm fat
other: good source of iron
note: substitute the chicken for beef or tofu or just have a veggie
stir
fry. Ask for the veggies and meat to be fried in water to lower
the fat
content.
McKale Snack Bar
peanutbutter and jelly sandwich (2 slices bread with 1.5 Tablespoon
PB and
1.5 tablespoon jelly)
1 Yoplait yogurt, original
1 orange
590 calories, 97 gm CHO, 19 gm protein, 15 gm fat
other: good sources of fiber, calcium, and monounsaturated fat.
Fidlee Fig
salad bar:
1.5 cups romaine lettuce
3 cherry tomatoes
green peppers
cucumbers
1/4 cup garbanzo beans
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1.5 tablespoons low fat italian dressing
8 oz. skim milk
570 calories, 67 gm CHO, 36 gm protein, 18 gm fat
other: good sources of fiber and and calcium
McDonalds
breakfast:
hotcakes
6 oz. orange juice
1 teaspoon margarine
2 oz. syrup
540 calories, 111 gm CHO, 9 gm protein, 8 gm fat
lunch:
2 hamburgers
1 low fat milkshake
850 calories, 124 gm CHO, 36 gm protein, 23 gm fat
other: good sources of calcium and iron
note: fast food is not typically a good source of fiber
Other good chioces at McDonalds: oat bran muffin, grilled chicken sandwich
*CHO = carbohydrate
Unfortunately, the biggest barrier to eating healthy on campus is cost. The healthy stuff tends to be a bit more expensive. Here are a couple of ideas to help offset some of that added cost:
- try to balance cheap days with expensive days to break even
at the end of the week
- bring your own snack and lunches to campus 2 or 3 times a week
and pay a little extra for healthy meals the other days.
- buy the "main course" part of the meal on campus and bring
your own snacks to fill out the meal. For example, buy a sandwich
on campus and bring your own fruit and yogurt to go along with it.