Meal Planning
How to eat
well in college
Many
people know a fair amount about nutrition.
They read up on nutrition basics,
perhaps from this web site, and browse through magazines on health and
fitness. Yet often, it's difficult to
apply that knowledge in your own life, especially with the busy and stressful
schedule of a college student!
Read
on to learn…
·
What an optimal eating plan looks like.
·
Whether or not your diet measures up.
Evaluate your
diet with the interactive healthy eating index.
·
What exactly is “one serving,” and how many servings of different foods
do you need?
·
How to deal with time constraints, late-night eating, all-you-can-eat
dining halls, super-sized portions, social eating (or drinking), and stress
eating.
·
How to eat well on campus.
·
How to shop and cook when you have NO time, no money, and no kitchen
skills.
National Dietary
Guidelines
What does an
optimal eating plan look like?
Every 5 years or so, the US
The
original Food Guide Pyramid was developed in 1992 to serve as a visual representation
of national dietary guidelines. While
the 1992 pyramid is still a useful guide for building a healthy, balanced
eating plan, other pyramids have been developed by respected research groups
and institutions that may better reflect current guidelines. For example, UCLA’s Center for Human Nutrition
has created the California Cuisine Food Pyramid. This pyramid focuses greater attention on vegetables
and fruits, highlights the importance of high-fiber whole grains,
and emphasizes the benefits of very lean protein-rich foods and heart-healthy
unsaturated fats.
1.
The foundation of both pyramids (and the foundation of a healthy eating
plan) is high quality, carbohydrate-rich
foods.
·
Carbohydrate is our bodies’ preferred and most efficient source of energy.
·
High quality choices include 1) vegetables and fruits and 2) whole grain
breads, cereals, pasta, and rice; low fat crackers, tortillas, pretzels,
and air popped popcorn; and starchy vegetables including potatoes, corn, yams,
peas, and legumes/beans.
·
These carbohydrate-rich foods are relatively low in calories, but they
are packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals, and disease-fighting
phytonutrients (plant chemicals).
·
Aim for at least 5, but preferably 7-10, servings of vegetables
and fruits daily.
Ø
What is one serving of vegetables? One
serving is ½ cup chopped or cooked vegetables or 1 cup leafy greens.
Ø Suggested plan: At lunch, put some lettuce and tomato in a sandwich (that’s 1 serving), and eat 1 cup baby carrots too (that’s 2 more). At dinner, add 1 cup frozen broccoli to your pasta (that’s 2). Daily total = 5 servings of vegetables.
Ø
What is one serving of fruit? One serving
is 1 piece of fruit (about the size of a tennis ball), 1 cup of berries or
melon, ½ c. juice, or ¼ c. dried fruit.
Ø Suggested plan: Drink 1 c. of OJ in the morning (that’s 2 servings), and grab an apple and small banana for backpack snacks (that’s 2 more). Daily total = 4 servings of fruit.
·
Your need for grains and starchy vegetables may vary from 6 to 16 servings
daily depending on your activity level and calorie needs. But, everyone should aim for at least 3
servings of whole grains daily.
(see
Picking Whole Grains)
Ø
What is one serving of grains? One serving
equals 1 slice of bread; ½ small bagel, pita, English muffin, or bun; ½ cup
rice, pasta, hot cereal, legumes/beans, or starchy vegetables (like corn or
peas), ¾ c. unsweetened dry cereal, 1 small 3-4 oz. baked potato (about the
size of a computer mouse), 1 oz. small bag of chips/pretzels, 3-6 crackers.
Ø Suggested plan: Eat 1 ½ cup Total cereal in the morning (that’s 2 servings), a sandwich with 2 slices of whole wheat bread (2 more), 1 ½ cup pasta with dinner (that’s 3), and a 2 oz. bag of pretzels for a snack (2 more). Daily total = 9 servings.
2. A healthy eating plan also contains adequate
amounts of protein-rich foods.
·
Protein is the building block of every cell in our body.
·
Protein also promotes satiety (the feeling of fullness after a meal)
and helps raise levels of brain chemicals that keep
you feeling more alert. Carbohydrates,
when eaten alone, tend to have the opposite effect. They have limited satiety value (i.e. you
feel hungry again shortly after you eat them), and they make you feel more
sleepy.
·
To ensure adequate intake and promote satiety, it’s a good idea to
include a protein-rich food with every meal.
·
In addition to protein, these foods provide several important vitamins
and minerals (especially iron and zinc in the meat group and calcium and
vitamin D in the milk group).
·
Most of the time, choose very low saturated fat choices such as
skinless turkey or chicken breast, fish, very lean meats, legumes/beans, tofu
and other soy products, egg whites, and fat free or 1% low fat milk, yogurt,
and cottage cheese.
·
Aim for 2-3 servings daily of low fat protein rich foods, as well as
3-4 servings daily of low fat milk or other calcium-rich foods.
Ø
What is one serving of protein? One serving
is 3 oz. lean meat, chicken, or fish (about the size of a deck of cards), 1 cup
of tofu or beans, 3/4 cup fat free cottage cheese, 6 egg whites, or 1 oz. of
whey or soy protein powder.
Ø
Suggested plan: Enjoy 3 slices of turkey breast
in a sandwich at lunch, and add 1/2 can of tuna to your pasta at dinner. Daily total = 2 servings.
Ø
What is one serving of milk or other calcium-rich foods? One serving provides about
300 mg of calcium and equals 1 cup milk or yogurt, 1 oz. slice of cheese, 1 cup
calcium-fortified soy milk, fruit juice, or other fortified product.
Ø
Suggested plan: Pour 1 cup of fat free milk in
your cereal in the morning (that's one calcium-rich food), add 1 slice of
cheese to your sandwich at lunch (that's one more), and enjoy a carton of low
fat yogurt for a snack (one more). Daily
total = 3 servings.
●
Click
here to see exactly how many grams
of protein you need based on your weight and fitness goals.
3. At the tip of the pyramid (and at the tip of
a healthy eating plan) are the taste-enhancers.
·
This includes added fats and sugars,
as well as low-calorie flavorings and seasonings.
·
To maintain a healthy weight, emphasize low-calorie taste enhancers
(i.e. mustard on sandwiches, garlic and soy sauce in stir fries, tomato salsa
in burritos, and seasoned vinegars on salads).
·
It's also important to include small amounts of fat, especially heart-healthy unsaturated fats in your eating plan.
·
Fat not only enhances flavor and satiety, but it is also critical for
nerve cell functioning, the production of several hormone-like compounds, and
proper absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K).
·
Heart-healthy, unsaturated fats are present in olive and canola oils,
nuts and seeds, peanut butter, avocados, fatty fish, tofu and other soy
products.
Ø
What is one serving of fat? One serving equals 1 tsp.
oil, 1 T. salad dressing, ½ T. peanut butter, 1/8 avocado, or 6-10 nuts.
Ø
Suggested plan: Eat ¼ cup (one small handful)
of mixed nuts for a snack and you’ve got 4 servings of healthy fat. Add 1 T. oil and vinegar dressing to a salad
and you’ve got 1 more. Daily total = 5.
·
Sometimes you don’t need to add fat to your meals,
because fat is already hiding in the foods you choose from the main food
groups. For instance, 10-15 fries = 1
grain serving and 1 fat serving; a 3 oz. hamburger = 1 protein serving plus 2
fat servings.
4. There are no “good” or “bad” foods. Balance is key.
·
Even though they are not shown on the food pyramid, ice cream, cookies,
chips, candy bars, and other high fat desserts and snacks CAN be included in a
healthy eating plan.
·
These foods are only “junk foods” when they are eaten in place of
meals.
·
The key is balancing your choices.
For instance, if you chose high quality meals with lots of fruits and
vegetables, whole grains, and low fat protein-rich foods and taste enhancers,
then why not enjoy a candy bar or couple of cookies for a snack?
·
Likewise, high fat meal choices (like hamburgers, pizza, etc.) are not
“bad” if you balance them with low fat side dishes (like fresh fruit, carrot
sticks, or garden salad with light dressing), or you choose lower fat foods for
other meals and snacks during the day.
Does Your Eating Plan
Measure Up?
Analyze your diet here!
Check out
the interactive healthy eating index at the
Portion Distortion
What is a serving,
and how many servings do you need?
By
now, you've probably all seen the USDA's Food Guide
Pyramid (and the California Cuisine Food Guide
Pyramid) with its recommended number of servings from each food
group. But, you’re confused…the number
of servings recommended sounds like way too much food, with 7 to 10 servings of
fruits and veggies and 6-16 servings of breads, cereals, and grains. How can you possibly reach those goals? And if you do, won’t you gain weight eating
that much food?
In
fact, the recommended serving sizes are much smaller than what is typically
served at restaurants and what you might eat at home or in the dining
halls. Compare the pyramid servings
below to the super-sized servings that we've become accustomed to. You’ll see that it’s much easier than you
think to meet (or exceed) the recommended servings.
Pyramid Portions vs. Real Life Portions.
|
|
Pyramid Portions |
Typical Portions |
Vegetables |
One serving provides about 25 calories. -
1 cup raw leafy greens -
½ cup chopped raw or cooked veggies -
1 medium carrot -
4 oz. vegetable juice |
-
Caesar salad (3 servings veggies + 3 oz. dressing/500 calories) -
1 lb. bag of baby carrots (5 servings veggies/190 calories) |
Fruits |
One serving provides about 60 calories.-
1 small piece of fruit -
1 cup berries, grapes, or melon cubes -
½ cup canned fruit (in unsweetened juice) -
4 oz. 100% fruit juice -
2 Tbsp. raisins; ¼ cup other dried fruit |
-
Entire 2 lb. bag of grapes (10 servings fruit /600 calories) -
16 oz. Hansen’s or Naked Juice fruit smoothie (4 servings fruit/280 calories) |
|
Grains and starchy vegetables |
One serving provides 80-100 calories.-
½ small (2 oz.) bagel -
½ English Muffin, bun, or pita -
1 slice of bread -
1 6” corn or flour tortilla -
1 oz. cold cereal (¾ cup flakes, ½ c. bran or sweetened cereal, ¼ c. nuggets) -
½ cup pasta, rice, or hot cereal -
½ cup legumes/beans or starchy veggies
(peas,
corn, potatoes, yams) -
3 oz. small baked potato -
3 RyKrisp or graham crackers, 6 Saltines |
-
1 large (4 oz.) Noah’s bagel (4 servings grain/360 calories) -
1 grande Baja Fresh tortilla (3 servings grain/310 calories) -
1 pint container Panda Express steamed rice (4 servings grain/400 calories) - 16 oz. jumbo baked potato (5 servings grain/480 calories) |
Fat fat or 1% low fat milk |
One serving provides 90-100 calories.-
8 oz. fat free or 1% low fat milk -
8 oz. calcium-fortified soy or rice milk -
6 oz. plain or “light” yogurt -
6 oz. fruit or sweetened yogurt (NOTE: Also count as 1-2 fruit servings.) |
-
Same -
Same |
|
Lean protein-rich foods Higher fat protein-rich foods |
One serving provides 105-165 calories.-
3 oz. skinless chicken or turkey -
3 oz. trimmed round or loin cuts of meat -
3 oz. white fish, canned tuna, or shellfish -
¾ cup fat free cottage cheese -
¾ cup egg substitute or 6 egg whites -
1 soy burger patty -
1 oz. soy protein powder -
1 cup beans or lentils (NOTE: Also count as 1 grain serving.) One serving provides 225-300 calories.(Count as 2-3 fat servings too!) -
1 cup tofu (8 oz.) – HEALTHY fat -
½ cup tempeh (4 oz.) – HEALTHY fat -
3 oz. fatty fish – HEALTHY fat -
3 oz. chicken or turkey with skin -
3 oz. hamburger, meatloaf, or prime rib -
3 oz. bologna, salami, sausage -
3 oz. cheese -
3 whole eggs |
-
6-8 oz. skinless chicken breast (2 servings lean meat/320 calories) -
9 oz. hamburger patty (3 servings high fat meat/745 calories) -
12 oz. prime rib (4 servings high fat meat/1200 calories) |
Fats |
One serving provides about 45 calories.-
8 olives, 1/8 avocado, 6-10 nuts -
1 tsp. oil, margarine, or mayonnaise -
½ T. peanut butter -
2/3 T. salad dressing -
2 T. cream cheese or sour cream |