Eating healthy when you live at home with your parents tends to be a lot easier than on vacation. Your parents are in control of the groceries and what you eat for dinner, whereas on vacation you rely on the cooks of your hotel or the restaurant you go to every night. When you are not in control of what your meals consist of, it is hard to control what goes into your body, and, therefore it can be difficult to eat healthy.

When you move on campus for the first time and you live in a space in which your kitchen consists of a mini fridge and a microwave, you have to rely on the Commons to fuel your body. Our knee-jerk reaction is to reach for the pizza or the french fries, because it is uncommon to eat that kind of food every day at home, but after a while, your body starts to bear the brunt of the food you have been eating.

Although it is not comparable to a home cooked meal, the commons offers meals that are both nutritious and enjoyable. It’s all about which foods you reach for.

I have been on a health kick recently, and so I have been attempting to be very conscious of what I eat, but since I mostly eat at the Commons, it can be hard for me to make myself reach that protein goal instead of reaching for the Commons’ delicious pizza. So, I decided to come up with a plan for eating healthy and giving my body the nutrients I need without pushing aside my taste buds’ desire for it to taste good.

First, I wanted to research what medical professionals suggest we eat in order to properly fuel our bodies.

Stanford Health says that we should be eating about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. That means that for a person that weighs about 150 lbs, they should be eating about 55 grams of protein every day. Some foods that are high in protein are meats, nuts, cheeses, eggs, beans, and tofu, all of which can all be found in the commons at most meal times.

Fruits and vegetables are really important too. The commons has a fruit and salad bar that is available at every meal time. Harvard Health says that we should be eating 2 servings of fruit everyday, and 3 servings of vegetables everyday in order to reach a healthy amount of fiber, vitamins, and lowering the risk of heart problems.

The World Health Organization says that we should base our meals on fiber rich whole grains and healthy carbs. Some examples of these would be potatoes, whole wheat breads, and brown rice.

Then, I wanted to apply that knowledge to the choices I make at the Commons.

On an average day, the commons makes a buffet style selection of Mexican, Italian, American, and vegetarian/vegan food. With so many options it can be easy to sacrifice nutrition for taste, but having such a big variety actually makes it easier to find healthy choices.

Starting with picking a protein is where I always default. In the Nook there is breakfast food no matter what time of day it is, and while cereal is not always a great source of protein, the milk you put with it can be. In La Mesa, there is usually some sort of Mexican-style protein, such as ground beef, grilled chicken, plus beans as a high protein side. In the Cucina, you would find a meat sauce or meatballs to put on your pasta which are both high in protein. Pizza can be found there too, although it is a low-protein, less healthy option. In the Global Kitchen and Flame Grill you can find some sort of global dish such as chicken curry or orange chicken, it switches every meal. Hamburgers are a great high-protein choice, and using a lettuce wrap instead of a bun ups the health factor very quickly. Finally, in Rooted, there is a buffet of vegetarian and vegan proteins, such as tofu chicken tenders or high-protein tossed salads.

After finding a protein, I usually reach for fruits and vegetables and then carbs. For carbohydrates, there are a lot of great options found in every bar, such as potatoes, flour tortillas, brown and white rice, bread rolls, and more. The healthiest choice would be the tortillas, potatoes, and brown rice, but all of the options tend to be pretty healthy.

All in all, the Commons does not have to be the place where you gain that “freshman fifteen” or worsen your overall health. The Commons was built on creating healthy and sustainable habits starting in the food you put in your body. When the Commons is your kitchen, eating healthy does not automatically mean cutting out pizza, french fries, and dessert; it’s about making intentional choices that balance nutrition and the foods you love.