by With the new freedoms of college comes the task of feeding oneself.
Especially for students who opt for an off-campus apartment, it can be hard to keep a healthy diet. Junior Erik Haering said the transition from the dining halls was difficult.
“In the apartment, it’s a little bit scarier because I’m all just on myself,” Haering said. “It’s all on me.”
Cooking isn’t just a difficult task, either. It can be expensive, senior Eneji Obami said.
“Being able or like financially able to buy groceries and such can be tough,” Obami said. “Especially for a first-year student just because you’re trying to figure out school, too.”
That’s why the U offers fee-paying students looking to meet their nutrition goals free year-round access to dietitians, including registered dietitian Maggie Vertalino.
“We tend to get waves, but a lot of times after the first of the year with the traditional weight management,” Vertalino said.
Dietitians work with students to personalize recommendations and send students home with meal ideas to match performance, cultural and religious needs.
Although much of the work is individualized, one of the common mistakes is consistent: college students don’t eat enough during the day, and too much at night.
“You’re not really eating a lot during the day, and you get home and you start eating and then you eat a lot,” Vertalino said. “People are going, ‘Oh I feel really sluggish in the morning or I have low energy.’”
One tip to avoid this? Meal prep separate ingredients to easily throw quick meals together to eat throughout the day.
“So the ingredients are ready, but you can mix and match them throughout the week to make them taste different,” Vertalino said. “So you’re not getting bored of eating sloppy Joe’s everyday.”
Everyone’s personal nutrition goals can be very different. Whether a student is looking for a few tips or a guided plan, the dietitians can help them find the right path.
“We just try to make people feel comfortable as soon as they come in, and really allow them to tell us their story,” Vertalino said.
