Eat better, feel better
For healthy living, students must make wise decisions when choosing food
Options — Students enjoy eating a variety of different foods at the many dining locations across Liberty’s campus. Photo credit: Kallie Britton
College students typically fear gaining the “freshman 15,” yet they find themselves living on tight budgets and buying less nutritious foods. At Liberty, the Sodexo dining team works to ensure that students have quality and healthy choices to choose from.
“I’m always looking for where we are going to put the healthy option in,” Kristina DiSanto, registered dietician for Sodexo, said.
There are a variety of healthy dining options available to students. DiSanto explained how almost every dining option on campus has a healthy choice. Students now have more healthy eating options and programs on campus to assist them in a nutritious lifestyle, according to DiSanto. Ultimately, eating healthy requires planning and thinking through your meal.
“I don’t think it’s difficult to make (eating healthy) happen,” DiSanto said. “I … think it just takes a bit of a conscious effort that people might not be used to putting in.”
DiSanto recommended that students focus on what their plate looks like. A plate that meets all of one’s dietary needs should be half a plate of vegetables, one-fourth carbohydrates and one-fourth protein.
Dieticians lead demonstrations to provide students with new knowledge on healthy eating options. DiSanto has a demonstration in the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall about once a month. On Sept. 30, she taught students how to make quick, healthy smoothies using three ingredients. An example is a green smoothie, which is made using a banana, pineapple juice and spinach.
“We make simple things that students can do on their own,” DiSanto said. “It’s also a little bit of education and fun stuff to let people know that I’m here.”
Meal — The Tilley Student Center offers a plethora of choices. Photo credit: Kallie Britton
A new eatery on campus is the Farmer’s Field located in the Tilley Student Center. This dining option appeals to many because of its use of fresh ingredients from the local campus garden. Hand-tossed salads are personalized and made to order. DiSanto recommended this option to students but warned against using too much salad dressing or caloric toppings.
While there are a variety of different selections, DiSanto said that within the dining hall, a healthy option is always accessible. Sometimes it might require choosing foods from different stations to make a meal.
“There are a lot of options,” DiSanto said. “It can be overwhelming. Take the time to look around … and look at the menus posted online ahead of time.”
Something unique to Liberty is the labeling program. DiSanto said that labels are provided for all foods so students know how many calories are in the food and if there are allergens.
“This is a program you don’t find at other schools,” DiSanto said.
Macey Lutz, marketing intern for Sodexo and a student, said that the options on campus allow her to make healthy choices. She appreciates being able to go to any place around campus and be able to decide how to choose the best food for herself.
“It’s a major factor,” Lutz said. “I can monitor what I eat.”
DiSanto said that eating healthy is a lifestyle choice “Sit down, take time to enjoy your food,” DiSanto said. “You will be a lot more satisfied and appreciate it so much more.”
FROST is a news reporter.