Back to School Eating

Fellow college students:
Please share some ideas on how to eat healthy on campus and how to avoid stress eating during finals.
I have been so good with changing my eating habits this summer and the first week of school and it all goes to sh$%! The quick cafe on campus is all fried food, the slow cafe is very $$$, and trying to find lunches to take that don't require a fridge is hard.
Also, every finals week (well, the last 3 weeks of writting papers) in the past has caused weight gain. I NEED to avoid that this semester.
Thanks & good luck this semester.

That's tricky. I was 4 months post-op when my sophomore year of college began. Are you not allowed to have a small compact refrigerator in your dormitory? I ask because that was pretty standard where I went to school. Then you can just get a good lunch bag or bento box that will keep things cold or hot depending on what you have.

But here are some ideas for things you can carry with you that don't require that:

-Kashi GoLean cereal has 140 calories, a bunch of fiber, is low in sugar, and has 13g of protein in a one cup serving
-Protein bars. Look for ones with recognizable ingredients and less sugar.
-Fruit and peanut, almond, or cashew butter
-Roasted, salted edamame (tastes like peanuts only protein packed)
-Turkey jerky
-Tuna lunch packs (usually a little can of tuna, mayo packet and relish with crackers. I usually skip the crackers and use carrots).

As for the stress, is there a gym on campus? I liked going there, getting on the elliptical and zoning out to some TV while I worked out. It was great when I felt too stressed to keep working or studying.

Good luck this semester! If you have more questions or specific issues, please feel free to ask. I think I managed the college life as a post-op pretty well.

what about salads, adding in only healthy choices? Soups?? that you can just add water...I live on cup a soups sometimes. Or concentrate on protein drinks and then you only have to worry about one meal with fruit snacks (???)...

Hmmm, what about ice packs that can keep food cold, and thermoses for keeping food hot.  If you have the equipment, then your pre-planned lunch should not be a problem.

Do you have access to a microwave?  If not, pre-heat stuff in the morning and place in thermos.

I love to bring salads and the dressing needs to be kept cool.  That is what goes next to the ice pack..  My protein is either on top of the salad or something to eat next to it.  Fruit for snacks is good too.

I love the Premier Protein bars as they have 30 gr of protein per bar.  You can eat 1/2 a bar and the other half in 2-3 hours.

Good luck in your pre-planning and execution of the plan.

Judy