I speak as a privileged, pampered student of a university that, in the freshman dining hall, offers five different types of fruit and herb infused water alone. I speak from an institution that has ensured every single campus dining hall and restaurant offers at least one vegan option, and I speak as a proud diner that has access to rice milk, soy milk, and almond milk instead of sodas, which are no longer present in our dining hall. I speak as someone who has tasted the juicy cherry tomatoes and orange watermelon grown right on the campus farm. But despite my unusually fortuitous position, I can still present to you the following feasible and simple eating habits that can be implemented at practically any American college to promote personal and environmental health.
Personal Eating Tips: 1. Take advantage of the salad bar at regular meals. Free food offered by eager student organizations inevitably includes pizza, ice cream, and donuts. You will almost undoubtedly take advantage of this free food, so make a commitment to eat healthy while it is on your own schedule. 2. Stock your dorm fridge and shelves with healthy, ready-to-eat options like bananas, apples, baby carrots (& hummus!), and nuts. Let’s admit it: most of us lack the self-control to resist grabbing for a snack while studying. By stocking your room with only healthy options and NO junk, at least the snack will most definitely be healthy. If you think you might need a dessert as a reward for a hard night of studying, hide away some dark chocolate behind healthier options. 3. Drink water! Lots of it! Water is not only a safeguard against classic college hangovers, but is vital to kidney, muscle, and metabolic functioning (among many, MANY other things). And yes, fruit and herb infused water is addicting and delicious, so pop a strawberry or orange into that bottle for extra zing. Campus Initiatives: 1. Become involved with a campus farming project, if available. UNC offers a Community Garden that connects with campus organizations and classes to promote sustainable agricultural practices, social change, and academia. They even accept compost donations and host volunteer workdays. NC State has been sourcing food from their Agroecology Education Farm since 2013, and you can volunteer here every 1st and 3rd Saturday from 10 AM until 1 PM. The farm is hosting a dinner on October 7th with live music and tours, which I may well crash. Then, of course, we have the Duke Campus Farm with which I have already fallen in love. It supplies produce to Duke Dining and empowers students by offering job and volunteer opportunities on Thursdays and Sundays from 3-5 PM. 2. Request options that suit your dietary needs; most places are more than willing to accommodate (if for no other reason than to keep your business)! You will be surprised how much is available to you if you only have the courage and foresight to ask. 3. Join a group that focuses on feeding your local community. Increasing access to healthy produce and dietary education is one of the most empowering and sustainably charitable actions you can take as a citizen. 4. Cook with friends. Find the dorm with the best kitchen, split the costs on the ingredients, and cook up something tasty. Then take the Frisbee off the shelf, grab a blanket, and have a family picnic outside.
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