How to *AVOID* Becoming Malnourished in College

For many people, college is the first time they really need to be responsible for what they’re eating. A lot of times this can result in….questionable diets to say the least. After moving into college, our friend Bert did NOT understand the importance of eating well enough to avoid nutritional deficiency. We’re gonna learn what Bert did wrong, and what he should do to fix these bad habits. College can also be a financial stretch for a lot of people, and healthy eating might not always seem possible when trying to stay in budget. At the end, we’ll go over some resources that can help you avoid becoming malnourished *on a budget*!

Bert doesn’t eat breakfast.

Bert wakes up exactly 15 minutes before his first period—just enough time to get dressed and sprint to the classroom. This means that Bert doesn’t have time to eat breakfast. As a result, Bert isn’t able to focus during his classes. Bert also takes naps throughout the day because he is so low on energy.

Bert eats like a malnourished abandoned goat. He only eats whatever he can easily get his hands on.

Often times this ends up being cup noodles or random snacks from his friends’ pantries. He calls it his “girl dinner.”

*This also tends to be Bert’s one and only meal of the day*

(Bert is always tired and doesn’t feel strong or filled with life but he fails to see the correlation)

Bert is also always drinking soda.

He says it’s grape flavored so it’s basically like eating fruits.

(It’s not.)

Bert doesn’t eat a good meal before going out and getting hammered every weekend.

Bert yacks and blacks out every time he goes to a party.

Bert’s liver is not having as much fun as Bert is.

It’s been a few months. Bert is now feeling pretty f-…oul. Let’s say foul. Bert never has enough energy to get through the full day without napping, he’s always snacking on things that make him break out and don’t actually give him a sustainable amount of energy. He can never focus in class, and he feels super weak when he goes to the gym. His friends even told him he looks…well…terrible. Bert is also always getting sick, and feels like he can barely get through any of his assignments.

So what should Bert do? How can Bert get his livelihood back?

Bert is suffering from a nutritional deficiency. With some healthy habits, he can totally get back on track!

First, Bert needs to start eating breakfast. Starting the day off with breakfast improves your energy levels and can even help your concentration in the short term! It’s important to start your day off strong so you can get through the rest without crashing. Typically, you need to eat AT LEAST two (preferably more) real meals a day to maintain your energy and concentration levels. This is especially important if you are planning on slamming drinks with your friends later in the night. Eating food before drinking slows the absorption rate of alcohol in your body (AKA you are less likely to blackout and need your friends to recap you on the night the next morning) (also its kind of embarrassing to be that one friend who needs to be carried back home after every party…Bert’s friends are probably hella tired).

Next, Bert needs to establish a solid grocery schedule. Eating instant ramen every day is not healthy and Bert needs more nutrients in his diet. While the dining hall is one decent option, an even better option (if you have access to the facilities to do so) is to cook for yourself. Try to stock your fridge weekly or bi-weekly with different kinds of foods! For your energy, make sure you are getting enough macros into your diet. You can buy meat, cheese, eggs, vegetables, fruits, fish, bread, grains, nuts, beans, and more! Cooking not only gives you the freedom to make your own meals that you enjoy, but it also allows you more control over the nutrients you are giving you body. If you physically can’t cook (and the dining hall is not an option for some reason) and you are forced to resort to instant food, buy microwavable meals. Instead of opting for instant ramen, buy microwavable meals that include vegetables, grains, and proteins! While they won’t be as healthy as fresh ingredients, they still deliver more nutrients than that bowl of cup ramen that’s in the vending machine.

Bert also needs to buy some daily multivitamins! Multivitamins can help fill in nutritional gaps in your diet, and although you can do your best to cook for yourself, the likely reality is that you won’t have a perfectly balanced diet in college. Multivitamins also boost immunity by making sure your body gets the nutrients it needs, and no one likes studying for a midterm with a runny nose and congestion. Since most multivitamins also have Vitamin B, a vitamin associated with boosting energy levels while reducing stress and anxiety levels, you’ll also feel an overall higher sense of wellbeing. Not to mention that most multivitamins also contain the full daily value for Vitamin D, which most people nowadays lack.

Probiotics will also be Bert’s friends. Probiotics are microorganisms that promote your gut health when consumed! Although people don’t always think about their gut health, your gut health plays a HUGE part in your overall wellbeing. Bad gut health leads to insomnia, fatigue, unintentional weight gain, depression, skin breakouts, brain fog, bloating, high blood sugar, autoimmune problems, and more (I wasn’t kidding…bad gut health basically makes your whole body suffer). So taking probiotics is basically like sending a league of soldiers to help fight against bad things targeting your gut! They also help more healthy gut bacteria grow (so that your gut can provide more homeland soldiers too).

Yogurt, kefir, and fermented foods are great sources of probiotics. If you aren’t getting enough of these in your diet, you can always purchase probiotics at your local pharmacy or supplement store. They come in little capsules and are super easy to take!

Fruits will also help Bert a lot. Fruits provide fiber (no one wants to be constipated in the communal toilets c’mon) and a plethora of nutrients that are needed by your body! Bert should snag some fruit from the dining hall every day (or stock up in his dorm) so that he can eat them as snacks! Instead of the unhealthy snacks that never give you any energy, fruits will give you the boost that you need because they are full of natural sugars (which your body breaks down quickly into glucose, which can then be used as quick energy source). Fruits also have loads of benefits for your skin, so they can help you get that glowy look~

Lastly, in addition to making sure that you give your body all the nutrients and calories that it needs, you also need to be drinking a lot of water. Like a thirsty horse tbh. You should be drinking 2.7L (for women) or 3.7 (for men) of water daily. Thats 3-4 of those big hydro flask water bottles. Dehydration can have a whole range of side effects, but one relevant to studying in college is that it can make you very tired.

As a note, you should be buying a reusable water bottle and just refilling it throughout the day. There is absolutely no reason that you need to buy a pack of plastic water bottles every week and produce an insane amount of plastic waste just because you need to drink some water. Let’s be real here.

So now Bert (and you) have learned what kinds of things are necessary to stay well nourished. But Bert is scratching his head…..he’s looking at his bank account right now and those trips to the grocery store aren’t looking so possible….Part of the reason he was eating those Cheez-its for dinner was because he couldn’t afford a full meal that day…

Never fear! There are a few resources available to help students financially when it comes to food.

EBT Cards!!!

So what is EBT? Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is a system that allow a participant in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to pay for food using benefits. SNAP is a government assistance program that helps low-income individuals and families with purchasing food. Basically, it gives you a certain amount of credit to use at SNAP authorized stores to buy food! Eligible food purchases include fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, breads, cereals, snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages, food producing seeds and plants!

Eligibility depends on a variety of factors, but each state has a unique EBT program! Research your elidgibility for the SNAP program in your state, and see what benefits you may be able to snag.

Another option is college food banks!

Many colleges across the United States have food pantries or stigma-free food access for students. Look into what programs your school has and make the most of the produce and healthy food options they may provide there. Often they have much less restrictions when it comes to eligibility (if they have any restrictions at all), so it can be a much more readily available option than EBT cards for many students.

Taking care of your body is super important—you only get one! You cant function to the best of your ability if you don’t take care of yourself. Do you think those F1 race cars would drive as fast if they weren’t maintained and taken care of? Nah. Treat yourself like a F1 ✧*:･ﾟ✧ Ferrari･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧. and feel your best!