Robert Modzelewski

That late night Salvatore’s pizza, those good Buffalo Wild Wings assortments and all those liters of Coke seem to have taken over the average student’s diet at RIT. We all understand, because — let’s be honest — those foods are convenient, quick and satisfying. At this time of year, it beats buying those expensive organic fruits and vegetables; and not too long ago, strawberries were up to $5 a box. It seems that the problem with eating healthy is that it’s too expensive. Tim Keady, associate director of the Student Health Center, has decided to bust some myths about healthy eating and has given advice that will put good food back in our diets, plus more money back in our wallets.

Visit a Nutritionist!

In the so-called “real world,” nutritionists are expensive. Some charge about $100 a session. However, what most students don’t realize is that seeing a nutritionist at RIT costs no more than the $68 health fee that it is already figured into their tuition. If you’ve already paid for something, you should take advantage of it. “Seeing a nutritionist is for anyone who has a question related to eating right,” explained Keady. “Sometimes when they [students] have a question, they realize that there are more resources available on campus than they thought.”

Many turn to websites (which are usually trying to sell them something) or friends (who aren’t always accurate) for health advice. If you visit a nutritionist, he or she will evaluate your current lifestyle. The nutritionist will want to know about your sleep habits, if you drink enough water, how often you exercise and how stressful your daily routine is. However, if you have a simple question about your diet, short answers are available, too.

Plan What You Eat

Most places on-campus put their menus online. Keady suggests that, at the beginning of each week, you check the menus of all the places you normally eat while on campus. Plan your meals by picking out the proteins, carbohydrates, fruits and veggies that you want. By planning out what you will have before walking into a dining hall, you are less likely to indulge in food that will make you feel bad about yourself later. Planning helps cut down the amount of time and energy you spend thinking about what to eat when you have more pressing matters to think about in the middle of a stressful week.

Robert Modzelewski

You Don’t Need Organic

Keady explained, “There are people who want to grow their own things, and not use chemicals, which is great, but cleaning fruits and vegetables correctly is what it comes down to.” To save money he suggests buying non-organic produce and using a little bit of dish soap to wash it. Using water alone pushes the chemicals around, whereas soap keeps the chemicals off. “99 percent of the toxins are removed by simple washing,” informed Keady.

When it comes down to it, the best thing to do is buy local produce. It is fresher, less traveled and picked when riper. Through connections, Keady knows that Wegmans purchases lot of their products locally. Produce is cheaper at Wegmans because you aren’t paying the shipping cost from a place like California to Rochester.

Frozen Is Just As Good As Fresh

Of course, buying fresh beats out the alternatives, but by how much? With today’s technology, buying frozen is cheaper and has nearly the same amount of nutrients. “The nutritional value might be 0.001 less than if it was fresh,” advised Keady. He explained that almost all frozen produce is flash-frozen so the quality of the food is contained. Make sure to check that no sugar was added as this reduces nutritional value. Buying canned fruits and vegetables is also an affordable alternative.

Eggs Aren’t Too Bad For You

“Thirty years ago they said to only eat one or two eggs a week,” Keady explained, annoyed with the lack of research. The truth is, your body needs some cholesterol, and eggs do just the trick. Obviously if you have high cholesterol, talk with your doctor about alternatives. Egg Beaters are egg substitutes that come out of a carton and contains no cholesterol. Unfortunately, they are expensive and you should probably think about what you want to eat before you buy them. But if your cholesterol is fine, then you can have one or two a day if you like them. Still, keep in mind that there is a difference between having an egg and having a sausage and cheese omelet. A typical omelet uses three or four eggs, butter, salt and whatever else you want to throw in there.

Lose the Caffeine Trip

Then there’s the caffeinated beverage problem that sweeps across all college campuses. Some people show up at Keady’s office and say that, if they don’t consume coffee every few hours, they get a terrible headache. He suggests that you start replacing a cup of coffee with water, and gradually try to get down to one eight - 10 ounce cup of coffee and more water throughout the day. Caffeinated soda is also addictive but, by replacing all that soda with water, it will help you lose weight (if that’s your intention) and make you feel better when you are exercising.

Robert Modzelewski

Cheat From Time to Time

Soda or diet soda? “If you are having a can of soda a day or every couple days, you should go with the one you want … choose based on taste,” said Keady. Many people say that diet soda helps them with their cravings, but the problem is that they also figure its “diet” so they end up having more. If you like candy bars, then have a goal of eating a mini candy bar. If you like ice cream, eat it but go for a scoop instead of four scoops. “I’ve met people that cut out cakes, coffee and sugar but then binge on a whole pie in a month or two,” remembered Keady. Going “cold turkey” is not the way. Allowing small cheats every so often is important.

Snacking Is Good

Don’t wait to get hungry to figure out what to eat. Having healthy snacks every three hours like celery and peanut butter, fruits, cheese and crackers are good for curbing your hunger. Half of eating healthy is how much and how frequently you eat. If you are eating everything in moderation, as well as throughout the day, you’re in a good place.

Modify Your Meals

The other half of healthy eating is how your food is prepared. If you aren’t living in the dorms, investing in a small countertop grill is a good way to indulge in healthy hamburgers that are prepared in a way that drains the fat. If you miss pizza, don’t fret! Have a slice, but have a salad with vegetables and a light dressing with it. If you can’t afford the POM brand juices, regular grape juice is just as good a source of antioxidants.

If your parents sent you to school with a ton of Ramen noodles, Keady knows how to make Ramen healthier and more filling: Use 1/2 of the seasoning packet and add corn, potatoes and other vegetables to it. Remember to eat what you like, since any meal can be modified. With the economy the way it is, and the cost of school not sloping downwards with it, grabbing a pizza seems like a good alternative, but with the right advice you can eat what you like in a cheaper, healthier way.