Eat This, Not That: College Edition – Healthier Foods for College Students: College is full of choices, and you’re supposedly smart - Women Campus

You have probably discovered by now that many things in college are bad for you. Finals and parties deprive you of sleep. Beer pong spreads colds. Libraries breed stress and chaos. But one potentially positive thing that college does offer is a lot of options, particularly when it comes to what you put into your body. Indeed, we all know that kid who rebelled from his nutrition-obsessed mother and maximized the accessibility of the cafeteria's waffle iron upon arriving on campus, enjoying waffles a la mode for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But as wonderful at Aunt Jemima may be, that kid probably got fat. When it comes to deciding what to eat, there are a lot of things that are bad for you and will undoubtedly help you gain the Freshman 15. But there are also some that are healthier and may keep you contained at the freshman 0-5. Observe:

Dining Hall Time

SKIP: the French fries PICK: the baked sweet potato

One regular-sized sweet potato, in addition to being less caloric and starchy than a regular potato, is antioxidant-rich and loaded with beta-carotene and can provide more than half your daily value of vitamin A as well as a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B and fiber. Avoid the extra few 100 calories in fatty oils by going baked instead of deep fat fried

SKIP: the ranch dressing PICK: the balsamic vinegar and olive oil on the side

Salads are great options, but they can be deceivingly caloric and fattening (salad dressing is the no. 1 source of fat in the average American women's diet, according to expertscolumn.com). If you smother your greens in ranch, you're taking in loads of extra calories and fats from its ingredients (mayo and sour cream). The balsamic is incredibly low in calories and the olive oil provides important monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to prevent heart disease.

SKIP: the regular burger on a white bun PICK: the turkey burger on wheat

The regular burger is high in cholesterol and hard to digest, while the turkey burger provides lots of protein without all the fat and calories of red meat. Try salsa instead of ketchup to throw in some extra natural veggies and flavor and cut back on the sugar.

Late Night Snack Attack

SKIP: the pizza PICK: the burrito

Most delivered pizza comes swimming in cheese and grease, but if you're in the mood for a treat, a chicken or vegetable burrito has more protein and you can even throw some vegetables in there. If you're really feeling healthy, go for black beans instead of rice and swap the sour cream for some guac.

SKIP: the EasyMac PICK: the Campbells microwaveable chicken soup

Pasta is loaded with carbs, and anything as artificially yellow as that powdered cheese sauce is not going to offer too many nutritional advantages. But chicken soup is very light, low in both fat and calories, and all the liquid should fill you up.

SKIP: the Pringles PICK: the low-fat microwaveable popcorn

Popcorn is high in fiber, and Pringles may be thin but they are oily, starchy and salty. Plus, everyone knows that with Pringles, once you pop, you just can't stop. Try the single-serving microwaveable snack bags.

SKIP: The chocolate chip cookie dough Pop-Tarts PICK: The Quaker chocolate-y drizzle mini delights

If you're craving chocolate, don't deprive yourself. The Quaker bites are light rice cakes with just enough chocolate to satisfy your craving, while the Pop-Tart is processed, full of flour, loaded with calories and smothered in so much chocolate and sugar that you might as well be eating a piece of cake.

SKIP: the Cheez-Its PICK: the reduced fat Triscuits

The Cheez-Its are loaded with flour and processed cheese, while Triscuits add some whole grain wheat and fiber to your diet.

Breakfast On the Go

SKIP: the Frosted Mini Wheats PICK: the Kashi breakfast bar

While Wheaties do contain a lot of fiber and are marketed as a healthy breakfast cereal, a single serving contains nearly 200 calories, which is before you've added milk. Instead, grab an all-natural Kashi bar, which also has fiber but contains more protein and will more likely keep you satisfied until lunch.

SKIP: the bagel PICK: two slices of whole-wheat toast

Bagels are dense, doughy and full of enriched flour, which lacks the digestion-aiding whole grains and fiber found in wheat bread. Since the whole wheat bread is significantly healthier, allow yourself liberty in choosing a spread (non-fat cream cheese, natural jam or a little butter or a spoonful of Nutella for a treat).

SKIP: the jumbo muffin PICK: the yogurt and fruit parfait

Everyone gets excited about muffins. Psst: this is because they are basically cupcakes without frosting. To make maters worse, they are often over-sized, making their key ingredients (flour, butter and sugar) an even more caloric addition to your diet. A parfait made from non-fat, low sugar yogurt, on the other hand, provides a sweet source calcium. The fruit gives you natural sugars and nutrients and it also won't feel like a rock sitting in your stomach.

Cram Session Snack Break

SKIP: the vanilla latte with whipped cream PICK: the cappuccino with skim milk

The sugary vanilla syrup in the vanilla latte, in addition to the fat from the milk and whipped cream, has little nutritional value, and the sugar will boost your energy for a bit but then make you crash. While sugar-free syrup is one alternative for all you Starbucks Skinny Vanilla Latte lovers, a skim cappuccino still provides caffeine but cuts out some of the extra (and artificial) sugars and fats and still gets you the calcium and coffee flavor.

SKIP: the Clif Bar PICK: the 100-calorie almond pack

While we tend to think of energy bars as healthy things that skinny runners constantly eat, they're often loaded with sugar (the oats are practically glued together with corn syrup and cane juice) and contain as many calories as a meal. If you're in the mood for something nutty and you're not going on a 10-mile jog anytime soon, go for a portion-controlled bag of almonds full of healthy oils and protein, and add a handful of dark chocolate chips if you're craving a chocolaty kick.

SKIP: the Goldfish PICK: the trail mix

If you're looking for something to munch on, nut-based trail mix is full of protein and free of processed cheese flavoring and flour. It will hold you over longer, and you can exercise some creativity in making your own. Keep your portions under control and stick to a base of nuts and fruit, but feel free to throw in a few mini marshmallows or dark chocolate chips—just enough so there's something sweet in every bite. Sources: Valentine Reed-Johnson, Dietetics Major, University of Delaware http://expertscolumn.com/content/how-lose-weight-fast