After a long day of classes, social gatherings and dodging human obstacles in the Brickyard, students flock to dining halls and local eateries to utilize their meal plans and get the biggest bang for their buck. Buffet-style serving lines and seemingly endless soda fountains look like a gift from the gods but, if improperly taken advantage of, can have serious consequences. So when dining halls don’t cut it, there’s always backup.

Trinh Le, sophomore in the Transition Program, seeks culinary comfort in her residence hall’s kitchen.

“I cook full meals a lot,” Le said. “That’s what the oven, microwave, refrigerator and stove are there for.”

Making her own dinner gives Le a feeling of independence and allows her to explore her culture.

“Being able to get groceries and turn them into a delicious meal makes me feel grown up,” she said. “I normally throw whatever’s in the fridge together and it somehow becomes a dish. It’s really satisfying to see that I can do things like this on my own.”

While Le is not the only student who feels so passionately about cooking, time is the spice of life and a rare one at that. Jane Goodell, professor of nutrition science, understands “fast” and “easy” is what students want but also knows the problems those two words can cause.

“Most microwave meals are high in salt and fat-that’s what makes them appealing and even edible,” Goodell said. “They focus on more calorically dense foods which are yummy but don’t have many nutrients.”

Even the “healthier” microwave meals like Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice are lacking in important nutrients. Most of the healthy microwaveable dishes cut those calories by eliminating fruits and veggies as opposed to the unhealthy carbohydrates such as pastas, potatoes and breads.

High fat and sodium intake has severe costs that may not be immediately obvious.

“Developing terrible eating habits now and diabetes or high cholesterol become serious risks,” Goodell said. “It could also impact your children’s health and eating habits.”

Combating these downsides is as easy as, well, opening a microwave.

“Just pop a bag of frozen veggies in the microwave to supplement your meal,” Goodell said. “It’s just as fast and easy.”

Lisa Eberhart, N.C. State’s resident dietitian, is uniquely qualified to help students plan out their diets and exercise regiments and takes care of students who live both on and off campus. She encourages students to utilize myfitnesspal.com to keep track of caloric intake and workouts in order to reach or maintain an ideal weight.

“Students often turn to ‘comfort foods’ as studying rewards,” Eberhart said. “There’s a good deal of sodium within those yummy foods so the dining hall guides students to the veggies or the salad bar offered every day.”

While sodium-packed pizza, mac ‘n’ cheese and chicken tenders are among the most popular in-dorm meals, Goodell insists there are alternatives that are equally quick and tasty.

“Quesadillas are easy to make,” Goodell said. “Two tortillas, a little cheese and any filler you like-beans, corn or salsa. Use a skillet on low to get a crunchy outside while the cheese is gooey on the inside. Really save time by microwaving it for about one minute.”

The sky’s the limit when it comes to microwaveable meals and snacking is no exception. Both Goodell and Eberhart agree that besides fruits and veggies, the “Wolf-Approved” options are excellent choices.

According to Goodell and Eberhart, the dining halls are the best places to go as they provide lean proteins, veggies, fruit and whole grains that all fit in a meal plan. When all these components combine, students get the nutrition they need in addition to a tasty meal.

“Add color to your diet,” Eberhart said. “All good health has to do with variety.”

Alt: Quick and Healthy snacks

Super Special Tacos For Two

(Makes four tacos)

Ingredients

½ cup brown rice

6 oz. beef strips (meatless-beef or soy option for vegetarians)

Salt, pepper and cumin (to taste)

½ cup shredded cheese

4 tortillas

1.      Bring brown rice to a full boil in small pot. Brown rice takes a while to boil (20-30 minutes) but precooked rice is always an option.

2.      Cook beef in small skillet and add salt, pepper and cumin (to taste).

3.      In a small skillet, toast tortillas. You can also do this in a microwave (heat for 30 seconds to one minute).

4.      Build tacos with fillings of choice. Enjoy!

Guacamole (for two)

Ingredients

1 avocado

1 Roma tomato

¼ red onion

Cilantro (to taste)

½ lime

1.      Cut avocado in half (top to bottom) and take out pit. Mash avocado in bowl.

2.      Dice onions and tomatoes and add to avocado.

3.      Add lime and cilantro to taste and chill if not serving immediately. Be sure to try it in a taco!