Where to find healthy food on campus by Glendalee Diaz
With summer less than two months away, many CCNY students are hitting the gym to get “beach body” ready. Though exercising is an important part of any good diet, it’s not the only way to shed those unwanted pounds. If you spend two hours every day at the gym, but go home right after and fill up with all those tempting high calorie sugary foods and desserts, the two hours you spent burning those 500 calories just went down the drain with a few bites.
So how does a college student maintain a good diet with their busy schedules? And what are some of CCNY’s healthier options?
The NAC cafeteria offers many new selections that are not only affordable, but also both nutritious and delicious for students to indulge in. “Metropolitan has introduced new, healthier foods, snacks and drinks,” says Kenneth Waldholf, executive director of CCNY’s Business and Auxiliary Services, who oversees on-campus dining. Among the healthy choices, he lists salads, vegan and vegetarian dishes and sandwiches, salad bar options together with Gluten Free products, and the new Jamba Juice smoothies.
Students can also find nutritious food in the Hoffman Lounge, next to the campus bookstore. A year ago in this area where students relax, socialize and study, the re-opened Bare Planet Café began serving fresh tossed salads, sandwiches and paninis and soups or smoothies. If you’re looking for a sweet treat without all the unwanted calories and sugars, just “skinny” up any of your beverages at the Starbucks located in Bare Planet. Order a skinny flavored latte made with non-fat milk, sugar-free syrup and no whip cream.
CCNY student Stephanie Gonzalez says she used to shy away from eating fruit but is trying to do the right thing. “I was always a bag of chips and cookies kind of girl, and when you’re studying you’re just looking for a quick fix that is going to wake you up and keep you focused for a couple of more hours,” she says. “Now I’ve included more fruits and veggies into my meals, and I find myself with more energy than when I was stuffing my face with sugary snacks that were just empty calories.” 
She’s right: Fruits like bananas and apples, not only keep you full longer because of fiber, but they are sweet enough to satisfy those cravings we all get from time to time. Plus, they don’t cost much. You can buy an abundance of fruit for 80 cents or less!
CCNY student Patricia Ortiz, a vegetarian, says she finds plenty of healthy options on campus. “You can make your own salads with some fruits and veggies and lay off the dressings or add some balsamic vinegar like I do to mine,” she says. “It’s so easy to walk into the school cafeteria and pick out the greasiest foods like pizza and burgers, because they smell so tempting, but I give it up to the CCNY campus for having a lot of healthier options where I won’t mess up my diet.”
