Alyssa Camardo, staff writer 

Eating healthy while being a college student can be difficult, but is essential in order to maintain a healthy body weight. Watching what you eat can also help your body to fight sicknesses as well, particularly over the winter. While we’re in school, especially staying in dorms, sickness can be passed around quickly. If students are mindful of what they’re eating, it can help them to stay healthy.

Sophomore Bri Scalise said breakfast is the most important meal of her day.

“You’d be surprised how much eating right can impact your whole day and learning experience,” Scalise said.

Scalise said she always makes time to eat a nutritious breakfast before her first class in order to be energized for the day. Making sure you’re getting the essential nutrients that your body needs daily can even improve your energy levels.

“Eating healthy is important to me because it helps repair my muscles after a workout and refuels my energy for the rest of the day,” junior Jen Hoage said.

“I try to limit sugary desserts and focus on choosing foods without preservatives.”

Eating healthy can also benefit students’ overall health and well-being. A senior and health studies major Dionna Apel said eating healthy has made her feel genuinely better than she ever has before.

“I’m giving my body the proper nutrients it needs and I’ve been able to lose over 15 pounds and increase my performance in the gym significantly since I started,” Apel said.

Apel also suggested, “meal prepping” as a key strategy to success because it saves her time and does not give her any room to cheat on her meals. Meal prepping is when students decide to cook a mass amount of food at once and prepare their meals for a few days at a time. By having healthy options constantly cooked and ready, it makes it easier to avoid binging on unhealthy foods due to lack of time or availability. The kitchens in the dorms on campus are a perfect area to prep foods for the week.

Companies even make bags that are specifically made to assist with meal prepping. These bags work as portable coolers that hold from three to six meals so you can efficiently carry them with you wherever you need to go throughout the day. Meal prepping bags are a helpful option for students who are trying to eat clean because it makes it convenient to bring meals to classes, the library, practice and other daily activities. Meal prepping bags can be found online or at most local vitamin or supplement stores such as Nutrishop New Hartford.

Lastly, it’s important to make sure you’re eating enough throughout the day as a busy student.

“I plan my eating around my crazy schedule to make sure I have a proper meal or snack whenever I need to eat,” Becki Vivacqua said.

If students prefer not to meal prep, campus offers some healthy options such as the salad bar in the cafeteria and the sandwich station.

If students are looking for a quick meal during a study break, The Café in the library usually has pre-made salads and fresh fruit for sale. Starbucks in Gordon Hall offers similar options as The Café as well.