Question: I'm back at college starting my sophmore...

Well I go to Tulane University, so we have like a million places to eat from Greek themed, Italian, and of course, school lunch. Maybe you can try to cook yourself some times?

Learn how to make PHO. Its like a healthy version of Ramen noodles and its supposedly even CHEAPER. I'm sure you can google it. :D

I also agree with Nicole. You can buy those packets of frozen vegetables that come with sauce. You're supposed to make 50% of your diet fruits and vegetables, so stocking up on that will help you a lot.

Also, your cafeteria is all about making you and your stomach happy. You should make suggestions to your school cafe. That's what I did. We now have naturally flavoured water, organic fruits, and the option to have food cooked with extra virgin olive oil. :)

Frozen vegetables are relatively cheap, and they are my savior for eating healthy while I'm at school. You can throw them in with anything and are so super easy.

First of all, eat at home. Save money and you'll actually know what you're eating. It's time consuming, but it's fun!

if you want to save time, cook a big pot of rice (or anything) that will last you a few meals. Stick it in the microwave at breakfast lunch and dinner and eat. Buy vegetables every day though, and eat new vegetables every day. However, be careful not to microwave something too many times as it zaps away the nutrients.

a good thing to do is make your own sandwhiches in your dining commons. my school has a lot of places where you can customize what you eat, making it as healthy as you'd like.

If you like to cook, try to get a smaller meal plan. That's what I'm doing, Instead of the 14 meals per week in the cafeteria I'm only getting 10, the rest I have to make myself. It allows you to get creative and I feel like I'm eating less. Makes me try and save leftovers from when I go out too!

I know that dining halls tend to serve the same thing for breakfast over and over again, and that can be a big pain. Granted, I haven't the faintest clue what college you go to, but as someone who swore off unnecessary sugars this year (I'm also a sophmore), this is what I do:

- Avoid the extra greasy things. No matter how your cafeteria says they fry their food, it is better to have baked chicken rather than what their serving. Many colleges over vegetarian and vegan meals in a seperate section. It is here where you can get your protein without worrying about the extra grease, whether it be in the form of cheese, tofu, or beans.

- Avoid getting more than one dessert. I know, I know. This is much harder than it sounds, especially when the place is serving awesome Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Try and only get ONE! If you still feel the craving for sugar, grab a fruit from the basket (I know most colleges always have fresh apples or bananas available). Even if the dessert is "sugar free", realize that the alternatives they add in there are just as bad. When it's your time of month, feel free to cut this rule some slack. We all need to indulge our cravings sometime!

- Drink water instead of sugary juices and sodas. Orange juice may sound like a good idea, but this isn't really "real" orange juice that your mom would buy. Instead, it is very much a cocktail, even if the label doesn't state it. Sodas, while great for your sweet tooth, give you less hydration throughout the day, thus making you thirstier. Instead, grab a glass of water or a carton of milk (usually for breakfast).

- Don't eat when you're not hungry. I don't know about you, but I tend to eat when I'm bored, and since I cut back, I lost at least 3-5 lbs over the summer. If you find yourself reaching for a snack, think, "Am I really hungry, or just need something to do?" If you find yourself answering that it's because you're bored, find something to do to keep your mind off the food.

- Finally, use your feet whenever possible! Many campuses are within walking distance to a slew of places. So, if you feel the urge to hop in the car to go from one side of campus to the other or just to go to that drugstore down the block, walk there. It will help you stay slim, burn off those calories if you ate a little more than intended, it's free, and helps you build awesome leg muscle.

Good luck! :)

Well, the obvious points, to me, would be:

- Don't eat out a whole bunch. Even if you pick the "healthy" choices on the menu, it's not healthy if you're there all the time.

- Try to get in the required daily amount of nutrition. You know, the 5 servings of fruits and veggies, lay off the fatty stuff, etc....

- Try new things. Don't limit yourself to the same things every day. Just because the majority of the food is unhealthy and really super boring, doesn't mean you can't find something that's good. :)

I can't really help you, because I don't have a meal plan, and am relying on my limited cooking abilities. If you are able, I would recommend cooking as well. :)

Good luck! Hope that helps. :D