Health and Wellbeing

Food for thought - Healthy eating on a student budget

September not only means “Back to School” but for a whole new group of students, this September will also mean “Off to College” for the very first time. However, even for those returning to college, the prospect of leaving behind a summer of home-cooked dinners to revisit the student world can be a less than appetising prospect!

But fear not – this month’s Health & Wellbeing page is here to help! A healthy, balanced diet The food pyramid may have appeared on a long-forgotten page of the biology textbook but students should still keep it in mind. It may seem difficult for students to get their recommended intake of foods from the fruit & vegetables and dairy shelves. The recommendation for fruit & vegetables is five portions a day. Increasing fruit and vegetable intake is as simple as having a glass of juice in the morning, picking up some fruit for snacks during the day and having a few different vegetables with dinner. Dairy intake is also vital. Teenagers are recommended to include five portions of dairy a day in their diet, while adults and children should have three portions of dairy a day. It’s really not that difficult to achieve as a portion is 1⁄3 pint of milk, 1 carton of yogurt or 28g (a matchbox size piece) of hard cheese – that’s milk over your cereal for breakfast, cheese on your sandwich at lunch and a yogurt for a snack during the day. Easy!

Good Value on a Student Budget

It’s not just students who are trying to survive on a budget these days as families all over the country are trying to cut the cost of meal times. Here are a few key tips which can help you on your way:

  • The classic student mistake is buying ready meals and processed foods. However, you should consider the price and nutritional value of these meals compared to the home-cooked alternative.
  • Keep it simple. Make more than required and then freeze smaller portions of suitable meals individually.
  • For those living away from home and possibly doing their own grocery shopping for the first time, it can be a daunting experience. But first-timers should be given a bit of advice – always go with a shopping list and never go while you’re hungry!
  • Keep raw meat separate from other foods in the fridge and keep it on the bottom shelf to prevent drip onto other foods.
  • Student kitchen staples include bread and milk. Get to know how much you use in a week and if you’re sharing a house or student accommodation why not split the costs. Sharing is much more economical and a good way of saving money.
  • When it comes to the popular student choices of pasta and rice get familiar with portion sizes as it’s easy to overestimate. As a quick guide, they generally tend to double in size once cooked.
  • Keeping the kitchen clean is important, especially in shared accommodation. Doing your fair share of the washing up means you’ll always have a clean mug for your tea!

General Advice

It’s important to stay active. Many people play sports in school but find that in college they “don’t have time”. Every college will have sports clubs and other societies to help students get active and stay healthy – and they’re a great way to meet people too. Try to keep regular meal times. This means three meals a day; that’s breakfast, lunch and dinner. Include healthy snacks throughout the day to keep you going in between meals. And remember, if you consume alcohol do so sensibly. Look up the MEAS (Mature Enjoyment of Alcohol in Society) website, www.meas.ie or www.drinkaware.ie for more advice and information.

Recipe Box

Breakfast – the best way to start your dairy day
• Make porridge using 1⁄3 pint of milk
• Smoothie made with a carton of yogurt
• Cheese on toast (28g cheese)
• Muesli or fruit with a carton of natural yogurt

And best of all – any of the above contain one portion of dairy to start you on your three a day!

Did you know?

Including a portion of dairy in cooking can contribute to your three a day, for example making a cheese sauce for lasagne.

Nutri-Myth of the month

Myth: Calcium is only important for children.
Fact: Calcium is vital for all age groups and dairy foods are among the best sources of dietary calcium – three portions a day for children and adults while teenagers and pregnant /breastfeeding women should aim for five servings per day.

 

If you have any suggestions or ideas, we would be delighted to hear from you via email at feelinggood@ndc.ie or write to us at The National Dairy Council, Innovation House, 3 Arkle Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18

 

Don't miss our September feature ‘Milk It Secondary Schools Advertising Awards’ - available online from Monday 20 September, 2010

 

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