Columbia University Dining

Choose your Food Wisely. All foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle, but you must CHOOSE WISELY. Eating at college can be a challenging experience because it requires adjusting to new foods, new schedules, and a new environment. John Jay Dining Hall offers a seasonal 16 week menu: each term, a new cycle begins and new recipes are added, while old ones are removed or improved to provide variety, balance, and fresh appeal for the changing seasons.

Tips for Choosing Wisely:

Decide How Hungry You Are. Although there are many choices, choose accordingly. It’s okay to eat less if you are not extremely hungry.

Eat Your Meals! Many college students snack on junk food all day. Make it a priority to have an eating schedule that includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner with healthy snacks in between. Well-balanced, healthy meals, and planned snacks spaced throughout the day are satisfying and help reduce the urge to snack on junk food.

Slow Down Your Rate of Eating. Allow time for your mind and body to decide when you have had enough food. Try and listen to your body cues as to when you should stop eating. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it has had enough!

Some tips on how to slow down:

1. Put your fork down between bites
2. Eat half of the portions on your plate
3. Take a 5 minute break before continuing your meal
4. Take a sip of water between bites

Separate your Meal and Snack Times from Other Activities. Sometimes when we are studying or watching television, we don't realize how much we have eaten!

Strive for Balance! Eat at least 1 serving of at least 3 of the 5 food groups at each meal. Examples include: Breakfast - eggs with whole wheat toast and a piece of fruit; Lunch - broccoli with brown rice and a 3-ounce piece of chicken breast.

Variety. Get a variety of foods from within each of the food groups. By eating different colors and textures you will be sure to get the most nutrition from your food selections in the long run!

Choose Nutrient Dense Foods. Items such as whole grains, whole fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, beans, and legumes are packed with nutrition! Whenever possible eat whole grain pasta, bread, and rice, as these are more nutritious than their processed counterparts. It is recommended that 1/2 of your grains should be whole grains!

Get your Fiber! Eat lots of whole grains, vegetables, and fruit. The goal fiber consumption is >25 grams per day. Fiber provides many beneficial properties - some of these include the regulating digestion, increasing satiety, lowering cholesterol, decreasing risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer.

Don't Overlook Calcium. Consume at least 2 servings (3 servings if you are female) of calcium-rich foods each day for adequate bone development and general health. Calcium-rich foods include low-fat/fat-free milk, cheese, yogurt, green leafy vegetables, almonds, tofu and beans!

Watch for Eating Triggers. Triggers such as boredom, stress, emotions, or studying can be a distraction when eating. If you are having a snack, prepare a serving in a cup, bowl, or plate instead of eating out of an open box.

Drink At Least 8 Cups of Water Daily! Water makes up the weight of more than 2/3 of human body - without water, we could only survive for 2-3 days! We can easily become dehydrated, sometimes without even knowing it! An estimated 75% of Americans have mild, chronic dehydration. Signs of not enough water include headaches, difficulty focusing on reading/ school work, and daytime fatigue. In addition to the daily maintenance of our bodies, water also plays a key role in the prevention of disease. Drinking eight glasses of water daily can decrease the risk of colon cancer by 45%, bladder cancer by 50% and it can potentially even reduce the risk of breast cancer. And those are just a few examples!

Get Moving! Take the stairs, visit the gym, or simply take a long walk around campus. Establishing a regular exercise routine promotes health and can help combat weight gain. Start by joining Columbia’s 100 m.i.l.e. Club (m.i.l.e. = Minutes I Logged Exercising); an exercise motivation program that offers you an opportunity to learn about, design, and track personal fitness activities using an online interactive tool. You can set individual exercise goals and record your progress on your personalized exercise journal. Your progress is measured according to the number of minutes you spend exercising with the goal of spending at least 100 minutes per week doing physical activity. Join the 100 mile club.

Remember, a healthy attitude about food and activity is most important! If you find yourself stressing about food or eating related issues, do not hestitate to contact us at eats@columbia.edu . For private concerns, please contact the Dietitian directly at iet2101@columbia.edu .