Help & Advice

Healthy Eating

Hectic lifestyles; a lack of routine; excessive partying; a heavy workload; homesickness; cooking for yourself; and being in charge of your own food intake for the first time; can all affect your eating habits as a student.

If you're a fast food junkie, underestimate the sugar and calorie content of alcohol and soft drinks, and don't get enough exercise, then both your health and waistline could suffer. On the other hand, reducing the amount you eat can also be detrimental to your health. If you eat too little you will find it harder to concentrate and sleep, and are likely to feel lethargic and unmotivated.

If you eat regularly and healthily you will be the right weight and feel good in body and mind.

I can't afford to eat healthily!

You may believe that as a student, you can't afford to eat healthy and nutritious food. This isn't true. Making your own regular balanced meals can be the cheapest and healthiest way to eat.
Here are some tips to help you control your weight, nutritional intake and your bank balance:

Have breakfast, lunch and dinner

• If you skip breakfast then your body is running on empty, you'll find it harder to concentrate and you'll probably end up snacking on unhealthy, overpriced snacks mid-morning.
• People who have breakfast are typically thinner and have a higher nutritional intake and some studies suggest a low fat, high carb breakfast helps reduce stress.
• If you have three meals a day your diet is more likely to be varied and you are less likely to snack on unhealthy, over-priced foods. Buying junk food is more pricey than doing weekly supermarket shopping and a lack of proper meals means you will always be hungry and therefore continually spending money on snacks.
•  

Eat the right foods

• Buying ingredients to make your own meals can be a lot cheaper than ready meals, especially if you buy supermarkets' own brands and fruit and vegetables from the market. Not only can ready meals be ridiculously overpriced, but many are full of salt and have limited nutritional value.
• Your diet should generally be low in saturated fat for low cholesterol, and high in fibre. Have plenty of fruit and vegetables, calcium for bone development and iron to keep you full of energy.
• Eat carbohydrates. Potatoes, pasta (ideally wholemeal) and rice are all low in fat and extremely cheap to buy in bulk at the supermarket. They should form the basis of all main meals.
• For breakfast porridge and muesli are better for you than over priced sugary cereals - and fruit is always a good idea (remember the recommended 5 portions of fruit and vet. per day).
• Include some protein (e.g. cheese, beans, eggs or nuts) and carbohydrates (e.g. wholemeal bread/toast) in your breakfast to reduce the craving for carbs mid-morning.
•  

Going out

• If you go out in the evening eat something beforehand. If you are going out drinking, a banana and a glass of milk will line your stomach.
• If you are hungry when you get home from a night out resist fatty, expensive take-aways and have some herb tea and toast instead.
• If you're eating out you'll usually find dinner is the most expensive meal, then lunch, then breakfast - so if you eat out it may be better to do so earlier on in the day.
•  

Avoid buying food on the go:

• Carry healthy snacks around. Not a chocolate bar - this raises blood sugar levels instantly but they quickly fall dramatically back down leaving you feeling weak and irritable. Bananas will give you an instant energy boost and also provide a slow energy release that will keep you going over time - that's why you see top tennis players eating bananas (not chocolate bars) part way through important matches. Nuts contain protein which keeps you feeling fuller for longer. Dried fruit is a great energy source and also has many other vitamins and minerals, including iron, which is important for general energy levels. Dried fruit and nuts can be bought in bulk from markets and supermarkets and so end up cheaper than buying food from vending machines and cafes
• Drink lots of water. Being dehydrated can make you feel hungry. Carry a bottle around with you and keep filling it up. This will be much cheaper than buying cans and bottled drinks.
• Make a packed lunch every day with salad or sandwiches. This will stop you buying cooked meals when you are out that are less healthy and much more expensive. It also ensures you can eat a substantial lunch wherever you are.
•  

Don't let your health suffer just because you are busy:

• If you don't have time to exercise try walking or cycling rather than getting the bus. This will save money and be good exercise.
• If you only have time to cook one or two nights a week make large dishes and freeze them into individual portions so they can be heated up quickly. That way you don't have to rely on ready meals when you are in a hurry or are too tired to cook.
• Plan ahead. Online supermarket shopping can be very helpful. You can plan a balanced diet for the week ahead, order it online and get it all delivered in one go.
•  

Avoid 'fad' diets

• If you lose a stone in a week from eating cabbage soup, chances are you'll put it straight back on again the following week. Starving your body of food and nutrients will leave you feeling weak and likely to end up binging on junk food. Yo-yo dieting and sudden weight loss and gain can be very detrimental to your health. If you think you need to loose weight eat sensible, regular low fat meals and exercise. Before trying to lose weight, check what your ideal weight should actually be to see if you really do need to lose weight or not.

•  

• back to top