UNC takes healthy eating to new level with CDS

Welcome to college: where classes are hard and calories don’t matter.

The truth is, college is hard. Finding time for studying, social events and getting enough sleep is difficult enough, so cooking healthy food is usually put on the back burner (haha).

In order to master the college lifestyle, it is important to find balance. But as far as healthy eating goes, there are more than a few options.

Junior Matty Walters transferred to UNC from Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte this semester. He said he wants to maintain and improve his workout routine and healthy eating regimen by taking advantage of all UNC has to offer.

“I have enjoyed the healthier options a lot more because they are a lot more accessible here than in Charlotte,” Walters said.

He said he tends to mix Asian foods like noodles and rice with veggies and a protein. That’s what he was eating in Lenoir Dining Hall last Thursday.

Kelli Wood, Carolina Dining Services’ registered dietitian, said these healthy options exist in the dining halls due to the growing number of students and faculty on campus interested in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She said she offers an open-door policy for students to come to her with questions regarding their dietary health.

“They demand variety, they want to be able to customize anything,” Wood said. “So I think just the fact that we are so attentive to them — it really sets us apart.”

But Wood is not the only one who notices this difference. Walters said he sends snaps of his meals to his friend, a newly registered dietician who does not go to UNC.

“She is so impressed by everything,” Walters said. “When she comes to visit, I’m taking her (to Top of Lenoir).”

These options are not only for returning students, but for new students as well. Many younger students are living on their own for the first time when they go to UNC.

“This is a good time to learn basic eating skills and shopping skills before they start out in the real world,” Wood said.

First-year Miranda Cecil was eating a jerk chicken bowl from the new burrito bar offerings in Top of Lenoir.

“My mom is a really good cook, and she always makes really balanced meals,” Cecil said. “So it’s a lot harder when you’re coming up with your own meals to make sure it is balanced and appropriate.”

For some students, deciding what to eat — choosing between unlimited pizza and unlimited salads — can be a challenge.

“I try not to overdose on the cookies in the dining hall because I really enjoy them and it is difficult to restrain yourself,” Cecil said.

It’s okay, Miranda — we’ve all been there.

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