Eat clean and avoid the freshman fifteen in Cavs Corner

By Angelina Miller
September 16, 2016

In the morning, it is the waffles and french toast sticks. In the afternoon, it is the buckets of freshly cooked french fries. At night, it is pizza or pasta and an array of tasty desserts that are practically calling your name after a long, stressful day.

Basically, no matter what time of day it is, a University cafeteria always has some kind of alluring smell from comfort foods that can make them seem irresistible. At Cabrini University, it is no different for our very own Cavs Corner.

With its convenient buffet style and broad assortment of food options, Cavs Corner is Cabrini’s most popular dining option

Graphic by Angelina Miller
Graphic by Angelina Miller

for students on a meal plan. From international dishes at Action, to home-style meals at Hometown, healthy and vegetarian offerings at Mindful and made-to-order deli sandwiches and wraps at the Sandwich Bar, one would think Cavs Corner has it all. However, variety does not always mean healthy.

Simply going for a plate of french fries is also much quicker for a student in a crunch for time. It is also easier for a student that lacks the motivation to explore every option in the cafeteria before making the decision for a meal, which is a large majority of Cavalier decisions.

While this is a general university issue, it most prominently comes into play at the beginning of each school year with every new freshman class. Freshman already deal with the overwhelming college adjustments of living away from home, beginning new classes and getting involved with clubs and extracurricular activities to keep life exciting. Avoiding stress eating or making healthy meal and snack decisions in the midst of all that can seem basically impossible.

At the same time though, nobody wants to gain weight from cafeteria food, or better yet, the “freshman fifteen.” It all comes down to the question… Can a university student really maintain a healthy diet or avoid the “freshman fifteen” while living off of a meal plan?

Surprisingly, the answer to that question is yes! It is typical for a student to be doomed to a meal plan if they are a new incoming freshman, without a car on campus, low on extra spending money or lacking the time to cook up their own food. However, living off of a meal plan does not have to equal weight gain.

Graphic by Angelina Miller
Graphic by Angelina Miller



“If you want to have a healthy lifestyle, you have to have more self control and not pick all bread and french fries,” said Tracy Eells, the general manager of Cabrini’s Sodexo dining staff. “It’s up to the individuals themselves to decide if they are going to do clean living. There are healthy things to eat, you just have to look for it.”

Beginning at 7:45 a.m. every morning, Cavs Corner opens with a number of healthy breakfast options including cage free scrambled eggs, freshly made omelets when requested, gluten free cereals, whole wheat toast and bagels, yogurt and granola for yogurt parfaits, fresh mixed fruit, grab and go fruits and so on.

The best options for healthy lunches to satisfy the dozens of hangry students that flood into the cafeteria from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. can be found at the Mindful station. At Mindful, Sodexo’s approach at cleaner cafeteria meals, students can always snag a delicious entree that is under 600 calories and filled with vegetables, fruits, whole grains and less fat.

If Mindful does not have quite what a student is looking for though, there is always the salad bar and the sandwich bar with a variety of healthy options to fall back on. While the contents of the salad bar changes every two days, components that are always guaranteed include romaine and spring mix lettuce, vegetables, some type of protein and whole grain and an assortment of different dressings.

For a more substantial option, the sandwich bar provides healthy sandwich ingredients such as turkey or tuna, whole wheat bread or a spinach wrap, and lettuce and tomato. These are just a few simple sandwich components that a student could mix and match with when in search of a clean yet filling lunch.

At the end of each day, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., a student’s best bet for a healthy dinner basically follows the same guidelines as lunch. If one is truly eager to seek out the cleanest cafeteria options, Mindful, the sandwich bar or the salad bar should always be able to provide one with a healthy and satisfying meal.

Whether a student may want to lose weight already gained in college, avoid gaining weight altogether or just attempt a cleaner diet when it comes to eating, it is important for them to know that it is possible.

It is important to remember that living a healthier lifestyle is not about eating less though, it’s about eating more of the right things. This meal plan does not include snacks that should take place in between each meal, and the fact that one should not restrict and always eat when they are hungry. In comparison to gas in a car, food is fuel to our bodies as humans. It is just up to a person to choose what they will fuel their body with.

1 thought on “Eat clean and avoid the freshman fifteen in Cavs Corner”

  1. if you need a student newspaper to enlighten you to eating a healthy meal and especially if you are a female with all the body shaming bs that goes on……..you are doomed

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Angelina Miller

1 thought on “Eat clean and avoid the freshman fifteen in Cavs Corner”

  1. if you need a student newspaper to enlighten you to eating a healthy meal and especially if you are a female with all the body shaming bs that goes on……..you are doomed

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Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

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