In the world of social media and rising grocery prices, nutrition has become increasingly confusing and complicated, especially for younger generations. In fact, a 2022 study at George Mason University found that over half of college students in America do not reach their recommended nutrient goals. And it is completely understandable: Between the lack of space or time, tight budgets, and mixed social media messaging, navigating food in college is a common challenge. Tori Parsons, a registered dietician for eight years in Dallas-Forth Worth, Texas, gave a professional opinion on what college students should be focusing on in the kitchen.
Q: In your opinion, what are the biggest nutrition challenges that specifically college students face?
A: After working with quite a few college students, I have definitely noticed a lot of areas that they tend to struggle. Specifically, when a college student is still living in a dorm or on campus that has little to no access to a kitchen or the ability to cook, they ultimately have to rely on more heavily processed foods because it has to be made in a microwave. And of course, for some college students, budgets can be really tight, which encourages the reliance on low cost, low nutrient foods, such as ramen, microwavable meals, processed chips, cookies, and snacks. I think it also comes down to a little bit of peer pressure. You would definitely be considered the oddball out to be prioritizing nutrition while many of your peers around you are staying up late, drinking alcohol, eating indulgent foods, living off of only coffee during the day, etc.
Q: What budget-friendly food staples do you recommend for financially strained students to keep on hand?
A: Thankfully, a lot of healthy foods can also be very budget friendly! Items like microwavable rice/grains, rolled oats, potatoes, any canned beans [or] lentils, greek yogurt, peanut butter…plus utilizing frozen and canned fruits and vegetables for more shelf stable options. A college student’s budget-friendly day of eating could look like this: For breakfast, some microwaved rolled oats with a tablespoon of chia seeds and their favorite milk, plus a handful of nuts and a chopped up apple or banana on top (for added fiber and healthy fats.) They could also do an overnight oats version and use Greek yogurt in the base for added protein. For lunch, a whole-grain wrap with a generous spread of hummus, their favorite protein (like turkey or chicken breast), and avocado as a quick wrap that doesn’t require any cooking. They can pair it with microwavable veggies or fresh fruit. Their snacks throughout the day could be a fruit, nuts/nut butters, cheese sticks, turkey sticks, granola bars, yogurt parfaits, etc. Dinner is most likely to be at the dining hall or with friends, so choose something that sounds delicious, but make sure that it is a balanced meal overall that will still leave you feeling satisfied and nourished. And as for dessert, keep your favorite small desserts around! Everybody enjoys a sweet treat after dinner. The goal is to pick something that will satisfy that sweet craving without feeling like you are overindulging every single night. For example, this could be a small, frozen ice cream bar, your favorite flavored dark chocolate bar, a healthy version of edible cookie dough, etc.
Q: What is your opinion on the new government nutrition guidelines, and are they confusing people?
A: The current government guidelines are trending in a good direction overall with their emphasis on whole foods. But unfortunately, the visual graphic with not one, but two sources of red meat at the top, I think will cause some confusion among consumers. While the guidelines still state that saturated fat should be limited to 10%, a picture of a steak that is a lot bigger than a necessary portion size does not actually illustrate how to keep saturated fat below 10% of total calories. It also questions the reliability of the guidelines because saturated fat has been linked to heart disease for many decades through extensive meta analyses and research. I would much rather see more of an emphasis on plant-based proteins, as these can provide both protein and fiber for the American diet. Especially given that fiber is such a chronically under-met nutrient for Americans, adding more fiber to our diet could actively decrease our risk of metabolic syndrome, certain cancers, and overall mortality risk. Ultimately, I don’t think Americans need encouragement to eat more red meat…we eat plenty already.
Q: What are you working on today that is different from five years ago, and do you think that topic will be an issue going forward?
A: Five years ago I believe is when keto was really taking off. And at the time it made a lot of sense that if diabetes causes issues with blood sugar control, then if we remove the carbohydrates, that would fix the problem. However, now we know that high saturated fat content can actually increase a risk of insulin resistance and make your ability to manage glucose even more difficult. I think keto and carnivore diets will continue to be a hot diet until people can see with their own eyes the effects that these diets have on somebody decades down the line. My hope is that five years from now people can find a balance in their diet rather than going to major extremes – such as low-carb, low-fat, high protein, etc. I am happy to notice that fiber is getting the spotlight it deserves! That was definitely not on people’s radar five years ago.
Q: Based on your experience, what are the most effective culinary/nutritional strategies that college students can implement easily?
A: The top nutrition strategy for every college student should be to learn how to balance your plate. Learn what the main sources of proteins, fats, carbs, and fiber are, and ensure that the majority of the time your plate has at least three out of those four nutrients. I would also tell them to aim for nutrition by addition! Always think to [yourself], “what could I add to this meal to make it more nutritious or more delicious?” Keep a small stock of things like microwavable whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds and frozen veggies. And with each meal, ask yourself if any of these foods would add to the meal — either for nutrients or for flavor!
Q: If a college student does not have much time or energy to dedicate to nutrition, what is the best place to start?
A: I probably sound like a broken record, but again…nutrition by addition! Think about what to add. There is too much emphasis on what is “bad” for us and what to take away from our diet. I would rather the college student simply start by adding one new thing to their meals. Add a handful of black beans to your bowl, sprinkle some seeds over your salad, add a spoonful of Chia seeds to your oatmeal, add a handful of greens to your wrap. We don’t have to overcomplicate nutrition, we just have to do one percent better and be consistent with that. Not to mention it will help foster a much better relationship with food, which has been linked to better long-term health outcomes! Specifically, the best place to start is always breakfast! Without a proper balanced, energizing breakfast, we are more likely to experience sugar cravings and overeat later in the day. If you have never been a breakfast person or have historically only eaten a high carbohydrate or sugary breakfast, I encourage you to try a higher protein, balanced breakfast and notice how you feel. I’ve commonly seen people report increased energy, mental focus in the morning, a decrease in the feeling of an afternoon slump, and less cravings in the evening. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.
Q: What are the most common misconceptions about nutrition that you see on social media?
A: Oh goodness…What misconceptions about nutrition aren’t on social media? The biggest one that I have been debunking lately is that we need one gram of protein per pound of body weight. That is way too high for the majority of Americans. The actual guideline for putting on muscle for an active college student would be 1.2–1.6 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. You calculate kilograms by dividing your weight in pounds by 2.2. For example, a 130 pound female does not need 130 g of protein. She needs anywhere from 70 to 95 g of protein. I would rather people leave room in their diet for other nutrients such as fiber and healthy fats.
Q: In what ways do you believe social media has benefitted or hindered younger generations’ nutritional practices?
A: I’ll start with a positive. Social media does benefit people on their nutrition journeys by serving as a hub for quick and easy recipes that fit their lifestyle and/or dietary preferences. You can very quickly find other college students who are also making healthy meals in their dorm with limited cooking supplies. That’s super helpful. However, social media also makes it so that it is easy to feel overwhelmed and overburdened by all of the conflicting nutrition advice on the internet. It can also be very confusing on who to trust. Everybody who speaks with confidence or authority can easily sway a person into
believing their nutrition philosophy. Also, due to how specific our algorithms are…Once you find a nutrition philosophy that you believe in, you will be continually fed that same philosophy. For example, those who believe strongly in the carnivore diet will continue to see people on their social media that advocate for the carnivore diet, and who actively denounce all other ways of eating.
Q: How can students best build nutritional meals in small spaces, such as a dorm room?
A: I would definitely encourage college students to focus on no cook or minimal cook recipes. There are blogs and social media pages that are dedicated to this way of cooking, specifically created by other college students to help their peers. Take some time on a weekend to look for grocery store options that can specifically be made in a microwave. You’ll be surprised by how many options there are.
Q: How do you think colleges and universities could better support the nutrition of their students?
A: Colleges and universities play a huge role in the nutrition of their students. Many students do not have a vehicle to leave campus for groceries, so they rely on the cafeterias, dining halls, and food vendors available on campus. This is often referred to as “the food environment.” Your proximity to grocery stores, mode of transportation, cost, and distance all impact the choices you make for your meals. You may have all the “knowledge” about nutrition, but if you do not have the proper access to these nutrient-dense foods, you will ultimately choose what is available and accessible.
Texas A&M, where I went to college, had a dietitian on campus that held cooking classes and did grocery store tours to teach college students the hands-on tools they needed to eat healthier. A dietitian will always be the most credible source for a college student, so universities should increase access to these nutrition experts to help cut through the noise on social media and provide credible information.
