Eating right on a college meal plan

[gingerkid08]

Im a freshman in college living in the dorms and living off a meal plan. For the last couple months I started lifting again after taking a break from football, and Im getting my strength back to what it used to be, but Im looking to tone up a little more for the summer. The only problem is that I suck at eating right, and my meal plan is holding me back.

I get two meals a day, occasionally I'll spring for some lunch but usually I will eat a big breakfast and a big dinner. The food available to me for breakfast is pretty standard, eggs (out of a milk carton?!), sausage, bacon, assorted fruit, some smoothie stuff, butt load of cereal, and pancakes/waffles. For dinner there is always a sandwich bar, salad bar, and pizza (I ****ing love pizza). Most days you can get a burger (saw a sign that said around 300 calories), assorted fries/onion rings/tater tots, hot dogs, and other junk food. Every day there is a different "home cooked" meal, stuff like roast beef, chicken, and what not with rice/potatoes, and some veggies. The home cooked meals usually taste like ass.

I have to admit that I am a pizza/burger man, and eat pretty horribly at the cafeteria, so my question is what should I be getting in order put on some leaner muscle and shed a little fat? Whats good and accessible for me that doesn't taste like cardboard?

I also take amplified creatin 189 (**** I know, but its too late to take it back), what should I be eating/drinking with this? I have no access to white grape juice or fancy drinks like that, just standard juices (apple, orange, surgery minute maid stuff)

What should I do? (sorry for the novel)

[gravesp]

Im a freshman in college living in the dorms and living off a meal plan. For the last couple months I started lifting again after taking a break from football, and Im getting my strength back to what it used to be, but Im looking to tone up a little more for the summer. The only problem is that I suck at eating right, and my meal plan is holding me back.

I get two meals a day, occasionally I'll spring for some lunch but usually I will eat a big breakfast and a big dinner. The food available to me for breakfast is pretty standard, eggs (out of a milk carton?!), sausage, bacon, assorted fruit, some smoothie stuff, butt load of cereal, and pancakes/waffles. For dinner there is always a sandwich bar, salad bar, and pizza (I ****ing love pizza). Most days you can get a burger (saw a sign that said around 300 calories), assorted fries/onion rings/tater tots, hot dogs, and other junk food. Every day there is a different "home cooked" meal, stuff like roast beef, chicken, and what not with rice/potatoes, and some veggies. The home cooked meals usually taste like ass.

I have to admit that I am a pizza/burger man, and eat pretty horribly at the cafeteria, so my question is what should I be getting in order put on some leaner muscle and shed a little fat? Whats good and accessible for me that doesn't taste like cardboard?

I also take amplified creatin 189 (**** I know, but its too late to take it back), what should I be eating/drinking with this? I have no access to white grape juice or fancy drinks like that, just standard juices (apple, orange, surgery minute maid stuff)

What should I do? (sorry for the novel)

i hope you have a little spending money on the side for grocery shopping.. PM if you do.
basically, take a water bottle and steal some apple juice for pwo. jack as many raw vegetables as possible (gallon sized zip locks are the way to go) and steal as much fruit as possible too. try to de-grease any meat they serve, and stay away from fried foods. steal a bunch of grilled chicken breasts if they serve those. also, you probably need a fridge if you plan on doing this.

-gravesp

[user456121]

If you have the option to scrap the meal plan next semester and get that money refunded straight to you, do it.

[ethical]

yea im a junior in college, and i know the deal. Just get the lowest meal plan possible and use the extra money for groceries.

[determined4000]

Go with eggs, fruit (not juice but whole fruit), a healthier cereal, lowfat milk for breakfast

For dinner load up a big salad and a big glass of milk
Then you can alternate between the sandwhich, chicekn breast and rice/potato, and burgers so you dont feel like you are depriving yourself too much

snag some frut and put it in your bag to take with you for something healthy between meals
i also used to stash extra turkey breast from the sandwich bar at school

[gingerkid08]

Haha this isnt looking good. I have little to no cash for food, and stealing meat is impossible because a person behind the counter serves it for you. I can only get raw veggies from the salad bar so im pretty much limited to lettuce, broccoli, and carrots, and cucumbers. The fruit I could do but it wouldn't last long at all, way past ripe when its served to us.

[gravesp]

just keep going back to get food, or do you have to pay each time you go to get another helping? sounds like youre in quite a pickle

[BigDaveo11]

I bring tupperware and steal a ****-load of cottage cheese and milk
Ask the cook to make just regular chicken breasts for you, they do that for a bodybuilder at our cafeteria.
Tip for breakfast, they usually have hardboiled eggs, take a bunch and just eat the white part, if you are trying to avoid fat from the yolks.
I count calories and macros now that I am a sophomore in College and can go to costco and cook for myself, but in the dorms i just took a bunch of food and just tried to get in 6 or so small meals and stay away from all the pizza and fries.

[Elijah_MB]

I feel your pain bro. Reps for bringing this up because I'm in the same boat as you. Money is really tight right now and all freshmen (I'm on my 2nd sem) are required to have a 20/week meal plan. It sucks balls because I'm so tempted to eat the pizza and avoid the bland salad bar. Next semester, I'm ditching the meal plan for sure. Right now I'm sticking to peanut butter, whey protein, sliced sandwich meat, raw veggies, and eggs in the dorm. Good luck bro.

[The-Fire-Fish]

I'm in college, but thankfully, I have not this problem.
If stealing is not an option, then you may be out of luck.
Is it possible to see if you can perhaps 'get more' of the meat? Like, ask for a lot? Or is there a limit?

[oskimbo]

Hey Kid! I've been there, lived the college athlete life, and loved cafe food! Been to 4 different colleges! Yeah I was a ramblin man!

First DON'T skip out on your meal plan. Get the one that allows you x amount of meals for the semester. Reason being sometimes you might have time for just one and don't need to loose a paid meal. Other days you might eat all 3 meals there. Think about it. Where else can you get so much food for so little cash? If you meals are paid for ask for an upgrade.

gravesp said to degreese your food. He's right on the money! What he means is to hit it with paper towels and get the greese off.

After wipeing off your bugar, just eat the meat.

Next always drink water! And don't risk stealing drinks. Easy to get caught. Powder drink mix's are cheap if you need flavor and waters free.

You said you get served your food. Can you not go get seconds or is it a credit based cafe? If you can get seconds go for the good stuff.

If it has a sandwich bar go for cold cuts. Ham keeps the longest but turkeys the best in m.o. Get a whole bunch, wrap it up, and take off.

When you eat breakfast go with fruit in your cereal or fruit and cottage cheese. No fruit try mixin in applesauce with cottage cheese. It's way better than it sounds. The liquid eggs are not "that" bad for you.

Always eat a salad b4 dinner. get or request oil or vinger. To curb your pizza binage. Veggies are great snacks and you said you can get them so grab em up!

Check into meals to go. Most the time there offered just for lunch and some times dinner. In my experience you can get a wheat sandwich, apple, and chips or a salad. Quick and easy.

You say your funds r limited. I found these staples:
-Taco Bell has free sporks. No dishs and easy to pack. And there hot sauce is great on just about anything. ex: Romein
- most strawberry protein powders mix well with water.
-Vanaila goes great in yogurt.
-If you prop your george foreman grill up with a book you can cook eggs in your room.
- Cooked tuna with eggs smells awfull but tast great! Add lemon pepper!
-Truck stops have free relish, mustard, packs. Great for mixing with tuna in the can.
-Wal mart family packs of strip steaks are the best to freeze for latter in a zip lock baggie.
-Wal mart has free sugar cookies. Bad for diet easy on the wallet.
-Frozen mixed veggies and salad bar veggies can be boiled in the microwave or grilled on the foreman grill. Great with salt and pepper and oil.
-Keepin a glass/pitcher of water in the fridge at all times is way better than fooling with ice treys.
-Masonic lodges and churchs, have dinners for donations once a month! Thats any donation. Great home cooked food!
-Wesley centers and BSU's have the best food wensday nights. And all the good girls go there.
-Can't find a job around school? Check out the local schools for bus drivers and after hours janitiors. Or work study that pays you and not your tuiton.

Thats all I can think off for right now. Hope those helped you out! Skimbo

[determined4000]

1. Put ziplocs in backpack
2.Go to dining hall
3.fill up plate
4.go back to seat
5.Open backpack with ziplocs inside
6. Fill up ziplocs
7. Repeat steps 3-7 as mant times as needed