Vandy has so many options for campus dining, but between Last Drop froyo, Rand cookies and pizza at Pi and Leaf it may seem as if the only way to stay healthy is to eat off-campus. However, there are a ton of hidden tips and tricks to make the perfect healthy meal of your dreams.
1. Grins
Photo by Gabrielle Levitt
Grins is the obvious choice at Vandy for healthy eats, but don’t fool yourself into thinking the Mac and Cheese is full of antioxidants. Instead, order some oatmeal for breakfast (skip the brown sugar) or a wrap unwrapped for lunch and dinner. The superfood wrap can be turned into a great salad and you can even add one or two ingredients, such as spiced apples or a veggie burger. However, my personal favorite is the sweet potato tacos unwrapped with no brown rice. Some great additions are quinoa or spiced apples. With either of these options, skip the calories in the dressings and grab some hot sauce. Even though Grins offers some really delicious sides, try to resist the pastas and slaws.
2. Rand
Photo by Abbey Fernandez
The biggest mistake you could make when you’re at Rand is to get your salad at Leaf and call it a day. Instead, make the most of your meal plan and head over to the Rand salad bar to make a salad full of your favorite veggies with just a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Next, check out the selection at Chef James Bistro. If you’re lucky, you can grab a scoop of quinoa or cauliflower and maybe even a piece of fresh salmon. However, if nothing there calls your name you can usually ask for a baked sweet potato at Tex Mex or a piece of grilled chicken at the Grill.
3. Kissam
Photo by Audrey Gruber
Kissam’s menu changes every night but you can usually find a nice piece of fresh fish with grilled vegetables. Stay away from the fried egg rolls on Asian-themed evenings and grab something from their stocked Munchie mart instead to make your meal plan complete.
4. Commons
Photo by Ari Richman
Commons has become infamous for their “comelets,” and for good reason. Order an egg white omelet with every veggie that you desire. I usually opt for spinach, tomatoes and peppers. Instead of cheese, ask for extra salsa, and instead of breakfast potatoes head over to the grill for a delicious baked sweet potato. If the omelet station is not open you can make a salad (just like Rand) and check out the Chef’s table for steamed vegetables.
5. Munchie Mart
Photo by Gabrielle Levitt
We all find ourselves at Munchie at least once a day. With all of the candy and chips it can be hard to stay healthy, but if you look around there are great items for any snack or meal. Some snack favorites include kale chips, Boom Chicka Pop and fresh fruit. For breakfast, skip the processed granola bars and grab a greek yogurt with some fruit. If you’re looking for lunch or dinner, say no to the easy microwavable meals packed full of chemicals and preservatives. My favorite dinner from Munchie is a microwavable sweet potato, which you can just puncture with a fork, microwave for six minutes and eat with salsa, Sriracha or cinnamon. Unfortunately these babies sell fast, so another healthy option is Hillary’s veggie burgers.
The primary lesson here is to take your time and look around because healthy food is all around us here at Vandy. Goodbye freshman 15 and hello sophomore skinny!