As a college freshman in my second semester here at the University of Oklahoma, I’m bored of the food! Sometimes all I want is to eat one of my mom’s homecooked meals that were always both nutritious and for the most part delicious…. I’m joking, but now it’s a different story. Not only is the repetitive food getting old fast it also makes me feel bad, the greasy unhealthy food that most food places on campus offer leaves you feeling bad about yourself. As a person who loves Chick-fil-A, all-you-can-eat Chick-fil-A starts to sound less exciting and more tiring. For this post, I’m going to discuss some healthier options to the usual high-fat and high-calorie orders that are available at the University of Oklahoma.
- Chick-fil-A- The grilled nuggets are a classic go-to with just 130 calories and 25 grams of protein for an 8-count nugget, instead of the greasy fries try going with the fruit cup for 70 calories or the Kale Crunch for 170. While the salads at Chick-fil-A are a good source of protein they are filled with sodium and have more calories than most items on the menu because of the dressing which goes as high as 310 for just one packet. If you do go for a salad, I usually go for a Market Salad w/ Grilled Filet (Cold) with no blue cheese crumble and swap out the high 230-calorie dressing for the light Italian dressing for just 25 calories that puts the salad from 550 to 315 or 185 depending on if you want the harvest nut granola and the roasted almonds
- Couch restaurants- I know the Sooner Sweet shop is staring right in front of you and all the fast food but there are really good options too. The vegetation station is usually my go-to with the options of various vegetables. The salad bar is my weakness as I love dressing but as I learned that most dressings are high in sodium and calorie count, I have avoided it, I am back to enjoying salads as I have opted for fresh lemon juices vinegar and salt and pepper now, I can enjoy my salads again. Again, grilled nuggets at Chick-fil-A are an option, and you can drip them with buffalo sauce which is 25 calories. Fresh fruit, yogurt, rotisserie chicken, and rice are just a couple of other options Couch has.
- Einstein Bros. Bagels- Not only is it a go-to breakfast but also a go-to lunch but I always wanted to know what the best options were so here is what I found. A plain bagel is 280 calories, plain thin is 200, plain cream cheese is 120, butter blend is 110, and Natural Strawberry Jam is 60. For extra protein, you could add avocado, egg, or meat.
- Baja Fresh- I am one to get Baja and think I’m eating better but after I add all the toppings it is high in sodium fat and calories. Skip the additions topping such as the queso and add more veggie options to make your taco/bowl/burrito better for you making you feel better during the day. The Baja bowl starts at 330 calories, and you can always add or take away some of the ingredients.
- Starbucks- I’m not joking when I say I go here every day it’s an obsession that led me to find the perfect balance of low calories and tasty coffee. I get the Vinti shaken expresso sub the classic for 2 pumps of sugar-free vanilla or 2 pumps caramel syrup and 2 packs of Splenda, it’s chef kiss. Starbucks is a real one and already has their featured menu for Grande drinks under 200 and food under 300 calories, but personally, I like turkey bacon, cheddar and egg white sandwiches.
I’m not a dietician or a specialist heck sometimes I have nothing but oily food but if you ever want some ideas feel free to use mine! Also, don’t always base something off the calorie count but for me that’s what I usually look for as I am on a calorie deficit, there are different things for everyone!
