It's 2:10 p.m., and a student who is late for class decides to stop by McDonald's or Chick-Fil-A for some quick food as he hurries off. However, he probably doesn't realize how calorie-laden and fat-packed this meal is. Eating on campus can be tricky, but with a fistful of knowledge students can save themselves from making unhealthy decisions.
AU can be a healthy campus for those who know the differences in the foods offered. Many people assume that a McFlurry has some number of calories, but do they know this figure is almost a four-digit number? Also, many people do not realize that a McDonald's Caesar salad contains 280 calories and 18 grams of fat. The Jamba Juice Mango-A-Go-Go, which happens to be the healthiest Jamba Juice smoothie, contains over 440 calories. A good option for a healthier snack on campus is a pretzel from Auntie Anne's. Just make sure you choose a non-buttered jalapeno pretzel, which contains only 270 calories, instead of a Glazin' Raisin Pretzel, which contains 510 calories.
Also, Chick-Fil-A offers healthy meal options. For instance, instead of a fried chicken sandwich, which contains 410 calories and 16 grams of fat, opt for the grilled chicken sandwich that only contains 280 calories and seven grams of fat. Also, Subway sells a number of sandwiches that contain less than six grams of fat.
Haagen-Dazs has a book in the back room with nutritional information for each flavor of ice cream they sell. McDonald's also has nutritional information upon request. The chef at the Marketplace can answer questions about the fat and calorie amounts in everything from the homemade salad dressing to Einstein bagels and cappuccinos. Eating healthy meals quickly is not impossible; students just need to know where to look.
