It may be easier than you think to eat healthy while you are in college. You might not always have access to your meal plan (or want to eat in the dining hall), so knowing ahead of time where your local, healthy choices are can be helpful.
Follow these 10 tips for local and fresh choices.
• Vote with your fork! On average, your food has traveled 1,500 miles to reach your plate. Eat food grown or produced closer to home.
• Shop farmers markets and u-pick farms with friends. (Blueberries anyone?)
• Join the Real Food Challenge (www.realfoodchallenge.org) to help bring local food to your college campus.
• Join a CSA, community garden or start a garden with your family and friends.
• Support grocery stores, restaurants and businesses that sell and serve local food. (In other words, buy from them!)
• Get involved with your local 4-H chapter or travel with the WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms).
• Check out Ten Teens Rocking the Food Revolution Scene.
• Visit the Organic Consumers Association (www.organicconsumers.org) to petition for health food.
• Talk up your family’s local food experiences on your blog, Facebook or Twitter.
• Plan and cook a meal featuring local foods.
For more information about eating healthy on a student budget, click here.
