If you are heading off to college you may want to make a copy of these nutrition tips to keep in your planner. Listed are ideas for eating healthy in the cafeteria and in your dorm room. These bullet points should help make healthy eating easier for you. For other health tips visit www.attainablenutrition.com

Have a happy, healthy and fun semester!

Keep a water bottle with you at all times. Just the sight of it will remind you to drink more water. Drink water with every meal.

Keep a well stocked fruit basket on a table in your dorm room.

Stock a small refrigerator with hummus, vegetables, nut butter, yogurt, whole grain bread, applesauce, snap peas and nuts.

Don’t skip breakfast, but go ahead and skip some breakfast foods from the cafeteria! Look for whole grain breads, oatmeal, fruit, fruit salad and granola. Skip the bacon, sausage, greasy eggs (see if they have egg white or egg substitute options).

Substitute cheeseburger and fries with a bean burrito, tuna wrap or chicken sandwich.

In the dining hall gravitate towards fresh fruit, fruit salads, and fruit toppings when you want something sweet.

Load up on fresh veggies at the salad bar as often as you can. Go for the nonfat dressing and limit cheese, bacon bits and croutons.

Whenever possible choose 100% whole grain breads, tortillas, pastas and cereals.

Limit juice to a small glass with breakfast. Orange and grapefruit juice are high in vitamin C.

Don’t drink soda, it’s not a real food and does nothing for you nutritionally.

Avoid breaded and fried foods. Breaded foods are loaded with fat from cooking oils.

Veggies and hummus are a great alterative to snacking on chips.

Be choosy at dinnertime at remember you don’t have to try everything. You’ll have another chance!

Ask for grilled veggies or soup in place of fries.

Stay away from vending machines.

If you stay up late you are bound to get hungry. Instead of ordering a late night pizza try having some fruit and a granola bar instead. You probably won’t feel as sluggish as your friends the next day. When you do have the occasional pizza slice, order thin crust with half the cheese.

If you haven’t switched to skim milk yet, now is a good time; fewer calories, but equal nutrition.

Enjoy your baked potato or sweet potato with a small amount of cottage cheese or plain yogurt instead of loading it with butter, sour cream and bacon bits.

Frequently enjoy vegetable soups and limit consumption of creamy soups.

Eat healthy real foods for your meals. Don’t replace meals with dessert type foods.

Enjoy salsa on your sandwich instead of mayonnaise. Tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber and peppers are also great additions.

Eat beans! Beans with rice, in burritos, in soups, chili and hummus. Beans are a great low-fat source of protein and keep you full for longer.

Have nuts on hand when you need a quick snack between classes. Go for the unsalted raw kind found at a health food store in the refrigerated section.

Limit red meat to 2 times per week.

Allow yourself 2-3 reasonable treats per week so you don’t feel deprived.

Nutritionist Darci Steiner provides nutrition counseling services in the Parker area and surrounding communities. For more information please visit www.attainablenutrition.com. LIKE us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/attainablenutrition