It's Crunch Time UC San Diego

It's inevitable; you work your butt off 9 weeks every quarter only to cram as much as you can in your beautiful brains right before finals, right?

Don't worry, I remember what that was like too. I think I dreaded the weekend prior to finals more than any other weekend throughout the year! But, the plus side was the blissful feeling of relief when the last test was taken and the path to Blacks Beach was in sight! WOW, if only today was next Friday and we could all indulge in some much needed R&R :).

Well, before we daydream to much, it's best we face the facts! This weekend we need to feel our best to make sure we soak up all those last equations, formulas, stats and whatever else you have on your plate next week. To do so, the most important step is to nourish your body right. Focusing on supply your body with immunity boosting foods (like oranges, spinach, mangoes and grapefruit) and a nice blend of protein and carbohydrates will keep your focus strong.

Come on, as great as it tastes going down, we all know that after finishing our second candy bar followed by the last two chips from the family size bag the only thing we want is our bed, right?!

To keep your hunger at bay and your brain power mighty, check out some of the Dietitian Approved snacks available at your HHD Markets across campus to fuel your body right!

Don't forget the Destress Brunch this Sunday too at your local Dining Unit... it's the perfect time to relax and soak up some much needed break time!

Good luck on finals UC San Diego and we will see you in the Fall! 

How do you final?

It's crunch time UC San Diego... and Brittany Meyer, one of the campus MyPlate Ambassadors,  has some excellent advice on how to prepare yourself nutritionally to succeed during fiuals. Be sure to check out all of the great suggestions at your neighborhood Market and Dining Restaurant!

How do you final?
By: Brittany Meyer

The days leading up to finals week is filled with stress, anxiety, and more stress. We are cramming as much information as possible into our incredible brains--infact, we may be  on the verge of overflow! At times like these we tend to neglect the healthy habits we have developed all quarter and fall back to quick, easy and accessible (but not always nutritious) food.  

It is during these long study hours that our habits are tested, and we find that making healthy decisions will have the greatest pay off.

Healthy snacks are a quick and easy way to ward off fatigue and allow your body to perform at its best. Not only does nutritious food provide your body with essential vitamins and nutrients, but feeling so good will help you bounce back quick from finals!

Maintaining a habit is always easier than starting one.

To aid you in your finals week healthy habits here are a few suggestions for Study Time Snacks:

1.      Pre- cut fresh fruits and veggies

At the beginning of your week pre- cut or buy pre- cut vegetables and fruit as a go to during the week. You can event load up a bowl at your local dining hall salad bar to keep for snacks later.  

The Markets have a wide variety of pre cut fruits available for you to pick up in the refrigerated section! Here's a sample of the Market to Go precut fruit that's easy and convenient to pick up on your way to class.

 

 

 

2.      Nuts or seeds

Nuts and seeds are a great source of healthy fats and protein that will be sure to keep you energy levels up all night long. Stock up on bags to keep for the week.

Walnuts are a great choice they a filled with heart healthy omega- 3 fatty acids and doesn’t hurt that they even look like a brain! All of the Markets stock this delicious Njoy Oatmeal or Emerald Trail Mix that are packed with walnuts to add a nice texture to your breakfast on the run!

3.      Easy protein sources

Greek Yogurt, hard boiled eggs, mini turkey meatloaf muffins, protein pancakes or muffins

Plain Greek Yogurt is sold at college markets along with hard boiled eggs.

Or you can make your own at the beginning of the week.

Meal prep a large batch of hard boiled eggs, or mini meat loafs (made in a muffin tin) to have easy, accessible and travel friendly snacks for the week.

All Markets carry this convenient Grab & Go Protein Pack that's loaded with quick protein sources.

  

4.      Pre- make smoothies

Smoothies are a great way to get fruits and veggies into your daily diet.

Take freezer bags and fill them with your favorite fruits and add some leafy greens in there such as spinach (you won’t even notice it is there). Keep it in the freezer till you are ready, dump in the blender with a liquid of choice and blend away for a quick and easy snack or breakfast.

Roots always has fresh fruit and veggie smoothies to grab between classes to fuel your mind (and your body)!

 

Preparation is key for making healthy choices through the year and especially during finals time. Take advantage of food prepared in your local dining halls and markets to prepare you for finals week.

Keep these tips in mind and study away for the big day!

The Final Stretch

Hang on tight…less than three weeks until summer vacation! Before you hit the open road though, you’ll have to make it through those inevitable finals.

To do your best, you’ll need to refuel that engine (aka body) of yours. Dining Services’ Restaurants and Markets can help, since they are loaded with the season’s freshest produce, lean proteins, and starches to provide you with nutrient-packed meals morning, noon, and night.

If you’re stressed about running low on Dining Dollars or wondering what to do if you have too many left, stop worrying now! The improved Dining Services website http://hdh.ucsd.edu/DiningMenus/ can show you the exact item and cost for every available menu choice.

Here are a few suggestions for nutrient-packed menu items to pick up at the Dining Services Restaurant near you:

·         Dietitian Delight $1.95: Hearty whole grain English Muffin, topped with egg whites, part-skim mozzarella cheese, sliced turkey, and sautéed spinach

 

 

 

·         Chicken Breast Sandwich: $4.95: Grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast served on a hamburger bun with sliced lettuce, tomato, and onion

·         Cheese Pizza $1.95 with Garden Salad $2.20: Hot & fresh baked pizza topped with part-skim mozzarella cheese, served alongside a fresh garden salad with a light balsamic vinaigrette

Have a question or comment? Feel free to contact me at tastebuds@ucsd.edu.

Surviving Finals: 101- Guest Post!

Check out the latest advice from our guest contributor, Ms. Evelyn Nash over at Warren.

 With finals week approaching quickly, I am definitely spending more time studying and less time cooking.   Surviving on less sleep and more caffeine than usual, the pastries, energy bars, and other convenient items start to look more appealing.  BUT…in order to properly fuel my body and my brain I have found that substituting meals with snacks is not sufficient. Food is fuel and I need to nourish my body with the proper carbs, fats, and proteins.

To help make some changes I found this amazing website called MyPlate.gov (http://hdh.ucsd.edu/TasteBuds/healthyhabits.asp) with tons of tips and tricks to eat well.  Searching the site the other day I found that the more "convenient" items we tend to go for do not satisfy my hunger.  While these items might taste good, they don’t replace the value of a “real meal.”  So, here are some tricks I have found helpful and thought I would share with you so you too can be in tip top performance for your exams!

Breakfast:  As easy as it might be to just grab a donut from Earl's in the morning, I find that I am usually hungry within an hour after doing so.  MyPlate.gov recommends that women between the ages of 19-30 consume 6 ounces of grains a day and men at these ages consume at least 8 ounces! I have been loving the little individual to-go oatmeal cups! They are just as easy as grabbing a muffin but actually give me more fiber to help fuel my body all morning.

Lunch: When lunch rolls around grabbing a bag of chips or a power bar may seem like the best possible time-crunch choice, but the Market-To-Go sandwiches or a quick salad made from one of the Dining Services Restaurants is much better at keeping my brain clear and alert.  Having a more substantial meal with proteins and good-for-you carbohydrates as opposed to a salty snack will help you maintain your focus for your long afternoon.

Dinner: I don't know about you but when the clock hits 6pm my stomach starts grumbling.  Entering the Dining Services Restaurants I am overwhelmed by the smell of the grill items like the fries, burgers, and pizza. Though all are delicious and can fit in a balanced meal plan, I have found choosing the Taste Bud-approved meals instead to be a no-brainer! I love not having to rack my brain about what’s the healthiest choice for me and know it will taste good, too.

My biggest tip to survive finals week would be that when it comes to meals, don't take the easy way out with quick packaged convenience foods. There are just as many, if not more, balanced meal options on campus that will actually sustain you through those 1am cram sessions.

Best of luck with Finals!

-Evelyn

Tip #2: Timing

 Hello UCSD! How are you holding up? I know how stressful the week before finals can be, so just try to take a deep breath and relax.  Next week will be over before you know it and then it’s holiday break time!

Let’s continue on our “healthy tips” for studying. Have you ever heard that you should eat every 3-4 hours to maintain a healthy metabolism? Well, here’s the 4-1-1 on it.

 

·         Eating every few hours allows you to be adequately nourished to fuel your body for whatever your day has in store for you. You need a certain amount of calories (aka your Basal Metabolic Rate http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/) to breathe, brush your teeth, walk to the bus, talk to a friend…etc.; basically everything you do requires energy!

·         Studying uses energy (aka calories). FANTASTIC, right? To make sure your body receives the right kinds of calories, it’s important to time your meals and snacks so that you’re constantly supplying energy to your brain. Aim to get the majority of your calories in during your waking hours (the time you are most alert).

·         Should you eat late at night if you’re up studying? This is a hard question to answer because it is unique for every person. If you tend to stay up actively cramming into the wee morning hours; then yes, you should be eating healthy snacks to fuel your brain (although I do encourage at least 6-8 hours of sleep).  On the other hand, if you stay up mindlessly munching attempting to stay alert; then no, you should give in to your slumber and hit the books when you are well rested!

Our dining units & markets across campus have a great variety of healthy snacks to choose from. I always tell my students to shoot for 2-3 food groups when choosing a snack. Some healthy snack ideas available at all the HDH Markets include:

·         Yogurt & Fresh Fruit –a GREAT balance of protein and antioxidants to keep you full and flu free

·         Whole Grain Crackers (or bread) & Hummus – full of energy bursting B vitamins to give you that extra push

·         Homemade Trail Mix (http://hdh.ucsd.edu/tastebuds/docs/SavorySnackRecipe.pdf) -  an excellent source of fiber and nuts that helps keep  your holiday weight in check J

Sometimes you may just need a little splurge and THAT IS ABSOLUTELY OKAY! I suggest if you’re feeling something daring to check out the Sunday DE-STRESS brunch at the dining units on Sunday, 12/8 to let loose and give into a little chocolate craving.

 

Be sure to check Facebook & the blog next week to see where FREE SAMPLES of healthy finals snacks will be available from the RD to make sure you are well fed J

Interested in learning more about a particular topic? Feel free to email me at tastebuds@ucsd.edu or follow HDH on twitter & check Facebook for upcoming events featuring the Taste Buds!

Wrapping Up: Week 10-Tip #1

Welcome back UC San Diego. I hope you all had a wonderful break and got some well-deserved R&R.

As we head into Week 10 (aka fall quarter crunch time), students are beginning the late nights of cram sessions and mindless munching, right?! Considering the stress-eating that typically occurs around finals, I thought this motto from The Village’s Mr. Andrews summed things up best: “Eat bright and your pants won’t be tight!"

Rather than turn to the bag of chips or leftover pumpkin pie your mom sent home with you, I will reveal over the next week some tips on how YOU can eat bright & stay slim while studying.

Tip #1, Eat Breakfast. Think an extra hour of cramming before the big exam will set you up for a better score?  Think again! Research shows test scores improve significantly when one eats a balanced breakfast before the big exam.

When prepping your plate, try to hit at least three food groups; pair a dairy and whole grain source with a protein and/or fresh fruit.  Short on ideas? Try one of the following at our dining units (http://hdh.ucsd.edu/DiningMenus/default.aspx?i=01):

·         Steel Cut Oatmeal with Skim Milk, & Fresh Berries

Steel-Cut Oatmeal w/ Berries

      ·         Dietitian Delight (Egg Whites, Whole Grain English Muffin, Skim Cheese, Spinach, & Turkey)

·         2 Eggs Over Easy with Whole Grain Toast & a Banana

·         Plain Yogurt with Fresh Cut Fruit & Slice of Whole Grain Bread

Tight on time? No worries, stop into one of the Markets and pick up one of these great breakfast on-the-go suggestions:

·         Cup of Cereal, Skim Milk, & Banana

·         Kelloggs Protein Bar & Orange

·         Oatmeal-to-Go with Milk

·         Low-fat Yogurt & Fresh Cut Fruit

·         String Cheese, Apple & 1/4C Nuts

Give it your all and start your day off with a nice balanced breakfast, and success will surely be in your future!

Interested in learning more about a particular topic? Feel free to email me at tastebuds@ucsd.edu or follow HDH on twitter & check Facebook for upcoming events featuring the Taste Buds!