Published: December 11, 2008

Ever wonder what other Fordham students are eating or cooking in the privacy of their dorms? Despite hectic schedules and lack of culinary experience, many students are cooking for themselves and more surprisingly, eating very healthy. Whether they are strict vegans or full-on carnivores, many students feel healthier because they have mastered cooking their own meals and buying fresh produce. Long gone are the days of cafeteria food and expensive prepared meals at Whole Foods!

For breakfast, many students are sticking to good old-fashioned cereal, avoiding sugar-filled choices like Lucky Charms and consuming whole grain cereals instead. Kristina Lessard, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’09, enjoys cereals like Special K and Cheerios with skim milk.

Because it’s easy to prepare, oatmeal is also very popular among students like Christine Brown, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’09. “I eat it pretty much every day, but never get sick of it, because I can change it up by adding blueberries or almonds one day and then cinnamon and apples on another day,” Brown said.

Coffee and green tea are very popular morning beverages, but are also consumed continuously throughout the day for that extra energy boost.

“Although coffee isn’t very healthy to begin with, I opt for skim milk and brown sugar instead of fattening whole milk and regular white sugar,” said Lemonia Mavrogeorgis, FCLC ’09.

“I’m obsessed with green tea. It’s so healthy and stimulating, and even at night when I crave the tea, I stick to decaf,” Brown said.

Lunch seems to be the hardest meal to remain healthy. Most students are eating out or grabbing something from the cafeteria because they are running to their next class, work or an internship.

“I don’t have time during the day to go back to my room and make a meal, so I usually get a salad or sandwich from the cafeteria or a deli as I’m heading to class or my internship,” said Zarah Zohlman, FCLC ’10.

Some students prepare their lunches in the morning before they leave for the day. Lessard usually makes tuna salad secured in a Tupperware or buys cold cuts for the week such as smoked turkey, which she uses to make sandwiches on whole wheat bread.

Snacking will always be an important part of college students’ eating habits, especially during the stressful weeks of finals. Fortunately, junk food has been replaced with healthier substitutes. Fruits and veggies are popular—especially apples, celery sticks and carrots garnished with a teaspoon of low-fat ranch dressing or peanut butter.

“We ate a lot of apples this fall. You know those enormous five pound bags of apples from Whole Foods? [They] lasted about a day,” Brown said.

Lessard enjoys bits of fruit like banana or berries added in yogurt such as Dannon or Yoplait and Mott’s applesauce.

“Since I take classes [at] both campuses, I like to take food on the go, so anything in containers, particularly yogurt, is quick and easy, and still light and healthy,” Lessard said.

Other snacks include the 100 Calorie Packs such as Chips Ahoy, Oreos, cookie dough and chocolate-covered rice snacks. Although these snacks are a bit unhealthy, they are an improvement from the original version because they are smaller in size and individually packaged. This way you get your junk food fix, without eating straight from an enormous box that says “Oreo 30 percent MORE.”

Dinner proves to be the healthiest meal of the day because there is more time at night to cook. Many students are lucky to have roommates who are talented in the kitchen.

“My roommate is the ‘head chef’ of our dorm, so whenever she cooks, it’s a real treat, and we really get to bond with each other,” Zohlman said.

“My roommate’s mom taught her this delicious savory meal consisting of chicken with various herbs, green beans and rice; so we named it ‘Renia’s Chicken’ in her honor,”  Lessard said.

One of Brown’s favorite items to make is baked veggies, such as artichokes, bell peppers, eggplants and cauliflower with sweet potato fries. Most produce is purchased at Whole Foods and Morton Williams, which is cheaper and a mere block from FCLC.

Cooking has sparked the interest of Fordham’s male students, too. Since he doesn’t have a meal plan, Dimitri Milionis, FCRH ’09, enjoys cooking, especially when his girlfriend comes to visit.

“Cooking is fun; it’s a form of experimentation,” Milionis said. “[My roommates and I] cook several times a week, from penne pasta with a creamy red sauce to grilled paninis cooked on the [George] Foreman grill.”

Milionis and his roommates aren’t always health freaks. On guy nights when they’re playing video games or watching a football game, they enjoy BLTs and hot dogs.

“They’re so quick and easy to make. It saves us a lot of trouble, especially when we’re preoccupied with other things like exams and football championships,” Milionis said.

Vegans and vegetarians have no trouble cooking and eating a wide array of foods either. Brown and her roommates are vegetarians, and their refrigerator is always stocked with soy burgers, Tofutti ice pops and soymilk.

Brown is also a very talented baker, and her specialty is cupcakes. Some of her famous creations include pistachio rose water cupcakes, maple cupcakes with creamy maple frosting and candied pecans and peanut butter pretzel cupcakes with chocolate ganache—all vegan!

It seems that the number of college students who cook has increased, but are students just cooking their own foods because they are so health-conscious? Not exactly. Aside from trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, there are other reasons why students have taken up cooking.

“[My roommates and I] always cook our own food because it is entertaining, very cost-efficient, our vegetarian and vegan lifestyles limit our food choices when dining out, and the most important fact: homemade food just tastes better!,” said Brown.