Strategies to help you eat healthy in the Dining Courts

Tip: Check out ChooseMyPlate.gov for more information on serving sizes, tips, and strategies for healthy eating! Make your plate: ½ fruit and veg ¼ grain ¼ lean protein Dairy with each meal Strategies for Healthier Eating in the Dining Halls 1)Take a lap, see what’s available in all the stations. 2)Customize your meal utilizing different stations; adopt a build-your-own approach pulling protein, vegetable, condiments, etc, from various stations. 3)Use a small plate, fill half with fruits and veggies first, then fill in with grain and lean protein. Limit second plates. 4)When pressed for time, know your options and plan ahead. Use the Purdue Menus app.

Fruits and Vegetables: ½ your plate 1-1/2 to 2 cups fruit per day 2-3 cups vegetable per day Examples of 1 serving of fruit: 1 cup berries 1 medium apple or pear 1 cup canned fruit in fruit juice 1 cup 100% fruit juice ¼ cup dried fruit Examples of 1 serving of vegetable: 1 cup broccoli 1 cup carrots 1 cup vegetable juice 2 cups leafy greens Tips: Check the dessert station for a whole fruit option. Take 1 piece of fruit to go when you leave the dining court.

Grains: ¼ your plate 5-8 oz per day Make half your servings whole grain Examples of a serving: 1-6” corn or flour tortilla 1 slice whole wheat bread ½ cup rice, pasta, oatmeal 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal 5 whole grain crackers Whole grains in the dining hall: Chopped whole grains on salad bar Whole wheat rolls & buns Whole grain cereals & pasta Quinoa Oatmeal and granola Gluten allergy? We have safe, tasty options! Contact your dining staff to discuss.

Protein: ¼ your plate 5 to 6-1/2 oz per day Choose lean proteins 1 oz protein = 1 oz cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish ¼ cup cooked dry beans 1 large egg 1 Tbsp nut butter ½ oz nuts ¼ cup tofu Tips: Look for grilled, baked, broiled, or roasted meats. Consider vegetarian options like veggie burgers, beans, nuts & nut butters, eggs, tofu, and nutritional yeast. Tip: Utilize seasonings and vinegars to add interest to your dishes.

Remember: You build bone density through your late 20s– getting calcium is critical! Dairy: 1 serving per meal 3 cups dairy per day Switch to low-fat (1%) or fat free Serving should be of calcium and can be plant based (ie, dairy free) Examples of a serving: 1 cup low-fat yogurt 1-1/2 oz low fat cheese 1 cup low fat or fat free milk 1 cup calcium fortified beverage Plant source of calcium: Nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, and pistachios Fortified orange juice Beans (soy, white, kidney, black) Dark leafy greens: spinach, kale, and broccoli Oranges & kiwi; dried figs, apricots & dates.

Students with Allergies Contact the staff in your dining hall for help or us at Options: Ask for dishes that don’t come off the line; there is less risk for cross contamination Make-your-own pasta and stir-fry are equipped with special pans for students with allergies Earhart and Wiley have a No Wheat-No Meat station; look for similar options in other dining halls The Purdue Menu app has an allergen filter for meal planning and selection Big 8 Allergens Dairy Eggs Wheat Soy Fish Shellfish Peanuts Tree nuts