Everyone knows that many college students don’t have money to spare while struggling to put themselves through school. Sometimes, we depend on free food at events. We love when we don’t have to pay for lunch or a quick snack, and NSU knows it. We sometimes eat whatever we can get, so it’s almost cruel that event organizers select only unhealthy stuff. The university should not stock its kitchens with fatty finger foods that contain genetically modified ingredients and are stored in freezers for ages.
Junk food is becoming increasingly cheaper, while the price of real produce, meats and grains continues to rise. If NSU is choosing the options offered at campus events based on price, they are hurting students’ health, because the foods that are cheap are also nutrient-deficient.
Anyone who has worked in the restaurant industry, like me, has seen the dirty details of many kitchen and pantry shelves. Almost every “food” item is saturated in preservatives, frozen, boxed, and then transported long distances. Mozzarella sticks, burgers, potstickers and even egg sandwiches are definitely not fresh by them time they make it to a students’ plates.
I understand that organizers of specific groups on campus, like Student Government event planners, choose the meals or snacks that will be provided at activities and the full-service kitchen on campus simply prepares them according to their requests. But SharkDining should not even offer any grossly unhealthy food products for event organizers to order.
I hate going to a club meeting or campus-wide activity to find that the only “foods” available are pizza, potato chips and soda. It’s bad for students’ health and provides just a temporary sense of satisfaction. Eventually, students will put on unwanted weight and lose their affinity for real food. The only way to avoid this is to say “no” to free hamburgers and soda. Event planners should replace these with fruits, nuts, cheeses, veggies, mini sandwiches and water.
Unhealthy food is appealing to young people. I don’t know how many times I’ve been offered a doughnut or slice of pizza and, despite knowing it is the worst thing for my body, accepted it and took a few bites, just because it was free and looked yummy. But food does not need to be eaten just because it’s attractive and convenient.
People who continue to rely on free, greasy pizza or hot dogs will see for themselves the effects it will have on their bodies. From the perspective of a student who values long-term survival more than short-term pleasures, I say that we should only eat what is healthy, and only when our bodies demand it — an apple when you need to perk up before class, a granola bar and some water before you work out, and cheese and crackers or fruit when while socializing with classmates and faculty at events.
To be successful, students must consume nutritious meals that provide us with enough energy to concentrate in class, make it through exams and stay up all night studying. Foods lacking in nutrients make students tired and eventually degrade their physical and mental health.
If we want to be successful alumni, it is vital that we consume only fresh, healthy foods while we’re students.
