Collegiate Times

Jumping from class to her apartment to countless extracurricular meetings, Sasha Gluzinski, a junior computer engineering major, often finds herself buying a drive-thru dinner or a caffeine-booster along the way.

“I usually grab an iced caramel latte from Panera before I study at the Empo,” she said.

Gluzinski is a typical off-campus student who, between school and fun, sacrifices the occasional well-balanced meal for the convenience of McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets and fries.

It seems as though every college student has a million things going on at once and not enough time to do it all. That is where the conveniences of restaurants — especially fast food chains — come in handy.

For those who don’t have access to a kitchen, don’t enjoy cooking, or simply just don’t have the time to, these quick fixes become unhealthy fallback meal options.

However, almost all of the speedy off-campus food establishments in Blacksburg offer healthier alternatives.

But avoiding the constant urge to swing by and pick up dinner from any of the half dozen fast food chains lining the drive home can be a challenge when you’ve been craving that Wendy’s Baconator for weeks. And, why waste time cooking, when you could have a meal that much faster?

The answer is because making drive-thru runs a habit eats away at good health with every chicken finger, burger or frosty you shove in your mouth.

Not only are these meals literally weighing their consumers down, but they’re also pushing the typical college student’s budget.

Spending $5 here and $8 there on your fast food favorites adds up — and fast. However, when smart options are numbered, there are easy ways to work with what you have, so to speak.

The next time a group meeting is at Starbucks, or coffee is vital to powering through a night of studying, making a small order change can have a positive dietary impact.

Even if fast food is the one healthy meal exception of the week, it doesn’t mean the meal should negate eating well for the rest of the time.

For example, a regular crust slice of pepperoni pizza from a large Domino’s pie is 300 calories, but thin crust reduces the calorie count to 240. Also, replacing pepperoni with green peppers can lower the count even further, to 200 calories a slice.

The smoked turkey sandwich at Panera, which is 560 calories, is a great alternative to the chipotle chicken panini, which packs a whopping 990-calorie punch.

Words of wisdom from Jenny Lindsey, Virginia Tech’s administrative dietitian, apply to both on- and off-campus food. Keep in mind key information when considering food choices, such as the added fat and calories. Choose lean meats, low-fat dairy products and whole grains whenever possible. Look beyond the calorie count and read the fat and sodium levels as well.

Remember the side order of French fries or onion rings is hundreds of unnecessary calories, as is that sugar-filled cup of Dr. Pepper.

When pulling up into a drive-thru for a fast food fix, think twice.

Either speed away before you change your mind, or consider purchasing a healthier meal, rather than an artery-clogging killer.

A version of this article appeared in the Oct 6 issue of the Collegiate Times.