Keto In College: Strategies For Success

Maintaining a keto diet in college can be challenging, especially when you're faced with dining halls, social events, and limited food options. However, with some planning and flexibility, it is possible to stick to your ketogenic diet and succeed. Here are some tips to help you navigate the college lifestyle while staying keto:

- Dining Hall Options: Opt for scrambled eggs with cheese, plain tuna, grilled chicken breast, deli meat and cheeses, or burgers without the bun.

- Know Your Food: Be mindful of hidden carbohydrates in seemingly keto-friendly foods like chicken wings with sauce or low-fat yogurt.

- Social Drinking: When it comes to alcohol, stick with hard liquor, light beer, or low-carb options like hard seltzers. Avoid sugary mix-ins.

- Late-Night Munchies: If you get hungry after a night out, choose unbreaded chicken wings, hot dogs without the bun, or create your own pasta dish without the pasta.

- Breakfast on the Go: If you're not a breakfast person, a cup of black coffee or keto coffee can be a quick and easy option.

- Snack Smart: Keep keto-friendly snacks like nuts, cheese, or beef jerky in your backpack for those busy days when you're on the move.

- Plan and Prepare: Batch cooking keto meals can help you stay on track. You can also reach out to dining services to inquire about nutritional information and special requests.

- Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water is crucial, especially when starting a keto diet. Aim for half your body weight in ounces as a minimum.

- Manage Stress: Stress can impact your body's ability to enter ketosis, so find healthy ways to manage it, such as getting enough sleep, exercising, or practising relaxation techniques.

- Track Your Progress: Consider using a food scale or a calorie-tracking app to monitor your macronutrient intake and ensure you're staying within your carbohydrate limit.

Keto-friendly dining hall options: eggs, cheese, grilled chicken, deli meat, burgers without buns

Keto-friendly dining hall options

Eggs

Eggs are a great keto-friendly breakfast option. Ask for scrambled eggs with shredded cheese and a slice or two of bacon. If your dining hall offers fancier options, you can add some vegetables or a side of avocado. If you're not a breakfast person, skip it and have a cup of black coffee instead.

Cheese

Cheese is another good breakfast option, especially if you get to know the kitchen staff and they're happy to accommodate special requests. You could ask for some extra cheese on your eggs, or have cheese on the side. Cheese is also available at the salad bar, which is a good option for lunch or dinner.

Grilled chicken

Grilled chicken breast is a keto-friendly option that's widely available in college dining halls. It's often served as part of a salad, but some colleges have specific themes each day of the week, so you might find grilled chicken on the menu as a main course. Just watch out for added sauces, as these usually contain sugar.

Deli meat

Deli meat is a good lunch option. You can get it from the sandwich station, but ask for it without the bread.

Burgers without buns

If you're uncomfortable asking for a burger without the bun, you can say you have celiac disease. Colleges usually have specific themes, so there's a good chance they'll be serving burgers one day a week. Again, watch out for sugary condiments.

Other tips

• If you have special dietary needs, make an appointment with the director of your school's dining services, and possibly the office of disability services. There may be a chance you can get the cook to whip up keto-friendly meals for you.
• Get to know the kitchen staff. It can be helpful to be on friendly terms with the cooks, as they may be more willing to accommodate special requests.
• Ask for nutritional information. Many students have special dietary needs, so you shouldn't feel awkward about asking.
• Be aware of hidden carbohydrates in certain foods that may seem keto-friendly. For example, sauces and dressings often contain sugar, and some breakfast meats contain added sugars or fillers.
• Plan ahead. Batch cooking sets you up for a week of keto dishes so you don’t slip up when lunch or dinner time comes around.

Ask for nutritional information: don't be afraid to ask for help with your dietary needs

Asking for nutritional information is a great way to ensure you stay on track with your keto diet while at college. Many students have special dietary needs, so don't feel awkward about asking for help. Meal plans are often a requirement when living on campus, so the dining hall is obligated to ensure they are serving food that you can eat.

Your school's dining services will probably be more than happy to show you the nutritional information. You can make an appointment with the director of your school's dining services, and possibly the office of disability services, to discuss your dietary needs. There may be a chance that the cook can prepare keto-friendly meals for you.

It's also a good idea to get to know the kitchen staff. You'll be seeing the cooks quite often, and making friends with them may open up access to special requests. For example, they may be able to tell you about any added fillers in the eggs, such as flour or milk.

If you're unsure about what's in something, it's probably best to stay away. But remember, you can always ask for the nutritional information. College staff are usually very willing to provide this information or make alterations for you.

Be social: get to know kitchen staff, they may be able to accommodate special requests

Being social and getting to know the kitchen staff can be a great way to make your keto diet easier in college. While it may feel awkward to ask for nutritional information, remember that many students have special dietary needs, and your school's dining services are probably more than happy to help. Making friends with the kitchen staff may even open up access to special requests.

To get started, you can make an appointment with the director of your school's dining services, and possibly the office of disability services. They may be able to help you get the cook to prepare keto-friendly meals for you. It's also a good idea to ask for the nutritional information for the meals served in the dining hall, so you can make informed choices.

When it comes to meals, there are plenty of keto-friendly options that you can find in most college dining halls. For breakfast, scrambled eggs with shredded cheese and bacon are usually available. You can also add some veggies or avocado if your dining hall offers them. Just be sure to skip the oatmeal, grits, and any added fillers in the eggs, as these are not keto-friendly.

At lunch and dinner, your best bet is usually the salad bar, where you can load up on vegetables, cheeses, hard-boiled eggs, plain chicken breasts, and tuna. If you're not a fan of salads, you can opt for deli meat and cheese from the sandwich station, or a cheeseburger without the bun and sugary condiments. Remember to watch out for added sauces or sugars on the meat, as these can add up.

With a little socialising and some friendly requests, sticking to your keto diet in college can be a lot easier than you think!

Keto breakfast options: eggs, cheese, bacon, avocado, sausage

Breakfast is often the easiest meal to adapt to a keto diet, especially if you're dining in a college mess hall. Here are some keto breakfast options that include eggs, cheese, bacon, avocado, and sausage:

Scrambled Eggs with Cheese and Bacon

This is a simple, classic breakfast option. You can add some vegetables on the side, such as broccoli, or even throw them into the scramble. Just make sure to check for any added fillers in the eggs, as flour and milk are commonly used.

Keto Breakfast Casserole

This is a more elaborate breakfast option that you can make ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for up to three days. It includes eggs, breakfast sausage, garlic, broccoli, heavy cream, cheddar cheese, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper. You can also add other vegetables like bell peppers, asparagus, onions, spinach, or celery.

Bacon and Eggs

Fry up some bacon and use the grease to cook your eggs. Top with sliced tomatoes, avocado, and shredded mozzarella cheese. This breakfast option is quick, easy, and customizable.

Keto Sausage Breakfast Sandwich

This option involves making a sort of egg patty with eggs, heavy cream, and red pepper flakes, cooked in a non-stick skillet. Place a slice of cheese in the middle of the egg patty and fold the sides over. Serve the egg and cheese patty between two sausage patties, with avocado on the side.

Other Options

You can also try a tuna salad with plain tuna from the salad bar, grilled chicken breast, deli meat and cheeses, or a cheeseburger without the bun and any sugary condiments.

Keto lunch and dinner options: salad bar, deli meat and cheese, cheeseburgers without buns

Sticking to keto in college can be challenging, especially when it comes to finding suitable lunch and dinner options. However, with a little knowledge and preparation, it can be done! Here are some tips for keto lunch and dinner options when eating at your college dining hall or on the go:

Salad Bar

Most college dining halls have a salad bar with plenty of keto-friendly options. Load up on vegetables like lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and other low-carb veggies. Add different types of cheese such as cheddar, mozzarella, or feta. For protein, include hard-boiled eggs, plain chicken breasts, tuna, or other deli meats like salami, ham, or turkey. Just be mindful of any high-carb toppings like croutons, dried fruit, or sweet dressings, and opt for high-fat, low-carb dressings like ranch, oil and vinegar, or salsa instead.

Deli Meat and Cheese

If you're not in the mood for a salad, you can still hit up the salad bar for some vegetables and then head over to the sandwich station. Opt for some deli meat and cheese without the bread. Some examples of keto-friendly deli meats include salami, ham, turkey, bacon, and chicken.

Cheeseburgers Without Buns

Another great option for lunch or dinner is a cheeseburger without the bun. Ask for a fatty cut of steak or a cheeseburger without the bread, and replace any sugary condiments with keto-friendly options like salsa, mayonnaise, mustard, or guacamole. You can also add extra cheese, bacon, avocado, or vegetables like lettuce, tomato, or onion.

By choosing these keto-friendly lunch and dinner options and being mindful of hidden carbs, you can stay on track with your ketogenic diet while in college.

Frequently asked questions