Navigating Food in College
It’s back-to-school season and you’re off to college! You may have anxiety about transitioning to life in college, especially if you are a freshman. That anxiety is only multiplied when you are struggling with food, eating, and body image issues.
The college environment can be toxic and triggering. Diet culture and disordered eating are normalized in college life. If you are a freshman, you may get bombarded with warnings about the supposedly inevitable “Freshman 15.” Then there’s the widespread, sometimes true claim, that college students who don't have meal plans simply “live off ramen.” In the midst of early morning classes and late-night study sessions, some students drink coffee and call it a meal.
Throughout college, you will be exposed to so many people– roommates, classmates, sorority sisters/fraternity brothers, and new friends– who all have their own complicated relationships with food. The eating habits of those around you may trigger your disordered eating behaviors.
The best way to maintain your eating disorder recovery is to be prepared.
Find A Dining Hall Buddy
Going to the dining hall alone can be daunting. Take your roommate or friend anytime you can.
Your dining hall buddy can also serve as an accountability partner, making sure you go to the dining hall for each meal.
Challenge Yourself Regularly
College life will be full of social events, from club meetings to parties and many of these gatherings will involve food. There will also be spontaneous taco Tuesdays, late-night pizza orders, and drive-thru runs. Being able to connect over food is important for your social life.
View these events as a challenge for your eating disorder. Plan to try fear foods, or if you never eat at social gatherings, challenge yourself to have just one snack.
Prepare To Practice Flexibility
If you are used to a meal plan or set meal times, adjusting to your new college schedule may be a challenge. Early morning classes mean earlier lunch/morning snacks. Late nights may mean you get hungry after dinner and/or evening snacks. It’s okay to eat again.
Practice letting goes of arbitrary food rules like “don’t eat after 8 pm,” and honor your hunger.
Bring Your Own Snacks
Whenever you aren’t sure about food plans, bring your own snacks. This could be whenever you will be working on a project, studying, having a night out, or going on weekend trips. Just because your friends and classmates aren’t eating doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.
A dietitian can help you come up with ideas for on-the-go snacks that are easy to bring along.
Stock Up On Dorm-Friendly Foods
It may be tempting to restrict your access to food, but the dining hall and campus vending machines shouldn’t be your only options. Keep dorm-friendly meals and snacks in your room so you can eat whenever you want and need to. Here are some ideas:
Trader Joe’s frozen meals (if your freezer has room)
Barilla microwave pasta dishes
Tasty Bite microwave packets
Popcorn
Ready-made meals like pasta salads, sandwiches, wraps, etc. for your mini fridge
Overnight oats
Yogurt
Muffins
Bananas
Manage Stress-Eating
Between the new academic standards and homesickness, you will have a bit of an adjustment period. It’s normal to turn to food when the stress and overwhelming emotions get to you. Stress eating/emotional eating for comfort is always OK, but your eating disorder may bring up guilt and shame whenever you do so. You can prepare yourself by having alternative coping tools on hand, such as a go-to comfort TV show, a journal, objects that remind you of your home, or meditation apps.
Going to college while struggling with disordered eating is possible. You can make the transition from high school to college easier on yourself by being prepared when it comes to food.
Stay tuned for more blogs in our college eating disorder series.
Start Eating Disorder Counseling in California
Our eating disorder therapists in California work with busy college students and high school students transitioning to college through online therapy. Your Kindful Body therapist will help you develop healthier coping strategies to navigate life’s stressors and support you in healing the underlying issues that caused your obsession to spiral out of control. With time you will learn to stop obsessing about food and your body, gain a better understanding of yourself, and develop more confidence to take on life’s challenges.
Our offices are located throughout California via online therapy. These areas include San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Palo Alto. If you’re ready to make peace with food, your body, and yourself, you’re in the right place. Eating disorder treatment for students in college is just a click away.
Contact us for a free 15-minute video consultation to find out how we can help.
Meet with one of our caring therapists.
Begin your journey of healing.
Other Services Offered At Kindful Body
Kindful Body can offer more than just eating disorder counseling. Other mental health services include body image therapy, therapy for binge eating, emotional eating therapy, and nutritional counseling. Our skilled therapists also offer trauma therapy, therapy for stress and anxiety, relationship counseling, and grief counseling.