Plenty of food options can be found in school/work cafeterias but healthy options can sometimes be far and few between.
My work’s cafeteria has a hot food line, grill line, and salad bar as well as “grab & go” items like fresh fruit, yogurt, and chips. The hot line usually features three entree choices ranging from baked chicken to alfredo pasta to fried catfish with a handful of side items such as cooked veggies, rolls, or mac & cheese. While the grill line offers pizza, hamburgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, or fried chicken tenders along with french fries and onion rings. There are a variety of choices on the salad bar that changes daily featuring a protein source (grilled chicken, shrimp, tuna salad), raw veggies, shredded cheese, and nuts/seeds. Probably sounds pretty typically except for the Southern style hot line!
Usually, I advocate bringing lunch from home over dining in a cafeteria for a guaranteed healthy lunch; however, it is possible to find healthy options with a little bit of effort in a cafeteria. For example, here were my options from the other day in my work cafeteria…
Hot Line- Smoked Boudin Sausage, BBQ Ribs, Smothered Turkey Leg, Green Beans, Mac & Cheese, Corn, White or Wheat Roll
Grill Line- Pepperoni Pizza, Hamburger, Grilled Chicken Sandwich, French Fries
Salad Bar- Spinach, Tuna Salad, Chicken Salad, Grilled Shrimp, Shredded Cheese, Grape Tomatoes, Carrots, Mushrooms, Beets, Sunflower Seeds, Walnuts
The three hot entree options were not the healthiest so I decided on a grilled shrimp salad with spinach, grape tomatoes, mushrooms, sunflower seeds topped with a drizzle of olive oil & balsamic vinegar and a small spoonful of crunchy chow mein noodles.
I picked up a banana and baked chips to go along with my delicious salad…
I saved around 6 gm fat & 30 calories by choosing the baked chips over the regular chips. Also, I saved around 16 gm fat & 140 calories by choosing the shrimp over the tuna salad. Another healthy lunch option would have been the grilled chicken sandwich on a whole wheat bun with green beans as a side.
How often do you eat at a school/work cafeteria? What’s your “go-to” meal option in a cafeteria?
Kasey
UHH can i come eat at your works cafeteria?! THAT SOUNDS AWESOME! where do you work? my go to meal in the cafeteria was ALWAYS turkey and cheese sandwiches!
I always try to bring lunch to school, and right now I’m on a salad theme. But when I decide to go out, my fav is a pipin’ hot piece of pizza from The Hot Tomato! It’s a treat, and so good!
I remember the cafeteria days during my internship at the hospital. I must say that it is nice not having to pack a lunch. Most of the hospitals I interned at had great options. I would usually do a salad like you have made. One of the hospitals had tasty sandwiches that were made to order.
Have a great week!
Back when I used to work, I brought my own lunch 95% of the time. Not only to be healthy, but to be cheap.
I don’t have a cafeteria, but I am about 1/2 and 1/2 with bringing my lunch and eating out. I bring leftovers sometimes and I get a baked chicken (whole) from the store and I will do that a couple of days and do a veggie as a side or salad. We have a chick-fil-a they just built down the street so have been getting grill chicken sandwiches!! Can’t you tell I love chicken!
It sounds like your cafeteria is doing things right!! While they do have some not-so-healthy options, it sounds like they have enough healthy options to make most people happy
This is definitely not the case with many cafeterias I have seen. I have yet to have a job that has a cafeteria, but I’m hoping when I do there will be some healthy options! Although I usually save my money and pack, to be quite honest, but it’s good to have other options.
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