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Two years ago my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Thankfully she is alive and well but because of what cancer did to her body and the possibility of it coming back, she is forced to eat a vegetarian, almost vegan diet. My father was also very out of shape and as my mom was changing her diet he decided to go on a diet of his own. He later lost 60 pounds in under four months and is now in the best shape he has ever been.

Now as a college student, I rely on the occasional trips where my mom takes me on a Wal-Mart shopping spree to fill up my pantry. She continually gives me tips and tricks for eating healthier, and she sort of forces me to buy organic and other natural products. This has helped me to find out how good healthy food actually is!

Because of what my mother has been through, eating healthy has become an important part of my life. I stopped buying dairy products and instead of junk cereal I now eat a good granola. There are many small habits that I am slowly changing, but I noticed that it is quite difficult to eat healthy while attending college.

A Future Investment

One big problem I have with healthy eating is the cost. I can pay 35 cents for a ramen noodle meal, or much more for an organic option. If I were extremely wealthy, I would have no problem eating healthy but the fact is the majority of college students are strapped for cash and because of this they resort to cheap alternatives.

My mother did a calculation and found out that after all the medical costs from cancer, she spent more on her poor health than she would have if she were to have purchased healthier food throughout her life. She has taught me that although organic and other natural food may be more expensive, it should be considered an investment.

Make Your Own Food

Studies have shown that any homemade meal is much healthier for you than fast food or processed grocery store foods. When growing up, my mom made the same things over and over. Now don’t get me wrong, I love my mom’s cooking, but when it came to healthy eating we could have done much better. Never in my entire childhood did I have fish for a meal. Now my parents have it almost three times a week and I too have started to cook fish. Although it may take up more of your time, cooking helps you relax and you can make a large quantity that will last you for days. A simple google search for “easy college meals” will give you thousands of ideas.

Start Off Easy

There are many places where you can start. I started with caffeine. One day I decided it wasn’t good for me and I simply stopped drinking it. I have noticed a great difference in my energy since giving up caffeine. From there I stopped drinking cow’s milk and I transitioned to rice milk, I love it! The thing is everyone has their own idea of what is healthy and what isn’t so I recommend you make a list of what you would like to change and make plans on how you are going to accomplish them. Try to spend more time in cooking your own food and more money on healthier options. You will thank yourself in the future for doing so.

Because of the lack of time and money, it can be difficult to eat healthy while in college. But in all honesty now is the best time to start. Life is only going to become more hectic as we enter careers and start families. Starting healthy habits now will actually be easier than if we were forced to do so later on in our lives.

About the Author

Parker Boyack is a writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers helps people determine if an online education is right for them and helps them understand which online courses and online schools they can choose from to reach their goals.

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