With the new wave of students arriving at the University of Georgia, excitement about freshman possibilities is high. But with the intensity of classes and back-to-school festivities, the routine of eating healthy and regular meals can get thrown off track.
Cost barriers, stress, limited knowledge of healthy food preparation, and taste preferences have been identified as barriers to healthy eating among young adults, according to the National Library of Medicine.
However, senior students at UGA have some suggestions and advice for younger students learning to navigate a new environment of nutrition and independence.
Sami Peterson, a senior majoring in marketing and international business at UGA, said her personal journey as a chef began with baking during the coronavirus lockdowns.
“When I started college, I had a lot of work to do and became pretty bad at cooking. So I started making anything that was quick and easy, like homemade oatmeal in the morning or yogurt bowls,” Peterson said.
Ethan Jacobs, a fifth-year computer science student at UGA, said it’s important not to be afraid of cooking, but to experiment with it.
“You won’t become a professional right away,” Jacobs said.
UGA recommends a meal plan for first-year students, but this is up to each student’s discretion. With a wide variety of options from block meal plans to all-access meals, students have the opportunity to experiment with what and how they eat.
Peterson shared tips for getting started with cooking at the beginning of the semester. She suggested playing around with online recipes and experimenting with recommendations from ChatGPT.
“If you’re not particularly busy, try a few things and then find a few staples that you like and that you can easily prepare. Then just focus on buying the ingredients for them,” Peterson advises.
According to the National Library of Medicine, young adulthood is a crucial time for developing independent lifestyle skills, which includes cooking.
Miranda Obrero, a third-year elementary education major at UGA, described learning, cooking and taking care of herself as an out-of-state student as an enriching experience.
“I’m out here, 3,000 miles from home, all alone, so it’s really an accomplishment to be able to say, ‘Yes, I can take care of myself. I can cook my own meals,'” Obrero said.
Madden Callahan, a senior studying public relations at UGA, said going from having meals served in UGA’s dining halls and then at her sorority house to having to cook for herself has been a significant adjustment.
“Just take it slow in the beginning rather than trying to cook these really elaborate meals. That can help make it a little less intimidating,” Callahan said.
