Eating clean on campus was not natural for college student Kira Bell. Between late-night study sessions, fast food temptations, and a small menu in the dining hall, she easily developed habits that left her lethargic and unmotive. But a run of tiredness and persistent headaches in her sophomore year caused her to rethink the kind of nutrition she was giving her body.
First, Kira believed that clean eating entailed hours of cooking and buying at costly organic stores—something that seemed unachievable on a college budget and schedule. Over time, though, she found that, if she approached clean eating deliberately, it might be both accessible and sensible.
Her first change of direction was learning to schedule around her real way of living. “I had to get creative since I don’t have a complete kitchen,” she notes.
She started concentrating on things like fresh fruit, hard-boiled eggs, and basic grain bowls she could put together in her dorm kitchenette that needed no preparation but had great nutritional value. Rather of eliminating all her beloved treats, she sought better substitutes: nut butter with apples instead of packaged sweets or popcorn instead of chips.
More significantly, she gave up striving for perfection. “Clean eating is about not being rigid,” Kira says.
“It’s about, where and when you can, making better decisions.” That kind of change of perspective helped her negotiate college dining halls as well. She began selecting grilled meats, piling on veggies, and avoiding sugary drinks. She also encouraged her housemates to accompany her for supermarket excursions and portable container Sunday prep sessions.
Now, Kira adds, clean eating provided mental clarity and emotional assurance throughout one of the most turbulent periods of her life—more than just physical advantages. Even if everything else is a little untidy, “when I eat better, I focus better and I feel more in control.”
