Healthiest and Unhealthiest College Stadium Food

From jumbo hot dogs to greasy French fries, you don’t need a Ph.D to know that most foods offered at sports stadiums are not the healthiest fare. Since college campuses are always buzzing with football, hockey and basketball games, it is important to arm yourself with a score sheet of the best and worst eats in sports arenas.
Best Choices

• Small popcorn shared with a friend: Hold the extra butter and one small box of concession-style popcorn will set you back 573 calories. If you share that between a buddy, however, you’ll consume just a little under 300 calories and 15 grams of fat.
• One slice of pizza: We’re not talking the deep-dish and extra cheese style of pie, but rather a thin crust pizza with cheese and/or veggies. One slice of cheese pizza clocks in at around 250 calories, depending upon the size.
• Vegetarian sandwiches: Many sports stadiums are catering to healthy-minded and non-meat-eating sports enthusiasts by offering vegetarian options like veggie burgers, meat-free hot dogs and vegetable wraps. If you opt for this route, make sure to skip the cheese, mayo and other calorie-laden toppings.

Worst Choices

• Hot dog: One stadium hot dog contains 470 calories, 21 grams of fat and 1044 mg of sodium – that’s almost 50 percent of your day’s allotment of salt in just a few bites!
• Soft pretzel with cheese: Just the pretzel alone has 488 calories. Add the melted orange “cheese” and you’re adding another 150 to 200 calories.
• Nachos with cheese: Forty tortilla chips dipped in a small tub of nacho cheese sauce contains 1,100 calories, 60 grams of fat, 19 of which are saturated and 1580 mg of sodium. Need we say more?

So, what is a hungry sports fans to do?
Nosh before you cheer: Grab a bite to eat before you head out to the stadium either in the dormitory cafeteria or in your apartment or sorority house. When we prepare our own food, we tend to eat less and eat healthier.
Pack health snacks: As long as the arena allows it, (we have to say that) pack a few healthy snacks in your purse, bag or coat pockets. Granola bars, apples, or small bags of trail mix will easily tie you over until the game is over.
Choose wisely: If you can’t resist a cup of stadium French fries or a bag of caramel corn, by all means, indulge, but be smart about it. Share it with a friend or save up your calories throughout the day to balance out your treat.
Also read:
Healthy Fast Food Choices for College Students
How to Avoid the Freshman 15
Healthy College Student Check-List