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MUSC cafeteria offers healthy selections  by Laura Becker Dietetic Intern “I just don’t have time to eat fruits and vegetables.” “There aren’t any healthy choices in the cafeteria.” Do you use these excuses to avoid eating healthy? In addition to snacking on fruits and vegetables, there are so many simple ways to include them in your diet and choose healthy meals, even in the cafeteria.  The United States Department of Agriculture, along with the American Dietetic Association, recommends that you consume five fruits and vegetables each day. One serving of fruit is one piece of medium fruit, or a half-cup fruit or fruit juice.  One vegetable is one cup raw or one-half cup cooked vegetables. Throughout March, the cafeteria will post a sign with the featured low-fat selection to help you make healthy lunch choices. Let’s take a look at the various shops in the cafeteria to see how you can add fruits and vegetables. A la Carte Have you tried the pizza with veggies or tomatoes?  This is another great way to get those vegetables. The tomato and feta pizza is a good source of calcium and potassium, and feta wins the prize for being a cheese with a low fat content. Subway Choose the 6-inch vegetable sub, which will give you at least one cup of vegetables, which is one serving.  Or, if you get a sub with meat, but be sure to load it with veggies like tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Hot Line The hot line usually offers three vegetables. Ask for them. Although the vegetables are prepared with margarine, they still meet the guidelines of containing less than 30 percent of the calories from fat.  Theme Cuisine Pasta is frequently served at Theme Cuisine. That cup of spaghetti sauce on your pasta contains at least 20 percent of your daily requirement for magnesium, iron, and vitamin A, and half of your potassium and vitamin C needs. Chick Fil-A Choose the chargrilled chicken sandwich as a low fat option. Add lettuce and tomato to your chicken sandwich for potassium and vitamin C. Hot Dog Construction Hot Dog Construction offers fat-free hot dogs. Instead of the high-fat taco salad, ask for no meat and load it with lettuce and tomatoes. Salad and Soup Bar If you want something light, build your own salad.  You can easily get two servings of vegetables this way. Just remember to choose a low-fat salad dressing if you’re limiting your fat intake.  Soup goes well with salad. With 12 ounces of soup, you’re sure to get at least a half-cup of cooked vegetables, which is one serving. Look for soups with vegetable in the name, such as beef vegetable. Be sure to get a variety of fruits and vegetables. You can eat them as side dishes or snacks, or add them to foods. As you can see, it is possible, and tasty, to eat healthy in the cafeteria, and to get your five  a day. So, start today for a healthy tomorrow.