Onion rings, fries, and sizzling cheeseburgers are often the foods that entice students to forget health foods and indulge in their scrumptious flavors. Many students do not think twice about what they eat at lunch, but statistics have shown that lunches mold teens eating habits.

“I go off campus everyday and never bring a sack lunch,” Tricia Hill, ’03, said. “But it is healthier than the truck because I usually go to Subway or Boston Market.”

Most schools offer cafeterias or lunch trucks with various food choices for students to manufacture. Although, even with the cafeteria food provided, various students abroad have started choosing vending machines filled with candy, chips, and soft drinks over a healthy meal.

“I bring my lunch everyday, but I also buy stuff from the truck,” Jordan Griffin, ’03, said. “I like the variety of both, and it would not be as fun to just have one or the other.”

John’s Lunch Truck is this campus’ cafeteria for as long as ten years. Many ponder why there is no cafeteria, while others are grateful for the truck, and enjoy its food selection. Others often choose to bring their lunches and save lunch money for other things. But, some just prefer a healthier food supply.

“I eat whatever I want for lunch, and is usually buying my lunch from the truck,” Afshin Saffarzadah, ’05, said. “If I get something from the truck it will usually be a chicken quesadilla with a Pepsi, which is rather healthy.”

As a result people who do not prefer what their school provides health wise, should not find fattier foods that are quicker in exchange for a burrito or sandwich. It is known lunch is a very important part of the day and your body should be fed healthily.

When students choose soda, chips, or candy they are setting themselves up for high cholesterol, heart problems, or other health risks. There are many healthy food choices students can make, instead of just choosing a fast meal. Its their choice what to feed their bodies, and in the end it will shape their adult eating habits.

Top favorite fast foods on the truck are cheeseburgers, fries, and chicken quesadillas. However most do not know is that one cheeseburger contains 380 calories, 19 grams of fat, and 5 grams of sugar.

French fries contain 370 calories, 20 grams of fat, and no sugar. The last favorite is a chicken quesadilla, which contains 420 calories, 22 grams of fat, and 2 grams of sugar. Often students on campus consume more calories, fat and sugar without giving it a second thought.

For the average woman the amount of calories is recommended 1800 per day. For a man the average amount consumed is 2000 calories per day. While most students do not know how many calories they daily need, a lack of knowledge may affect weight gain or long-term health.

For more information on how to keep your body healthy and monitor your calorie intake visit http://www.sa.psu.edu/uhs/foodguidepyramid.htm.