Students are generally very busy people, and busy people often do not have the time to make healthy food choices.

They are often left with whatever food is fast – namely: fast food.

The food on the Sacramento State campus is likewise very quick in order to accommodate students’ frantic lifestyles. That is why it is a commonly-held belief that there are very few healthy places to eat at Sac State. But is the situation as hopeless as that?

Jessica Baidwan, sophomore biology major, tries to eat healthy and said she generally does. Baidwan said, however, that if she were to eat all of her meals on campus, her health would wane severely.

“I would gain a lot of weight,” she said. “I’d be ballooning.”

She said it’s hard sometimes to even get a healthy beverage.

“Most of the time water is out, but sodas are there,” Baidwan said.

Nguyen Tran, senior marketing major, had trouble thinking of a single eatery that provides healthy food. After some thought, he said, “Togo’s? and Java City have good sandwiches.”

Advertisements for food permeate the Sac State campus – advertisements for the most elaborately decadent coffees, the juiciest cheeseburgers and pizzas so greasy you can see your face reflected in the pepperoni.

Such advertisements leave little wonder as to why it is so hard for students to imagine eating every meal on campus while maintaining ideal health. That is also why it is plausible for students to have trouble even naming a place that serves healthy food.

The fact that nutritional health is essential should not go without mention. The results of poor nutrition are evident.

Research by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development has shown that the U.S. has “the highest rates of obesity in the developed world.”

Diabetes has been termed an epidemic by The Center for Disease Control.

This information has caused some students to bring lunch in order to avoid unhealthy eating.

Kien Vong, senior chemistry major, knows of exactly zero healthy places to eat on campus, so she packs a lunch to bring “pretty much every day.”

Tran and Baidwan look favorably on students who bring lunch to campus.

“They’re smart,” Tran said.

“I think that’s pretty cool that they actually took the time to pack lunch,” Baidwan said.

Bringing lunch is potentially a very healthy alternative to eating on campus and a respectable alternative to be sure, but not many students feel like they have the time to prepare meals to bring.

Tran said she brings lunch about two times a semester.

Baidwan said that she never brings lunch. One must wonder if the dietary situation at Sac State is so bleak that bringing food from outside is really the only healthy option.

Nutrition professor Wendy Cunningham maintains a differing opinion from many students who believe that there are little or no nutritional food places on the premises.

“There are many healthy places on campus,” Cunningham said.

She went on to list healthy options at nearly every eatery at Sac State. Some of those healthy options include: Gordito Burrito’s different types of veggie burritos; Mother India Express’s rice and meat meal; Saigon Bay Express at the Outpost has noodles and chicken and a shrimp and vegetable wrap; Kung Fu Fat’s has a teriyaki chicken and vegetable bowl.

She also said that there are several Chinese and Mexican food restaurants near campus that serve similarly healthy food choices. She said there are far more healthy choices than students think.

“I think there is a lack of awareness of what is healthy or of the ability to modify choices to make them healthy,” Cunningham said.

She suggested asking for sandwiches without mayonnaise and also a number of meals that have a larger proportion of vegetables.

The only place from which Cunningham could not think of a healthy food item is Burger King. Cunningham said that regularly Burger Kings offer at least a few healthy options, but that the one at Sac State does not have those options available.

Even for students who have very little knowledge of nutritional matters, a more obvious nutritional choice will soon become available.

A building attached to the side of the Hornet Bookstore has several signs posted on it. The signs say, “Opening soon! Subway.”

Once on campus, Subway will provide students and faculty with healthy options.

Jesse Fernandez can be reached at [email protected]