Christina Cortes, junior psychology major, has fallen into the seemingly inevitable college-student trend of going out to eat late at night.

Cortes said on average, during her study break in the wee hours of the night, she ends up at a drive-thru window – they are cheap and consistent with late-night operating hours, she said.

Sacramento State students who are looking for grub will take the most convenient route.Jason Blessinger, exercise psychologist for Fit HELP, said the fact of the matter is “people need to eat.”

A restaurant that satisfies peoples need to eat no matter what time of day is La Garnacha, a outdoor Mexican food restaurant located on 16th Street and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

La Garnacha Manager Mao Rodriguiz said the most popular late night food items are their burritos and nachos.

Although burritos and nachos are commonly ordered, Blessinger said, foods like these may not be the healthiest choices.

“Late-night (eating) doesn’t hurt you so much if it is healthy food,” Blessenger said. “There are better ways to eat though (aside from eating out), even if eating late at night is an essential.”

Rodriguiz said many students come by the restaurant late at night after they have been out drinking. La Garnacha is much more popular in the summertime because there is no table service and all of the tables are located outdoors.

Blessinger said students need to take into account the time they eat and the amount of food that they eat.

“The body still needs calories but the more we can spread it out over the day with smaller portions, the better,” Blessinger said.

If students are trying to avoid those “freshman 15,” the 15 pounds college students supposedly gain in weight during their freshman year, they may want to avoid the late-night foods, Blessinger said.

He said if students eat three meals a day and small snacks in between, chances are they won’t overeat. Eating late at night is adding on extra calories, Blessinger said, calories a person probably may not necessarily need.

Most students eat out late at night because it is fast and easy, Blessinger said, especially since they no longer have anyone to cook for them.

A fast and easy choice downtown that requires no cooking skills is Luigi’s Slice, located on 1050 20th St., which serves beer and pizza until 2 a.m. during the weekend.

Luigi’s offers a “create your own” pizza where customers can order exactly what they want.

Of course, the restaurant also still maintains the classics like the meatlovers and vegetarian pizzas.

Although Luigi’s is known for its pizzas, they also serve other foods for late-night dining; it also serves pastrami and meatball sandwiches and salads as well.

Blessinger said students can transcend this trait of eating out late.

“It is a learned behavior,” Blessinger said. “It can be changed or rectified but that all depends on the willpower of each individual.”

Nonetheless, he said, students do go out to eat late, no matter the extra calories or health risks.

Blessinger said Fit HELP can work with students by pairing them up with a dietician so they can work on their eating habits and be able to lose weight.

Senior biology major Katy Kvasager disagrees with Blessinger.

“It’s not a dietician I need to meet with &- I need a life counselor,” Kvasager said. “I need someone to help me with time management. I need to have time to eat; that’s my only problem.”

Kvasager said at this point in her life, she is not worried about her eating habits.

“College is too stressful to worry about my eating habits.

The food I am eating – even if it’s drive thrus late at night – is keeping me alive and healthy so that I can get through my next set of midterms &- that’s how a college student thinks,” she said.

Kvasager said her favorite place to grab a bite late at night is INK, located on N Street.

At INK there is a tattoo-parlor feel with vibrant art all around the room.

Kvasager said INK offers a full bar and the most extensive late-night menu in the area.

At INK, students can order a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner foods.

INK has everything from eggs in the morning, to pastrami sandwiches at lunch and trip-tip for dinner, Kvasager said.

The restaurant also has a bonus menu with late-night food offerings like buffalo wings and sliders.

Kvasager said she realizes she may someday have to kick her late-night diet.

“When I get a 9-to-5 job, I obviously won’t be up so late,” Kvasager said. “But until then, I will continue eating at my favorite late-night restaurants downtown.”

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