“The greatest wealth is health.” — Virgil

The other day, I was walking through the SAC trying to grab an ever elusive banana (don’t they always seem to never have any?). But halfway there, as I passed the soup kiosk, my eyes wandered to the beautifully lighted cheese pizzas under the heating lamps. I wavered — on the one hand, I wasn’t starving; but the pizza looked amazing, and I decided that I would get some.

But as I walked towards it the aromas gaining on me, I stopped short and turned around. What had happened? I checked the calorie content. An average slice of cheese pizza at the SAC contains around 536 calories. Grab that, along with a Coke, around 250 calories, and fries, 270 calories, and the average meal that a Stony Brook student is ending up eating is a little over 1,000 calories, which is a little over half the recommended daily caloric intake of 2,000 calories.

I’m not saying that a slice of pizza is terrible, or that we should ban ourselves from eating fast food. But what I am surprised about is the nonchalance with which we buy this. It’s fast, easy, and therefore, the best meal for a college student on the go-but shouldn’t we be eating healthier?

Stony Brook nutritionist Barbie Kaufmann has the right idea — substitute and compromise. If you are really craving pizza, she recommends getting a fruit salad or some veggies from the salad bar to balance out your meal. Instead of regular cheese, try the whole wheat style at the SAC. Make a switch in that meal. Instead of the usual soda, get a V8 (it has fruit, which is good for you). Or water, for a zero calorie option.

Instead of the kettle chips or fries, grab the soy crisps, or better yet, do what Kaufmann does and grab some fruit. And if pizza is really the only thing on your mind, getting one with vegetables might be more nutritional, albeit more caloric.

Ms. Kaufmann also recommends getting some lean meat in your meal to add more protein. Chicken is a good option. Pepperoni and sausage, which are high in sodium, are not. And remember serving size. Kauffmann says a good rule of thumb is that most places, including Stony Brook University, serve 2-3 times the normal serving size of an item — so don’t feel bad if you can’t finish that slice.

College food is not known for its healthiness; if anything, it’s known for its lack thereof. So if your daily meal consists of pizza and Coke, make sure you take the time to add some fruits or vegetables. They are good for you, and the freshmen 15 (which you can still gain as a sophomore or senior) might stave off for a while.

Barbie Kaufmann is the health nutritionist at Stony Brook University. You can contact her at [email protected] or drop by her office in Kelly Dining Hall.