WCU Dining: Weekly Wellness Writes

Happy homecoming week, Rams! With World Heart Day right around the corner on September 29th, what better time to celebrate by showing your heart some love? Here are some tips that may help support a healthy heart.  

1. Fill your plate with color! Fruits and vegetables provide fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that support your heart. Refer to previous blog posts on ways to add fiber and other benefits of fruits and vegetables.

2. Choose heart healthy fats! Choosing unsaturated fats may help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of developing heart disease in the future. These fats can be found in olive oil, seeds, avocado, and fatty fish (such as salmon and tuna!). Speaking of fish, be sure to check out the Sustainable Fish Friday offering each week, during lunch in the Commons Dining Hall, for assorted fish features on rotation.  

3. Get moving! Since your heart is a muscle, regular physical activity helps to keep it strong. You don’t have to be a performance athlete in order to get your body moving each day. Take a walk around campus, opt to take the stairs (when possible) as opposed to the elevator, sign up for fitness classes at the Student Rec Center, or create an intramural team! After your workout at the rec, consider stopping by Power Up for some post-work out fuel too.   

4. Take care of yourself! As a college student, stress levels may be high, while time to rest and recharge may be low at times. Find ways to help manage stress and prioritize rest/refueling that may be sustainable for you. Organize your time using a planner, calm your mind by taking walks or breaks where needed, ask for support from your friends and campus recourses when necessary, and aim to get 8 hours of sleep each night. Finding time to incorporate a calming nighttime routine to wind down and a motivating morning routine to prepare you for the day ahead may help make a strong difference for self-care and stress management!  

Heading to homecoming? Be sure to stop by Wellness Wednesday this week during lunch in the Commons to enjoy some of your game-day favorites with a heart healthy twist! Get excited for the game this weekend with delicious & nutritious tailgate bites, featuring Greek yogurt-based buffalo chicken and spinach dips as well as classic hummus with a spicy twist (taco seasoning!). Don’t skip on pairing your dip, or dips, of choice with a variety of colorful vegetables.

Posted: 9/23/2026

In last week’s post, we talked about how fiber may support your overall health. Hydration is another important piece of this puzzle! Fluids aid in digestion, especially when you pair it with fiber. Here are some tips and tricks to stay hydrated during your busy day! 

1.      Smoothies! In last week’s post, we talked about fiber from smoothies. However, that’s not the only thing smoothies are useful for! Fruits and vegetables contain water and may contribute to your overall daily fluid intake. Whether you add them into a smoothie or have them alongside your meal, produce can be a great way to add a little extra fluid to your day without even actually drinking water. 

2.      Carry a water bottle! Have a designated water bottle you can carry to class, study sessions, workouts, and mealtimes. Consider filling your water bottle up before leaving for class, halfway through your academic day, and after your classes/work obligations wrap up for the day. Utilize the filtered water stations available in many buildings throughout campus. They can usually be found near a building’s restrooms. Find a routine that fits your schedule and works well for you!

3.      Make water fun! Adding different flavors to your water may make it more appealing and, therefore, may help make hydration even easier. Try adding fruits like lemon slices, berries, cucumber, or even some mint to change up your water routine. Don’t forget to check out the infused water in The Commons Dining Hall, located next to the deli station! There are a variety of infused water options available daily. Be sure to give them a try to find out what you like best! 

4.      Don’t wait until you’re thirsty! Sipping water consistently throughout the day may support keeping you hydrated. Get into a habit of drinking water throughout the day so you don’t need to play “catch up” when you’re experiencing feelings of thirst. 

5.      Consider your activity level! Athletes undergoing high intensity or endurance training may require more fluids to maintain hydration, especially when sweating heavily or exercising in the heat. If you’re working out, spending extended time outside on a hot day, or sweating more than usual, be sure to pay extra attention to your hydration. 

Staying hydrated doesn’t have to be a complicated process. Try these tips in your routine and see what works best for you! 

Posted: 9/16/2026

During last week’s Wellness Wednesday, which took place in the Commons Dining Hall during lunch, we celebrated September’s Produce of the Month (apples!) with a Customize Your Own Applesauce event. Did you know apples are a good source of dietary fiber? Fiber is an important part of a balanced diet, but only about 5% of people consume enough fiber daily! 

Dietary fiber is a carbohydrate that the human body cannot fully digest. Fiber aids in supporting the digestive system, supports heart health, helps regulate blood sugar, and can aid in keeping you feeling full for longer after meals. Water helps fiber work to its best ability. If you are working on prioritizing fiber intake, it is important to make sure you are also drinking enough water. So, where can you find fiber? Fiber can be found in fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

How can you try to meet your daily fiber goal? 

1.      Choose whole grain options like oats, brown rice, and whole wheat bread or pasta. 

2.      Prioritize your fruit and vegetable intake! It is recommended to have 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit, for a total of 5 servings per day. Meeting this recommendation can help you reach about half of your daily fiber intake. Easy ways to sneak more fruits and vegetables into your diet include pairing vegetables with hummus for a quick snack, adding spinach into your eggs or pasta, and blending fruits and seeds into smoothies. 

Speaking of smoothies, be sure to stop by this week’s Wellness Wednesday! This week features a recurring fan favorite, the smoothie bike, right outside of SECC! Blend your own piña colada smoothie on the bike and enjoy a tasty, refreshing beverage while getting a serving of fruit and some fiber! 

Posted: 9/9/2026

Starting college with a dietary restriction can feel like a big and maybe even scary adjustment but learning your dining options and communicating your needs early can make the transition much easier. With the right resources, navigating food choices doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming. Use these tips and tools to help you select dining options on campus more comfortably and with confidence. 

1.      Know your dining hall options. For starters, the Commons Dining Hall is a Certified Free from Nuts facility. This means that peanuts and tree nuts are not utilized as ingredients in recipes at stations within the location. In addition, on the far-right end upon entering the Commons Dining Hall, there is a station called True Balance. True Balance offers meals prepared without the top 9 most common food allergens, which includes milk, eggs, wheat, fish, and sesame (to name a few). In addition, this station’s recipes are made without gluten-containing ingredients. Preparation spaces, cooking equipment, and utensils are intended to be specific for this station’s recipes, which helps limit the risk of top 9 allergen and gluten cross-contact. True Balance even now offers various flavors of ice cream upon request, too! Make sure to stop by and try it out to wrap up your meal with an allergen and gluten friendly sweet treat. Lastly, on the far-left end of the dining hall, you can find a station called Gluten Solutions. Think of this station as a one-stop-shop for gluten-friendly pantry staples such as sliced breads, hamburger buns, and hot dog buns. Gluten Solutions also provides many individually packaged items such as muffins, bagels, brownies, cookies, hamburger buns, and breakfast biscuits. There is even a dedicated granola dispenser, toaster, waffle iron, and waffle mix dispenser to help lower the risk of cross-contact with gluten. Fun fact: many of the items available at Gluten Solutions are also made without many top 9 allergens. Check out the item’s ingredient statement on the packaging to confirm!

2.   Utilize the dining location webpages. Select the Commons Dining Hall to see what is being served at each station for a particular meal period. You can also click on each individual food item or recipe to see the nutritional information, ingredients, and any available allergen statements. If you need to limit gluten in your diet, look out for the “Made Without Gluten” menu highlight icon displayed on many applicable recipes or food items.

If you’re looking for options at other locations outside of the dining hall, refer to the location’s specific webpage to view the most up-to-date top 9 allergen and nutrition information provided from national brands.

3.      Check the GrubHub app. Top 9 allergen information for many menu items available at Power Up, B+F, and Food Lab can be viewed here.

Still have ingredient, nutrition, or allergen questions? Always feel welcome to ask! Never hesitate to reach out to Emily, Registered Dietitian for WCU Dining Services, or another dining program manager before selecting your meal. 

Posted: 9/2/2026

Building nutritious and delicious meals on campus doesn’t have to be a confusing and extensive task. Follow these easy on-campus dining tips & tricks to help make mealtimes nutritious & delicious! 

Following this framework to support sustained energy throughout the day. Think: Protein + carbohydrate + color = a balanced meal!

Where can you find these options? Great question! Let’s walk through some on-campus dining locations.

Einstein Bros. Bagels is a popular option to meet your breakfast/brunch needs. With a Meal Exchange, you get your choice of bagel with cream cheese, butter, or peanut butter with a medium coffee. All for one meal swipe! 

Try out this combo for a well-balanced meal: Honey Whole Wheat Bagel (whole grain carbohydrate) + Peanut Butter (protein) + Fruit cup (color).

Medi is a Mediterranean-inspired concept that offers the option to create your own bowl. Customize it in any way you like! You can mix and match your favorite ingredients to create a meal that works for your dietary needs and preferences.

Try out this combo for a well-balanced meal: Brown rice (whole grain carbohydrate) Chicken shawarma (protein) + Tomato cucumber salad (color).

Helpful hack: Download the GrubHub app and skip the lines! Order from anywhere and swing by for easy pick up when the app notifies that your meal is ready. Log in to GrubHub using your RamID to load your Ram Card to your account and utilize meal swipes as well as flex dollars right in the app. Full menus for on-campus retail locations (such as Einstein’s and Medi) can be viewed here too!

Now, let’s transition to a location with an “all you care to eat” structure for one meal swipe, The Commons Dining Hall. The Commons offers access to multiple different stations with menu offerings that rotate daily. Giving you the flexibility to choose foods that fit your individual dietary needs.

Helpful hack: Curious about what the dining hall is serving today, tomorrow, or even three days from now? Download the MyDiningHub app to easily view from your phone. Individual menu items have nutritional, ingredient, and top 9 allergen information accessible when selected.

Try out this combo for a well-balanced meal: Taco Tuesday ground beef (protein) from the True Balance station + Tortilla chips (carbohydrate) and sliced peppers and onions (color) from the salad bar to create your own nachos!

In The Commons Dining Hall, don’t be afraid to “Station Hop”! You are not expected to build your entire meal from just one station. Just kindly inform the staff member serving at the station what meal component you would like, and they will be happy to accommodate your request.

Try out some of these hacks and combinations during your on-campus dining experience and find what works best for you! 

Posted: 8/27/2026