Demands from classes and events in students’ daily lives can knock them out, especially freshmen new to the game. But this overload can develop a hankering as well. As it nears a new day, students try to work hard for tomorrow’s classes, but there may be only one thing on their minds: a cheeseburger.

The ISR dining hall’s newly implemented late-night mealtime helps fulfill the cravings of hungry college night owls. Like PAR’s “After Dark” schedule, students can now eat full meals from a buffet of choices between 8 p.m. and midnight. However, eating from that spread of food late at night raises concerns for student nutrition.  

“Excessive eating late in the day can be harmful to a student’s lifestyle in broad ways,” said Margarita Teran-Garcia, assistant professor of food science and human nutrition. “Primarily for students, an overload of food consumes too much of our energy.”

Full, dense meals add stress to digestion because excessive fats overwork the body. A late-night meal might be a nice break from homework, but odds are students will become more easily worn out and won’t get as much work done if they consume high-fat foods. Students should also be careful to note when they eat, especially as bedtime approaches, Teran-Garcia said.

“It’s best to leave at least two hours between your last full meal and when you sleep so that your body has time to process the food,” she said. “Going to sleep after eating takes away from your rest since your body’s still processing your last meal when it should be recovering for tomorrow. Students won’t be as effective as they regularly are because of this.”

Despite concerns, Teran-Garcia acknowledged the reality of college life. With busy schedules, students need to get by on what’s easiest for them. 

“But students studying do need energy, and these food options are readily available,” she said.

There are other benefits to late-night eating for students as well. Abigail Ling, sophomore in Business, usually finishes her course load at 6:30 p.m. The “After Dark” meal time at PAR is easiest for her to go to, as most dining halls on campus close around 7 p.m. or earlier. 

“It’s nice to be able to eat if you miss dinner and want a full meal,” Ling said. She visits the PAR dining hall often for its convenience, vegetarian options and variety in food.

Alf Sanford, freshman in LAS, enjoys the late-night dining hall option as well. He regularly eats late in the day, and the “After Dark” option accounts for his eating habits. 

“I always eat a lot before bed since it helps relax me,” Sanford said, with a full plate of egg rolls and stir-fry that he ordered at PAR. “I love it here since there’s more options to choose from than what’s available at the snack marts.”

Students should follow a schedule that works best for them, but with certain guidelines, said Lillian Karina Diaz Rios, nutrition graduate assistant at the McKinley Health Center. Eating habits should be balanced between the five main food groups so that students can stay on top of their game during a busy day.

Diaz Rios emphasized the importance of snacks and breakfast for students.

“A meal after waking is a great pick-me-up for the body that will determine how well students function throughout the day,”  Diaz Rios said. “Snacks are important as well to maintain energy. Fruits and vegetables, granola, whole wheat, most options high in fiber and protein are good choices.”

Carrots, almonds, pretzels, apples, oranges and even certain energy bars are recommended, she said.

Healthy snacks eaten in moderation throughout the day sustain energy and keep students’ weight in check.

Students under stress should try to occasionally eat so they can work efficiently throughout the day. Frequent binge eating may cause one’s energy to drop, among other detrimental effects.

College asks a lot of students, and eating is another area for exercising self-control. Although the “After Dark” time slot and other food options on campus may be appealing, bad lifestyle habits could potentially slow them down in the long run. 

“If students aren’t careful with food, they’ll have another type of hangover to worry about,” Teran-Garcia said.

Adlai can be reached at [email protected].