Post by SAND Member Madelyn Trummel
I am taking this fall semester to study abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Although I am not taking any nutrition classes here, I am learning a lot about Argentine cuisine by tasting everything! I love trying new foods so finding food to eat has not been a problem, however, it has been a little difficult to find healthy options. Part of me wants to completely indulge in the empanadas, dulce de leche, steak, and wine, but the nutritionist in me won’t allow that. I do not feel my best when I eat poorly so I have had to find ways to maintain a healthy diet while still enjoying the food of Argentina. I’m sure those of you who have studied abroad in Italy, France, or any other country where food is a temptation, can relate.
According to the World Atlas, Argentina is one of the largest beef producers in the world. This means a lot of steak for reasonable prices. Parrillas (restaurants that specialize in roasted meat called asado) are on every block. Additionally, the large Italian population in Buenos Aires provides the city with a plethora of pastas, pizzas, and bread. I have also found that I am a sucker for dulce de leche which basically is pure sugar that is purely delicious and found in almost every dessert here in Argentina.
So, with all of the red meat, refined carbohydrates, and sugar at my disposal I have had to find ways to eat healthy while still enjoying my culinary experience abroad! I came up with these three tactics that anyone can use to guide their diet while studying in a foreign country.
1. Know Your Nutrition Labels
In the United States we are pretty familiar with our nutrition labels. It is easy to figure out how many calories are in a serving of breakfast cereal or how many grams of sugar are in a granola bar. Every label is the same because they are standardized by the FDA. I failed to remember that the nutrition labels I am so familiar with are specific to the US and differ throughout the rest of the world. They may be in a different language, have inconsistent organization, and contain unfamiliar units such as kilocalories (hint: 1kcal = 1Cal). So to choose the healthiest options at the foreign supermarket I suggest getting familiar with the labeling system of wherever you plan to study abroad.
2. Make at least two meals healthy
Sometimes unhealthy eating simply cannot be avoided while living abroad. For example, I live with a host family and so in order to be polite, I must eat whatever is placed in front of me for dinner whether it is nutritious or not. However, I am on my own for breakfast and lunch and so I try my best to make those two meals as healthy as possible. Here in Buenos Aires, I have discovered hidden fresh fruit and vegetable stands that make for excellent snacks. I have also found out that I am a huge fan of “calabaza” or, squash that is used in savory pies and other dishes and is also great source of Vitamins A and C. If you look hard enough, I’m sure every country has healthy options, some just may be harder to find than others.
3. Choose the lesser of two evils
In Argentina this rule basically boils down to choosing the baked empanada over the fried one. I have realized that studying abroad is a great opportunity and I do not want to miss out on lunches with friends and afternoon empanada stops, but I can still try to use the “Eat This Not That” philosophy and order a slightly healthier option off the menu. Eating out all the time is not ideal for nutrition, but after being here for five months I have learned how to scout out the healthiest items on a menu.
I am taking this fall semester to study abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Although I am not taking any nutrition classes here, I am learning a lot about Argentine cuisine by tasting everything! I love trying new foods so finding food to eat has not been a problem, however, it has been a little difficult to find healthy options. Part of me wants to completely indulge in the empanadas, dulce de leche, steak, and wine, but the nutritionist in me won’t allow that. I do not feel my best when I eat poorly so I have had to find ways to maintain a healthy diet while still enjoying the food of Argentina. I’m sure those of you who have studied abroad in Italy, France, or any other country where food is a temptation, can relate.
According to the World Atlas, Argentina is one of the largest beef producers in the world. This means a lot of steak for reasonable prices. Parrillas (restaurants that specialize in roasted meat called asado) are on every block. Additionally, the large Italian population in Buenos Aires provides the city with a plethora of pastas, pizzas, and bread. I have also found that I am a sucker for dulce de leche which basically is pure sugar that is purely delicious and found in almost every dessert here in Argentina.
So, with all of the red meat, refined carbohydrates, and sugar at my disposal I have had to find ways to eat healthy while still enjoying my culinary experience abroad! I came up with these three tactics that anyone can use to guide their diet while studying in a foreign country.
1. Know Your Nutrition Labels
In the United States we are pretty familiar with our nutrition labels. It is easy to figure out how many calories are in a serving of breakfast cereal or how many grams of sugar are in a granola bar. Every label is the same because they are standardized by the FDA. I failed to remember that the nutrition labels I am so familiar with are specific to the US and differ throughout the rest of the world. They may be in a different language, have inconsistent organization, and contain unfamiliar units such as kilocalories (hint: 1kcal = 1Cal). So to choose the healthiest options at the foreign supermarket I suggest getting familiar with the labeling system of wherever you plan to study abroad.
2. Make at least two meals healthy
Sometimes unhealthy eating simply cannot be avoided while living abroad. For example, I live with a host family and so in order to be polite, I must eat whatever is placed in front of me for dinner whether it is nutritious or not. However, I am on my own for breakfast and lunch and so I try my best to make those two meals as healthy as possible. Here in Buenos Aires, I have discovered hidden fresh fruit and vegetable stands that make for excellent snacks. I have also found out that I am a huge fan of “calabaza” or, squash that is used in savory pies and other dishes and is also great source of Vitamins A and C. If you look hard enough, I’m sure every country has healthy options, some just may be harder to find than others.
3. Choose the lesser of two evils
In Argentina this rule basically boils down to choosing the baked empanada over the fried one. I have realized that studying abroad is a great opportunity and I do not want to miss out on lunches with friends and afternoon empanada stops, but I can still try to use the “Eat This Not That” philosophy and order a slightly healthier option off the menu. Eating out all the time is not ideal for nutrition, but after being here for five months I have learned how to scout out the healthiest items on a menu.