'Pork ribs with rice at the beginning of the month, rice with... soy sauce at the end of the month'?

So, are the current diets of students in Ho Chi Minh City nutritious and healthy, or are they restrictive due to financial constraints?

Eating instant noodles is economical because…

In previous years, Nguyen Lam Quoc Chien (21 years old), a student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, often chose to eat out because of convenience and a wider variety of choices. Then Chien gradually realized that this was the reason for his uncontrolled weight gain.

What are student meals like in Ho Chi Minh City these days?

According to him, most dishes at restaurants are prepared using a lot of oil and spices. Besides that, Quoc Chien often felt dizzy from the MSG in food. Therefore, the student started cooking at home to control his diet.

However, Chien said he still felt he wasn't eating healthily and scientifically. "I only eat two meals a day, sometimes just at lunchtime. Many times, after coming home from school in the evening, I'm exhausted because of the low-carbohydrate diet. But then I choose to drink water instead of eating something because I'm afraid eating dinner will make me gain weight," Chien shared.

Chiến also revealed that despite eating little, he is a "tea addict." The student often spends a considerable amount of money on ordering drinks and afternoon tea with friends. According to Chiến, "on average, I drink 1 to 2 cups a day, each costing between 50,000 and 70,000 VND. Therefore, there are months when I run out of money for food and have to eat instant noodles to save money."

Ngoc Khai drank coffee and also bought an energy drink to stay alert while taking the exam.

Speaking about his diet, Vo Ngoc Khai (19 years old), a student at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Foreign Languages ​​- Information Technology, said that he often works until very late at night to meet deadlines, making it impossible to wake up early for breakfast. Therefore, he often combines two meals into one at lunch, leading to late dinners and sometimes skipping meals altogether.

"Because of the heavy workload at school, I constantly resorted to this method. My meals were makeshift, like instant noodles, bread, and food bought from convenience stores. Sometimes I was so hungry that I was too tired to eat, accompanied by symptoms like stomach pain, headaches, and exhaustion," Khai shared.

During periods of intense concentration while studying, Khai prioritizes drinks over nutritious meals. Khai explained: "Staying up late significantly reduces my daytime productivity. Therefore, I usually drink coffee while studying, and if I'm still sleepy, I have to buy energy drinks to stay alert. Drinking them makes my heart race and helps me concentrate better, while eating takes a lot of time and makes me sleepier."

Many students choose to eat at restaurants outside because it's convenient.

After that period, Khai chose to "compensate" himself with lavish meals like barbecue buffets and sushi at chain restaurants. He was willing to spend more than half of his money, even though he knew he had to "cut corners" on other expenses. However, this habit often led Khai into awkward situations, such as drinking coffee instead of eating to concentrate on his studies and save on rent.

I had to go to the hospital because of my diet.

Speaking to Thanh Nien newspaper, Le Quynh Giao (18 years old), a student at Van Lang University, shared that when she first came to Ho Chi Minh City to study, because she didn't know how to cook, she mainly bought ready-made meals at convenience stores or street vendors. On days when she didn't go to school, she would order food through delivery apps or "just skip meals to stay healthy."

In addition, Giao said she often goes out with friends: "Each time, my group of friends and I usually choose snack shops, spicy noodles, and bubble tea to 'get into the mood,' because eating healthy food doesn't suit us. Especially the fried fish ball buffet; there was a time when I ate it 3-4 times a week."

However, after 3 months, Giao lost weight, developed acne, experienced digestive problems, felt tired frequently, and suffered from regular stomach pains. When Giao went to the hospital, she was diagnosed with gastritis and peptic ulcers, requiring medication and lifestyle changes.

"When going to Ho Chi Minh City to study, all you need is to eat enough, nutritious food…"

In contrast to Chien, Khai, and Giao, Truong Thanh Long (19 years old), currently studying at a medical university in Ho Chi Minh City, said he manages his meals very strictly. According to Long, his "standard" for each meal is 30,000 VND, plus money for snacks, so he says he spends 100,000 VND per day on food.

Long manages his food expenses very carefully.

The student kept a spending diary, managing his food and daily expenses.

"I prioritize having enough to eat and wear, not fancy food or clothes, because I came to Ho Chi Minh City to study, so I usually just need to eat until I'm full and get enough nutrients. In reality, I don't spend more than 100,000 VND a day on food. For example, in the morning I eat bread or noodles... which costs around 15,000 VND or less, so at the end of the month I still have money left over for food. That money can be used for several 'fancy' meals," Long said.

Meanwhile, Long's lunch and dinner mainly consist of meals costing 30,000 VND. The student says that the meals are filling and provide enough energy and nutrition for studying, so he is quite satisfied with eating out.

"Basically, all I need is energy, so a meal just needs to contain carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water. In fact, a 30,000 VND meal usually provides all the nutrient groups I've listed; it's very rare to be lacking anything. Most of the time, if there's a deficiency, it's usually just soup, but if there is, I can always make up for it by drinking water," Long explained.

Long was satisfied with his meal.

To manage his spending effectively during his student years, Long also kept a daily "spending diary." Thanks to this diary, the young man said he never found himself in a situation where he ate pork ribs for breakfast and rice with soy sauce for dinner; on the contrary, he even managed to save money in a "public secret fund" to use when necessary.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/che-do-dinh-duong-cua-sinh-vien-o-tphcm-dau-thang-com-suon-cuoi-thang-com-nuoc-tuong-185241029103537893.htm