ISU students are gearing up for the final stretch of classes, projects and final exams. Yet this week, Veishea is offering a short reprieve before the storm.

Along with the various Veishea entertainment comes the many barbecues featuring a different entree every day.

From healthier options, such as sub sandwiches and pulled pork, to the high-calorie, high-fat choices of walking tacos and pizza, ISU students will have a variety of entrees to satisfy their cravings.

Judy Trumpy, registered dietitian at the Thielen Student Health Center, said she categorizes foods into four groups: frequent foods, rarely foods, special foods and sometimes foods.

Alana McNutt, senior in animal science, said she thinks the food at the barbecue is better than students going to McDonald’s to eat.

McNutt said she thought most students would believe the sub sandwich to be the healthiest choice this week.

“Pizza is probably the worst, with high calories and high fat, but as college students, we probably consume a lot of that anyway,” McNutt said.

Although Trumpy said the most of the choices offered this week at the Veishea BBQ are considered ‘sometimes foods,’ she knows students like to have fun.

“Veishea is a once-a-year event,” she said. “Go and enjoy what you like to eat.”

High IQ – Pulled Pork

Pulled pork is actually a good source of protein and vitamin B, Trumpy said.

“It is pretty much solid meat,” she said. Those preparing the meat are generally meticulous about removing all the fat, she said.

Even with approximately two tablespoons of barbecue sauce and the bun, Trumpy said pulled pork is a good option to give students energy for their day.

In response to the recent craze to decrease carbohydrate intake, Trumpy said, “Bring back the bun! People need to eat the bun while they are walking around Veishea.”

Again, adding condiments maintains this entree’s credibility. Trumpy also suggested adding pickles for extra zing.

Medium IQ – Subs

Trumpy said subs are a healthy choice simply because of the meat choices.

“You can choose a lower fat meat like turkey,” Trumpy said.

She also suggests skipping the chips, cookie and the sugared drink that are typically sold with sub sandwiches.

Trumpy said students should add all the vegetables they want, as she considers these “free foods” that have little to no calories.

If students prefer to add condiments, adding mustard or mayonnaise still maintains the healthfulness of the sandwich. Trumpy said French mustard is calorie free and one tablespoon of Dijon mustard contains five calories.

Two tablespoons of mayonnaise adds 45 calories, so Trumpy said she would advise students to use mayonnaise more sparingly.

Medium-low IQ – Walking Tacos

Trumpy said the walking taco is almost as healthy as the sub sandwich, because of the use of chicken instead of beef.

“Chicken decreases the calories and the fat content,” Trumpy said.

Even so, Trumpy said the Doritos bring the rating down a bit because each 1.5-ounce bag of Doritos contains one to two grams of trans fat.

Trans fat is extremely unhealthy and has a known link to higher instances of heart disease, Trumpy said.

“They are foods a doctor or a surgeon would suggest to eat sparingly,” she said.

Low IQ – Pizza

Considering pizza was ranked with the lowest health IQ, it’s safe to say it shouldn’t be considered a “frequent food.”

“If you have a choice, get a veggie pizza,” Trumpy said.

But pizza does have its positive side. Pizza crust is made from enriched flour, which is a source of vitamin B, and a tomato-based sauce that contains vitamin C.

Also, the cheese is a good source of protein and calcium.

However, the reason the calories are higher than other entrees is because the dough is made from flour.

Trumpy said the high fat content “comes from the cheese and the processed meat that is used.”

Trumpy suggested an average serving size of two slices for women and three slices for men.