Back home, I eat either oatmeal (sometimes topped with fresh fruit), whole wheat bread with cheese or with peanut butter, or cottage cheese with fresh fruit. These are healthful choices, and the protein fills me enough to keep me going all morning. Add a salad or fruit and a glass of milk to round out this meal. Fruit ranks high among the best foods you can eat for your brain. Blueberries (which can be bought frozen in bags) get a lot of attention because they contain powerful antioxidants and other nutrients.

The recommended carbohydrate of a snack (1 piece of fruit, a small tub of yoghurt or 1 small biscuit) is up to 20 grams for most people. Fresh, frozen, tinned and dried fruit and veg all count towards your daily portions. And juice counts as a maximum of one portion a day. If canned produce is your only option, make sure that fruits are packed in their own juices (not in syrup) and that vegetables are low in salt. Remember to count fruits and vegetables as carbohydrates.

Many people eat too much processed food and sugar, and not enough fiber, fruits, and vegetables. Poor eating habits, such as eating too quickly or skipping meals, can also be part of the problem. Choosing fiber-rich legumes, grains, vegetables, and fruits helps keep many types of cancer at bay. Plant foods also contain a wide variety of cancer-fighting substances called phytochemicals. When there isn’t time to sit down and enjoy your morning meal, grab a bagel, piece of fruit, and some juice. Most of these items can be easily stored in your dorm room.