Warm weather changes student appetites

            As the campus of the University of Oklahoma thaws, students emerge from hibernation to spend time outside, soaking up the first rays of spring.

            Campus corner comes alive, populated by strolling students casually seeking a snack. Gone are the days of battling the elements on Boyd Street for a sweet, creamy, warming beverage from Starbucks. Instead, many students are expanding their nutritive horizons, seeking lighter foods to complement the warming climate.  

“It’s the weather,” said Grant Guffey, manager at Campus Corner’s Pita Pit, located at 311 W Boyd St. “People aren’t hungry for this type of food in the winter,” he explained, referring to the restaurant’s vast range of fresh vegetables and healthy meats. Its menu meets the expectations that one might have of a restaurant with a slogan that reads 'Fresh Thinking, Healthy Eating'.

In the winter, a pita full of crisp veggies doesn’t trigger the appetite as much as foods that are hot, rich, and carbohydrate-heavy. These cravings are natural— according to WebMD writer Colette Bouchez, the body is inclined to gain weight in the winter, an evolutionary response from a time when humans needed an extra couple pounds of body fat to keep warm. Though this response is unnecessary for OU students today, who can keep warm in the winter by turning on their heaters, it continues to affect their eating decisions.

When warm weather strikes, students are more apt to seek out lighter hydrating foods, like fruits and vegetables, resulting in more business for restaurants like Pita Pit. According to Bouchez, colder temperatures trigger a "self-preservation" response, causing cravings for warming, high-calorie foods. Springtime brings a rise in environmental temperature, lessening these cravings. 

"I definitely eat more fruit in the spring" said Pat Moody, a business junior at OU. Moody is one of the students brought out to Campus Corner by the warm weather. Sipping a strawberry banana smoothie from Starbucks, he agrees that cravings change with seasons.

Moody is one of many students who are bidding farewell to winter, ushering in a fresh new season with tastes to match.