You'll Love the Food at Wellspring Academy of the Carolinas
Students routinely tell us how surprised they are at the type of food we serve at Wellspring, and how much they enjoy it. Chicken tenders, burgers, chocolate brownies, pizza, pancakes, bacon and egg sandwiches—these are the foods that many students assumed they would have to give up when they arrived on campus. But at Wellspring, we understand that in order to maintain long-term weight loss, teens and adolescents need to be able to eat the food they know and enjoy. That's why we've developed an eating plan that allows students to lose a significant amount of weight (and maintain that weight loss) while eating nutrition-rich food that they enjoy.
The secret is in the way we prepare food, using low-fat cooking methods to get rid of unnecessary fat while keeping the taste and texture that kids are used to. We also allow students to make choices in what they eat at each meal and do not impose any calorie limits, helping them to understand that they are in control of their health living choices.
Students enjoy 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, served in our spacious dining hall. In addition to the "controlled" entrée served at each meal, students have access to the "uncontrolled" food bar. This large salad bar has numerous options for making sure that students stay full and satisfied all day, including soups, salads, cottage cheese, tuna, beans, yogurt, and a variety of fresh fruits.
We ask that students keep their fat consumption under 20 grams per day and that they self-monitor (write down) everything that's eaten each day, along with fat and calories. This provides them with the structure necessary to understand their weight loss at Wellspring, and continue losing (or maintaining) weight at home.
Culinary and Nutrition Classes
The eating plan that students follow at Wellspring Academy of the Carolinas is designed to be sustainable at home. In addition to teaching students to be self-sufficient in their food choices, we teach them how to go to shop for, cook, and order food that will be keep them on the Wellspring Plan long-term.
As part of our standard curriculum, every student takes Culinary and Nutrition Classes, during their time at Wellspring. We teach everything from kitchen basics (chopping techniques, kitchen sanitation, and reading recipes) to more advanced cooking techniques, recipe substitutions and food presentation. Students go to grocery stores and find substitutes for their favorite snacks and meals, learn how to order food that's been prepared using low-fat cooking methods in restaurants, and learn how to make healthy food choices in social situations.
Typical Menu at Wellspring Academy of the Carolinas
Here's what you might expect to eat on a typical day:
Breakfast sandwich of Egg Beaters and cheese on a bagel, or cereal and milk.
+ 1 banana, mixed berries and 1 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
Lunch of bison burger (or veggie burger) with sweet potato fries
+ Lentil soup, mixed green salad and cottage cheese
Snack of chocolate pudding
Dinner of chicken, rice and veggie stir-fry
+ 2 cups vegetable soup, salad and oranges
Snack of Snackwells Devil’s Food Chocolate Cookies
