COLUMBIA, S.C. - The no-carb craze may still be big among college students, but Alison Porter, chef for the Chi Omega house at USC, knows many of her students are burning candles at both ends - which means carbs aren't necessarily all bad.

So Porter has a tuna-pasta salad that she prepares often this time of year. She would recommend it for any student who manages his or her own kitchen duty.

Made with tuna, bow-tie pasta, raisins, curry, a little mayonnaise and sour cream, the dish is a tasty twist on tuna salad, and Porter's students love it.

It's great for lunch, dinner or as a late-night study snack.

Pasta salads also help stretch a dollar while providing a wholesome, one-dish meal, Porter said.

"If they're counting carbs, they can put in more veggies," she said. The key is to use the freshest ingredients you can afford.

"The real thing is better than fake," Porter said.

Cherry tomatoes and blanched broccoli or asparagus added to a penne pasta with an Italian dressing is another good way to go. Add a little whole-grain bread and fruit for dessert and you have a meal Mom would be proud of.

You can find as many healthy convenience items in the grocery store today as you can chicken fingers and chips - good news for students.

That's a message Leslie Gray, chef of the Kappa Delta house at USC, drives home with three menu ideas she suggests.

Each requires no cooking - perfect for a student who may have access only to a fridge.

"You can find everything premade anymore," Gray said. "You can buy apples precut, little packets of nuts, fruits and veggies prechopped."

So, try a wrap with deli meat and cheese, some green leaf lettuce, and chopped cucumbers or tomatoes. Add honey mustard on the side for a little extra zing.

If you'd like a healthy late-night snack, pick up some garbanzo beans, tahini, a lemon, some olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Check out the hummus recipe offered here and you'll have a delicious dip for ready-cut carrots and celery. (It's great with corn chips and pita chips, too.)

If you have access to a stove, try cold pasta salads or hot pasta dishes with ready-made sauces, such as fetuccini Alfredo. Add chicken cut from a rotisserie chicken or other ready-made chicken available in the deli section as well as a little steamed broccoli.Rice makes a great one-dish meal, too. Buy microwavable rice packets in flavors you like and add cut-up chicken, steamed carrots, mushrooms or other favorite veggies.If pizza's your thing, try ready-made crusts or pita bread. Buy pizza sauce, cheese and toppings - artichoke hearts, deli ham and black olives. Warm the pizza in a toaster oven or the oven.If you have only a fridge at your disposal, you have lots of options. Buy prewashed lettuces or spinach for salads. Add croutons, ready-cut veggies, shredded cheeses and a favorite salad dressing. Try the ready-cut fruits, too.Who says a sandwich can't be a good meal? Use whole-grain breads and your favorite veggies or deli meats and you'll have another healthy, one-dish meal. Use fresh fruit as a side instead of chips and you'll have calories to spare for that late-night beer.Speaking of liquids: Don't forget to stay hydrated. Yes, Mom knew what she was talking about. Bottled waters abound, as do many healthy fruit and vegetable juices. Try these before you pop your next can of soda, even if it is a diet soda.When prepping food, remember not to cut meat on the same surface where you have cut vegetables. Cut each on a separate surface, using separate utensils.Store leftovers in the fridge as soon as you have finished with them. If you don't have a fridge, don't hold on to that rotisserie chicken overnight. Dispose of it within two hours.Always wash knives and other cooking utensils with hot, soapy water between uses.And forget cloth dish towels. Paper towels are safer because you throw them away as soon as you've used them. Dish towels hold moisture and bacteria. Buy an econo-pack the next time you hit Target or Wal-Mart.

1 pound bow-tie pasta, cooked, drained, rinsed and cooled1 12-ounce can solid white albacore tuna in water, drained1 cup lightly toasted pecan pieces1 cup raisins½ cup sliced green onions1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice1 cup mayonnaise½ cup reduced-fat sour creamSalt and pepper to tastePinch of ground ginger, optionalPinch ground curry powder, optionalMix the tuna, raisins, pecans, green onions, lemon juice, ginger and curry. Add mayonnaise and sour cream; mix well.Add pasta to tuna mixture, tossing to mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.Makes six servings.Alison Porter, chef, Chi Omega sorority house, USCNutritional information per serving: Calories, 674.9; protein, 21.9 grams; carbohydrates, 47.0 grams; total fat, 45.3 grams; cholesterol, 67.2 milligrams; saturated fat, 6.8fgrams; dietary fiber, 4.1 grams; sodium, 660.4 milligrams; sugar, 17.7 grams; vitamin A, 75.6 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 3.2 milligrams; calcium, 90.7 milligrams; iron, 2.3 milligrams; alcohol, 0 grams

1 package pita bread (for crusts)1 jar pizza sauce2 cups mozzarella (or more as desired) and/or other toppings: black olives, artichoke hearts, onions, deli ham, green peppers, broccoliCreate pizzas with toppings of your choice.Toast 5 minutes in a toaster oven.Makes six servings.Randy Davis, director, USC Culinary InstituteNutritional information per serving: Calories, 362.8; protein, 18.3 grams; carbohydrates, 53.1 grams; total fat, 7.9 grams; cholesterol, 21.9 milligrams; saturated fat, 4fgrams; dietary fiber, 3.1 grams; sodium, 660.8 milligrams; sugar, 5.8 grams; vitamin A, 179 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 11.2 milligrams; calcium, 350.5 milligrams; iron, 3.5fmilligrams; alcohol, 0 grams

2 ounces deli turkey½ ounce Swiss cheese¼ cup chopped cucumbers, or more to your liking½ cup chopped tomatoes, or more to your liking2 to 3 leaves lettuce1 whole-wheat wrap2 tablespoons honey mustard, to the sideWrap turkey, Swiss cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce in whole-wheat wrap. Serve with honey mustard.Makes one serving.Leslie Gray, Kappa Delta sorority house, USCNutritional information per serving: Calories, 397.3; protein, 21.6 grams; carbohydrates, 43.8 grams; total fat, 16.3 grams; cholesterol, 34 milligrams; saturated fat, 4.8fgrams; dietary fiber, 5.8 grams; sodium, 1,076 milligrams; sugar, 2.8 grams; vitamin A, 61.1 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 3.7 milligrams; calcium, 160.8 milligrams; iron, 2.2fmilligrams; alcohol, 0 grams

½ cup garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and mashed (you may buy garbanzo beans already pureed)½ cup tahini (a thick paste made of ground sesame seed, available ready- made at grocery stores)1 tablespoon lemon juice1 teaspoon white or black pepper½ teaspoon salt2 tablespoons olive oil½ tablespoon garlic powderCombine all ingredients and serve with fresh-cut veggies, pita chips or crackers. Store in refrigerator.Makes six to eight servings.Leslie Gray, Kappa Delta sorority house, USCNutritional information per serving: Calories, 117; protein, 3.5 grams; carbohydrates, 10.5 grams; total fat, 7.4 grams; cholesterol, 0 milligrams; saturated fat, 0.5fgram; dietary fiber, 2.4 grams; sodium, 188.5 milligrams; sugar, 2.6 grams; vitamin A, 1 retinol equivalent; vitamin C, 1.4 milligram; calcium, 22.1 milligrams; iron, 1 milligram; alcohol, 0 grams

1 Granny Smith apple, cut into tidbits (Granny Smiths are tart and have a green skin)Lemon juice to coat apples and prevent browning (about 1 tablespoon)cup chopped pecanscup chopped walnuts4-6 ounces strawberry yogurtCombine all ingredients and serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers.Makes one serving.Leslie Gray, Kappa Delta sorority house, USCNutritional information per serving: Calories, 386.6; protein, 11.4 grams; carbohydrates, 61 grams; total fat, 12.4 grams; cholesterol, 0 milligrams; saturated fat, 12.4fgrams; dietary fiber, 5 grams; sodium, 105.5 milligrams; sugar, 52.6 grams; vitamin A, 11.4 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 15.4 milligrams; calcium, 320.1 milligrams; iron, 0.7 milligram; alcohol, 0 grams