We’re halfway through the first semester, meaning that things are beginning to kick into high gear. As you become tied over with midterms and projects, sometimes healthy eating habits and food choices can slip your mind; however, such a time calls for mindful eating more than ever! Housing & Dining Services always strives to provide resources for students to help them act, be, and feel their best. One such event they host multiple times throughout the year is Environmental Eats, an annual event aimed at promoting sustainable food choices and knowledge about where food originates, and combines this knowledge with the importance of nutrition and mindful eating. Although the two seem unrelated at first, sustainable food systems and healthy, mindful eating have the potential to greatly influence each other, making sustainable foods an attractive choice for students seeking healthier diets.

As we become busier and busier, it’s easy for us to settle for something that’s easy to eat, requires little-to-no preparation time, and feels like it’s filling us up. In reality, though, these food choices often do not provide us with enough nutritional value needed to support our strained, stressed, and heavily-worked student bodies and brains. So how can sustainable food choices help us to feel better and take care of ourselves? For starters, sustainable foods are foods that make less of an impact on the environment while still providing adequate nutrition by promoting processes that allow for the continued accessibility of nutritious food for future generations; sustainable eating, then, is all about choosing foods that are healthful to our environment and our bodies. By deciding to eat sustainably, you’re likely choosing foods that are certified organic or local and fresh which actually satisfy your nutritional needs as a busy college student.

Take a break from your (possibly) monotonous eating routine and join us for the next Environmental Eats event! Come explore sustainable food/diet alternatives, get a taste of some fun and unique dishes typically not served in the dining centers, and learn more about how your small choices can have large impacts on food systems. These events will take place at 5 PM on October 21st, November 18th,  February 24th, and April 21st in the community kitchen in Corbett Hall, outside of The Foundry.