National Nutrition Month full of educational activities at MNSU

Emmanuella Shokare
Staff Writer

“Good healthy nutrition, especially for college students, is super important because now is the time when they can learn those healthy habits that they will carry throughout their life,” said Lexi Cournoyer, MNSU campus dietitian.

March is National Nutrition Month and the theme for this year according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is “Go Further with Food.”

At MNSU, Nutrition Month is being celebrated with fun events that educate students on how to keep a healthy diet while in college either living on or off campus. These events help teach how to expand your plate, reduce food waste and incorporate new food or changing food recipes to be healthier.

It may be hard for some college students to keep a healthy diet while trying to keep up with class, work and other activates that they participate in well.

“National Nutrition Month help put focus on the importance of nutrition and it helps put it in the spotlight which is kind of fun,” said Cournoyer.

As the nutrition expert at MNSU, Cournoyer helps some of chefs at the University Dining Center, organizes events that students can participate in and also learn from. The events kicked off on March 1 with a “Kick off Lunch”—an event that gave the opportunity for people to build their own fruit pizzas with varieties of food. “Rethink your Drink” on March 14 was an event that educated students about sugar contents in beverages, drinks and juices and how it does not give any nutritional benefits. “Pedal Your Own Smoothie” on March 20 gave the opportunity for the participants, students or staff, to make their own smoothie using a blender and a bicycle. On March 21, “How to Stretch Your Cupboard” educated students who live off campus on how they can reduce food waste, how to they can stock their cupboards with stable food and eat healthier.

Aside from the events, there is also a contest that both students and employee can participate in called “Mindful Recipe Contest,” where you can create and submit your own healthy recipe. Winners will receive a Fitbit Charge and the recipe will be served in the Dining Center.

Another contest that is ongoing throughout March is the “Maverick MyPlate Challenge,” where you can build a healthy plate by following the MyPlate guidelines and send a picture to University Dining Services by tagging it #MaverickMyPlate2018. The winner will get a Mindful Infuser water bottle.

Although the MNSU campus dietitian is available year-round to help students with what they would want to know about their diet, National Nutrition Month could be a time to make students more aware of how to plan a healthy diet and living healthy.

“Nutrition for everyone is super important. Nutrition is part of wellness that everyone should have,” Lexi Cournoyer.