The Student Association of Nutrition and Dietetics at Indiana University of Pennsylvania have organized several events to celebrate National Nutrition Month in March, including a smoothie sale, the Crock-Pot Cook-Off competition, and a program with a nationally known speaker.
Events begin with a smoothie sale on March 2 from noon to 3:00 p.m. in the lobby of the fitness center at the Hadley Union Building on South Eighth Street. A "green" smoothie will be served that features banana, coconut, and spinach. Smoothies are available at $2 per serving. Funds collected benefit SAND. A free smoothie will be given with the purchase of a $10 SAND tumbler.
The Crock-Pot Cook-Off, which is open to the community, is March 18 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Hadley Union Building Susquehanna Room. Each chili recipe is challenged to feature at least two sources of plant-based protein. For a $2 donation, persons may sample the dishes and vote for a favorite.
Cost to enter is $20 for a team, and recipes must be submitted in advance. To compete, persons may sign up or pick up an entry form at the bulletin board located outside of room 116 Ackerman Hall. Entries can be emailed to Saige Karastury, co-chair of SAND's National Nutrition Month events, at s.b.karastury@iup.edu, or return the forms to room 102, Ackerman Hall.
Entry deadline is March 13.
All proceeds from the Crock-Pot Cook-Off event will be donated to the IUP Food Pantry and Help Center, designed to address the issue of food insecurity on campus. The Center offers food staples, socks, and school supplies to students.
The final event for the month is a presentation by Pittsburgh-based dietitian and nutrition therapist Haley Goodrich, RD, LDN, and CEDRD, on March 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Humanities and Social Sciences building, room 225. Her presentation is "Developing a healthy relationship with food in a weight-obsessed world." The program is free and open to the community.
Goodrich is a certified eating disorder registered dietitian who is passionate about helping people heal from disordered eating and cultivate a peaceful relationship with food and their body. She specializes in eating disorder recovery, body image, and weight-inclusive nutrition therapy, and is a supervisor for other registered dietitians. In addition to individual client work and managing her group private practice, she is also the co-founder of INSPIRD to SEEK, an organization that mentors nutrition entrepreneurs and practitioners who are challenging the status quo of our health industry.
Goodrich strongly believes in integrating the non-diet approach and HAES philosophy (Health At Every Size) into all health care settings, including nutrition therapy, and advocates through her writing, speaking, and social media presence.