"EAT WELL" AT SBU
“Eat Well” at SBU has multiple focuses around campus! “Eat Well” does not only pertain to “healthy” eating for weight management, but it also encompasses wellness tactics like mindful eating, calorie-focused eating, nutrient-dense eating, superfoods, functional medicine, and more. The beauty of nutrition and best practices is making nutrition tailored to you. As a college student, life is balanced with schoolwork, jobs, sleeping, friends, and so much more.
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TEACHING KITCHEN
Interactive cooking and learning experience with one of the executive chefs and/or wellness dietitian. Ability to learn new cooking techniques, knife skills, food science and the purpose of various ingredients.
Email Laura.Martorano@stonybrook.edu to learn more
SUPERFOOD FEATURES
Tabling series that features superfoods, which are nutrient-rich foods that research shows to be beneficial for improving health and well-being, decreasing inflammation, and reducing the possible risk of disease.
EAT WELL WEDNESDAYS (VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON)
Eat Well Wednesdays is a nutrition-focused, nutrition education initiative that engages students on social media and in person. Topics are discussed through social media and at planned wellness table events.
SMOOTHIE BIKE SPIN-OFF RALLY
Students will face off against one another to make smoothies by pedaling a stationary bike with a blender attached. The first student to blend and serve their smoothies wins a prize!
BRAIN AND HEART BOXES
The Brain Box is a wellness initiative that Campus Dietitian Laura Martorano developed for finals week, giving students a stress-free and fun way to snack. These themed snack boxes, “Boosting Your Brain Power, One Superfood at a Time,” include a variety of snack items with brain-boosting nutrients and superfoods. Superfoods are foods rich in nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to help maintain and improve your health.
Learn More
NUTRIENT-DENSE CHOICES WITH DIETITIAN'S CHOICE
Nutrient-dense recipes and menu items are flagged around campus to help students navigate nutritious choices around campus. Examples of nutrient-dense foods include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free milk products, seafood, lean meats, eggs, peas, beans, and nuts.
FINDING YOUR FLAVOR
There are all sorts of flavors from around the world. Finding your flavor is important not only for enjoying your meal but also for satiety cues - Spicy, Sweet, Umami, Sour and Savory. Combining your flavors is a fun way to bring out all the delicious features of the plate.
- Sweet - Foods that taste sweet help us savor dishes in more depth. Adding honey, maple syrup, fruit or a savory dish can help take the flavor to another level. Eating food that is sweet and salty will help achieve and maintain satiety.
- Sour - Sourness refers to the acidity of the food. Adding a sour food item like a citrus fruit or zest can additionally provide you with vitamin C, which can help boost your immunity and increase your antioxidant consumption.
- Umami (Savory) - in Japanese, umami means “savory” or "meaty,” which helps bring out those savory flavors. Adding an umami flavor (fermented cheese, mushrooms, miso, nutritional yeast) can help crave the savory flavor.
- Bitter - Green bitter foods (arugula, brussels sprouts, endive) are packed with vitamins and minerals for overall body function. Combining a bitter food item with a sweet or salty food item can help balance the overall taste of the meal.
- Spicy - Capsaicin is the molecule that provides us with a spicy taste and occurs as a chemical reaction between pain receptors in the mouth. Adding spices to your food is a great way to add seasoning without salt. They additionally have anti-inflammatory properties.
EAT THE RAINBOW
A plate of color is a plate of nutrients. Changing the focus of your plate by trying to have all the colors of the rainbow present is a simple yet effective way of receiving all your nutrients. As college students, your mind and focus may be in a million places. Focusing on something like adding color to your plate can be the simplest thing you do all day!
For example:
- Red/Pink - Red Peppers, Tomatoes, Red Chili Peppers, Cherries, Strawberries, Red Grapes, Apples, Beets, Red Cabbage, Radishes.
- Green - Avocado, Limes, Peas, Arugula, Asparagus, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Celery, Green Onions, Collard Greens, Bok Choy, Cabbage, Spinach, Rainbow Swiss Chard, Snap Peas, String Beans
- Yellow - Squash, Yellow Peppers, Golden Beets, Bananas, Sweet Potatoes, Corn
- Orange - Acorn Squash, Orange Bell Peppers, Butternut Squash, Carrots, Pumpkin, Sweet Potatoes, Yams
- Blue/Purple - Blueberries, Plums, Prunes, Purple Grapes, Purple Cabbage, Blackberries, Figs, Eggplant