Here at Cooking Class we talk a lot about the importance of food and good nutrition in keeping healthy. We wanted to chat with one of you guys about the topic, and gain a bit more practical insight.
Introducing Jess! She is a final year food and nutrition student; we asked her some quick questions about all things nutrition, and her fave meals to make as a student. We loved chatting with her and can’t wait to speak with more of you guys to share your knowledge!
First of all, Hi Jess, thank you for taking the time to chat with us. We would love to know more about why you chose to study food and nutrition.
A. I chose to study food and nutrition because it plays a big role in people’s lives: affecting daily habits and health behaviours. It is such an innovative and fast paced industry that offers many different career paths that I would love to take. Also, I love food and I’m passionate about helping others.
You’re so right, food is a massive part of our day, we think this is especially the case for hungry students, why do you think a good diet is so important to students in particular?
A. Being a student can be a challenging time as it’s a time where most people are living away from home for the first time and having to start cooking for themselves. It’s important for students to be eating healthy meals to fuel themselves, especially as healthy eating habits have been associated to improved academic achievements. But also to enjoy the meals they eat and feel good within themselves.
Exactly! Eating food that is nutritious and is good for brain and body is super important, but it needs to taste great too! What is your fave treat Friday meal?
A. My Friday treat is homemade pizza with lots of veggies, including sweetcorn, mushrooms and peppers!
That sounds delicious, I guess you could customise that however you want too, adding different veggies, meat or anything you fancy! Pizza dough is also really common in supermarkets too. Speaking of great food what is your favourite thing to cook?
A. My favourite thing to cook is a chicken noodle stir fry. It’s so quick and easy to make, packed with lots of vegetables and there is minimal washing up after!
Finally then, what are your top tips for good meal planning and nutrition on a student budget?
A. My top tips are to plan meals in advance and take a shopping list with you. – Takeaways can become expensive, so batch cook where possible and freeze leftover meals. Finally buy seasonal fruits and vegetables and look out for supermarket deals and reduced items!
Thanks so much Jess, it was great to chat and good luck with your studies!
