Food Stamp Challenge: Encouraging Students to Take a Second Look at Their Eating Habits

The University of Utah will once again be kicking off its Food Stamp Challenge this November, giving students an opportunity to think more deeply than usual about what they eat, why they eat it and where they get it from.  Food stamp challenges encourage individuals to take a week (or longer) to live off of a food budget that is equivalent to what the average food stamp subscriber receives.  In 2012, that tallies up to about $4 per day.

Food stamp challenges are staged independently throughout the country each year and are lead by a number of entities, including religious groups, community activists and universities.  The University of Utah is proud to host its own iteration of the event.  According to U of U Sustainability Coordinator Kathleen Hunt, who is working to organize this year's Challenge and get it off the ground, it's a wonderful opportunity for students to gain a deeper understanding of their own consuming habits as well as social issues surrounding government food stamp programs. 

Nutrition on Campus

 

Everyone knows it's fairly easy to grab something quick to eat on campus when you're on the run to class. But how nutritious are those quick eats and how easy is it to find the nutrition facts? This semester I will focus on looking at the choices offered on campus and if they are easily and clearly labeled for nutritious content.

Bishops Storehouse

The bishop's storehouse system is a network of Church-owned and -operated commodity resource centers that function much like retail stores, with the major difference that goods cannot be purchased but are given to needy individuals identified by local LDS bishops. The storehouse stocks basic food and essential household items, produced largely from Church agricultural properties, canneries, and light manufacturing operations. The entire system, where practical, is vertically integrated, from farming and harvesting through processing and distributing. All work is performed by Church volunteers and recipients and is largely independent of the commercial economy. The contribution of time, talents, and resources of the membership of the Church in various areas sustains the storehouse. 

Local People Supporting Natural Food Options At the U

Local farmers garden who strongly supports the farmers market held on campus Thursdays during the fall.  Produce grown on a small farm/garden in the Salt Lake Valley.  Everything that is grown is not only local but also all natural.  They have been growing produce for the last two decades in the valley, and recently selling at the University farmers market.

Social Soup Lecture Series Kicks Off

By Scott Frederick

The Social Soup Lecture Series kicked off in the Gould Auditorium on September 4. Two big pots of freshly made gazpacho (with several ingredients coming from the U's own gardens) didn't last long in a room full of hungry students, staff and teachers. After a few words from people involved in the Social Soup series and a short video the floor was opened for questions and comments. Everyone was encouraged to eat freshly grown food, add more beans to ones diet as well as cutting back on meat.

After the question and answer period Chef Matthew Seare gave a demonstration on making peach cobbler. After the demonstration Seare served cobbler to the attendees.

Just a note, by the time I was done shooting pictures the gazpacho was long gone. I was able to score a big helping of the cobbler though--delicious.

Student volunteer opportunities at the U of U farmer's market

The topic I selected is about the variety of ways students can get involved with the on campus farmer's market. The photo story shows that a student would start at the office of sustainability and through them you can then help set up/shut down the festival, sell food at the campus garden booth or harvest food at the campus gardens.

A Nice Alternative to Ramen

Students at the University of Utah have an alternative to ramen noodles and the McDonald's Dollar Menu.  The Edible Campus Gardens give students to eat fresh fruits and vegetables at a low cost.  The gardens are cultivated by student volunteers.  Volunteers can have free fruits and vegetables.  The produce is also for sale at the U Farmer's Market.