Those of us at Spoon University seek to foster the appreciation of food on campus and around the community. Just as important is recognizing efforts on a broader level that foster healthy eating as well as lifestyles, and Princeton alumna Nancy Easton ’88 has dedicated much of her life to doing just this. Nancy participated in founding Wellness in the Schools in 2005, and has been recognized by various organizations and well-known chefs such as Jamie Oliver….Wellness in the Schools seeks to promote healthy eating and living, specifically targeting youth in the public school system.

Initially launched in just three schools, the program is now in at least fifty schools. Wellness in the Schools continues to partner with various teachers, chefs, parents, and students to create this organization, which offers programs and opportunities for kids in public schools to access and learn about healthy food, the environment, fitness, and more. Wellness in the Schools currently aids “approximately 30,000 public school children in New York City, Kentucky, and Florida.” Two of the biggest Wellness in the Schools initiatives are Cook for Kids and Coach for Kids. The first program is a “hands-on food program” and the second is a fitness program. First Lady Michelle Obama ’85 has nationally recognized the Cook for Kids program. Read a Q&A with Nancy Easton here.

– Julie Goldstein, Spoon University

Why do we eat popsicles and ice cream in the summer, catch onto extreme pumpkin and cinnamon craze in the fall, and then eat rich chocolate peppermint bark in the winter? It’s not just because as the seasons change we get cold and therefore eat richer food. Our seasonal tastes are sentimental as well as pragmatic, and it’s this sentimentality that makes eating so enjoyable. Food relates directly to memory and nostalgia: smells trigger memories, and 75 percent of our taste comes from smell. When we eat food we many times remember something associated with a particular dish. It’s that thought process behind food that makes eating whimsical and enjoyable….Read about ways to make spring food memories that will still give us the results we crave without jeopardizing our foodie joy…here.

– Lara Norgaard, Spoon University

At Princeton, Passover is a big event….From the Center for Jewish Life to the eating clubs, from the home of President Eisgruber to Chabad, seders happen all over campus. I had the wonderful opportunity to go behind the scenes of Chabad’s seder. Rabbi Eitan and Gitty Webb were so kind as to give me a sneak peek of the seder setup and the food preparation, as well as a rundown of some of the traditional Jewish customs at Chabad, which works to educate the campus about Judaism and offer opportunities for all campus members to participate in Jewish services, learning, meals, and other traditions. Read more here.

– Julie Goldstein, Spoon University