National Allergy Awareness Month

Every 3 minutes a food allergy reaction sends someone to the ER, with symptoms ranging from a mild response to anaphylaxis, an extremely severe and sometimes fatal reaction.

In order to promote allergen awareness here on campus, Dining Services is hosting a special event with yours truly this Thursday, May 8^th, from 11am-1pm on Revelle Plaza. Join us to discuss what UC San Diego can offer you in terms of special dining features if you are one of the more than 15 million Americans who suffer from a food allergy. You are not alone and WE (Dining Services) have the resources to help you get a nutritious and delicious meal that suits your dietary needs.

Plus, check out the latest products available to you in our Markets that are allergen friendly while munching on samples from some of the hottest vendors (Calbee Harvest Snaps, Enjoy Life Foods & Barefruit Snacks).

Learn more about a particular topic by emailing me at tastebuds@ucsd.edu or follow HDH on twitter & check Facebook for upcoming events featuring the Taste Buds!

Chocolate Extravaganza... Count me in!

Did you know tomorrow (May 2^nd) mark’s 6^th College’s 10^th annual Chocolate Festival?! The event began in 2004 and has delighted students and staff ever since.  Three enormous chocolate fountains arriving from the local Chocolate Monkey Company will fill 6^th College’s quad with an array of cookies, cakes and fresh fruits to enjoy & dip into the chocolate goodness!

Why is your RD promoting chocolate? If you haven’t heard, chocolate boasts a variety of health benefits.  In particular, dark chocolate has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease due to its naturally occurring flavanol content. Bottom line, there is some truth to the saying “a piece of dark chocolate a day may keep the doctor at bay!”

Why else should you check out 6^th College tomorrow? Well, besides indulging in a deliciously “healthy” chocolatey treat, you will be able to increase your physical activity by participating in games with your peers! Out on the Res Hall Quad there will be inflatables, game booths, and this year they are incorporating a “Pie Your Professor” element.  Students have the opportunity to donate cans to pie their professor. 

Not a fan of chocolate? Don't worry! Foodworx and 6th Market are right next door to provide you with a selection of delicious eats to satisfy your craving.

Be sure to post your pictures from tomorrows event on the TasteBud Facebook page and leave a comment here of your favorite chocolate indulgence. Remember, balance and moderation are key to healthy living in college, so enjoy a dollop of chocolate guilt-free!  

New Year’s Evolution

Happy 2014 UC San Diego! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday break and were able to enjoy some well-deserved time off.

If you are one of the many who vow “this year, I will…” and make countless resolutions to improve your health and lose those extra pounds in 2014, I suggest you take a moment and rethink your outlook. Did you know that only 20% of New Year’s resolutions are actually carried out successfully?

Given these odds, I like to think of the New Year as a perfect time to revisit some of the habits that perhaps you wish you had changed in 2013 but for some reason never really could get them to stick. For example, let’s take the most popular resolution that stems around making your health a priority. First, you must consider WHY this is important to you? Do you have a family medical history like Type 2 Diabetes that concerns you?  Are you trying to avoid the freshman 15? Or, is it merely to attain a specific number on the scale?

If your goals seem to be more in line with question #3, then I am sorry to say that this will PROBABLY put you right into that 80% of people who have trouble sticking to their resolutions. However, if you find yourself favoring questions 1 & 2, you are VERY likely to achieve your 2014 health goals.

The reason is people tend to lose sight of the big picture when they focus on numerous short-term goals. For example, wouldn’t it be boring to eat oatmeal and chicken salad every day for the rest of your life just to attain a specific number on the scale? Plus, who can even say that a particular number is right for YOU?!? The important thing is to look at LASTING changes, like incorporating more whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables into your daily intakes. Without a doubt, eating more of these items will show in the long run on both the scale and your overall health!

With that said, I challenge you to make a New Year’s Evolution, beginning to see what small change you CAN make to help you modify one of those habits from 2013 that you weren’t so fond of. Win a FREE sample of Somersaults Sunflower Seed Nuggets by posting/sharing/emailing me your VOW by Friday 1/10!

Dining services is here to help. Be sure to stop into one of our Markets on campus to check out the new variety of produce options available: Mung bean sprouts, mangoes, clementines, green beans …yep, we got em’ all!  Or, fill out the contact form (link to make an appointment inserted here) to make an appointment directly with me!

Interested in learning more about a particular topic? Feel free to email me at tastebuds@ucsd.edu or follow HDH on twitter & check Facebook for upcoming events featuring the Taste Buds!

 

It's time for the Taste Buds!

Welcome to the HDH Taste Buds blog! You may have seen my face on one of the table tents at our restaurants or watched me cook with the other Taste Bud, Chef Vaughn, over at The Zone's Tasty Tuesday's events! For those who don’t know me yet, here’s the 411:



 Hi! I'm Liz!

I am the HDH (Housing-Dining-Hospitality) Dietitian here at UC San Diego. I am an advocate for YOUR nutrition, health, and overall wellness. I love to talk about food, recipes, fitness, exercise, hot trends in nutrition, new products on the markets...basically anything that revolves around the health field.

I enjoy creating new recipes using unique flavor combinations that  taste great AND are healthy. Don’t write me off as a food-judger just yet; for me, it’s all about balance and moderation. To satisfy my sweet tooth, I enjoy this latest creation from my kitchen: chocolate fudge peanut butter brownies...made out of black beans. Recipe coming soon!

I live a very active lifestyle and am a huge fan of hiking, rollerblading (it may be retro, but it’s great cardio!), and just about any other outdoor activity you can think of.

I love questions, too! I want to be your go-to place for health & wellness tips, recipes, and even suggestions for hidden gem eateries in San Diego. Thanks for checking my blog out!

Interested in learning more about a particular topic? Feel free to email me at tastebuds@ucsd.edu or follow HDH on twitter & check facebook for upcoming events featuring the Taste Buds!