Students of Nicholls’ Dietetics Association, in a partnership with campus dining services, hosted the first “Mindful Mile” walk on Oct. 10 to promote healthy eating habits among members of the Nicholls community.

The “Mindful Mile” was a one-mile walk that began and ended in front of Galliano Hall. It promoted healthy eating habits by allowing it’s participants to sample healthy snacks every quarter of the mile.

“It was such a neat way to promote and provide resources for a healthy lifestyle,” Rosalie Landry, a junior nursing major, said. “I think the Dietetics Association should do health promotions and activities like this around campus more often.”

Four informational stations were positioned along the mile route where dietetics students provided the participants with healthy snacks options including cups of vegetables and fruit, a serving of Quinoa and fruit-infused water. Along with each item, there was educational information about the various food groups.
After the mile, the participants received a free healthy meal from Galliano Hall.

“There was about 30 participants and 15 volunteers at the ‘Mindful Mile’ event,” Hannah Onnebane, the president of Student Dietetics Association, said. “This event was just the start of what SDA has planned for the future. We hope to plan many more events to showcase and educate students of NSU and member of the community.”

Elizabeth Sloan, the dietetics program director, explained that the “Mindful Mile” was conceptualized when the Dietetics Association partnered with Sodexo, the company that runs the dining hall.

Sloan said, “Kelsey Rosenbaum, Sodexo’s first dietitian, along with the dietetics association wanted to promote Sodexo’s ‘Mindful Entree,’ their slogan for healthier dining options on campus. So that’s how the ‘Mindful Mile’ began.”

Nicholls Dietetics Association is compromised with serving the community and raising awareness about healthy eating habits.

Each of the 80 members of the Dietetics Program has to complete a certain number of community service hours, so they are encouraged to volunteer at the St. Francis Vegetable Garden, the Rienzi Farmer’s Market and the Bayou Country Children Museum for their Trick or Treat event.

Additionally, the Dietetics Association is promoting their second annual pumpkin decorating contest on Halloween day.

Student groups, organizations and resident hall members can create groups to decorate pumpkins that will later be judged by the students who dined at Galliano Hall that day. The winners will receive a free Pizza from Galliano Hall.

The Student Dietetics Association is also looking forward to the annual Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics National Conference in Boston from Oct. 14 to 18. This will be the fourth consecutive time that a group of five dietitian students, Hannah Onnebane, Connor Harris, Andrew Adorno, Jacey Buzzbis and Tiara Young, will participate in the conference.