In November, the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies held an event to celebrate diversity and culture through food—the first in a series scheduled this semester.
“I think it’s a great event to get to experience new things with taste and sample culture,” explained Nicholas Menacho, a Mason student majoring in Criminology and taking the Introduction to Nutrition Course at the College.
Nicholas Menacho (left) serves mojito water.
Participants had the opportunity to taste food including ensalada de repollo (a cabbage salad from Nicaragua), pupusas (Salvadoran stuffed flatbread), alfajores (a Peruvian dessert), salsa verde (a well-known Mexican recipe for salsa), and mojito water (a well-known Cuban beverage).
“At Mason, we’re surrounded by such diversity that we wanted to celebrate it, and what better way than with food?” explained Dr. Larry Cheskin, chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies. “We’re already planning more events to celebrate the rich cultures present in our students, faculty, and staff.”
Offices from around campus also shared information on their programs with students and others stopping by. Participants included the Departments of Global and Community Health, Nutrition and Food Studies, and Global Affairs, as well as the Offices of International Programs and Services, Global Education, and College of Humanities and Social Sciences Undergraduate Admissions.
The VALÉ project—A Multidisciplinary Childhood Obesity Treatment Program for Latino Communities—also had a booth where they invited participants to guess the amount of sugar in popular beverages.
The VALÉ project—A Multidisciplinary Childhood Obesity Treatment Program for Latino Communities—invited participants to guess the amount of sugar in popular beverages.