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Smoothie Sale, Mac and Cheese Cook-Off, and Presentation by Dietitian on “Gut Health”

The Student Association of Nutrition and Dietetics (SAND) at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø has organized a mac and cheese crockpot cook-off and a program with a Pittsburgh-based registered and licensed dietitian to celebrate National Nutrition Month in March.

This year’s theme for National Nutrition Month is “Beyond the Table.”

The mac and cheese crockpot cook-off, which is open to the community, will be held March 20 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Monongahela Room. For a $2 donation, spectators may sample the entries and vote for a favorite. 

All proceeds from the cook-off event will be donated to the IUP Food Pantry and Help Center, which provides food, toiletries, school supplies, and clothing items to IUP students in need. 

The final event for the month is a presentation by registered and licensed dietitian Jody Garlick, titled “Everything You Need to Know About Gut Health,” on March 28 at 7:00 p.m. in , room 126. This presentation is free and open to the community.

Garlick specializes in integrated nutrition for optimal digestive health and wellness. She is the founder and owner of South Hills Nutrition and helps clients with digestive disorders, including IBS, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.

Garlick completed her coursework in dietetics at Kansas State University in 2007. In 2008, she completed a nine-month internship with Adagio Health in Pittsburgh and became a registered dietitian.  She has a master of science degree in exercise science and health promotion from California University of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø. She recently completed a doctor of health science program with a research focus on improving digestive health through evidence-based holistic interventions at California University of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø.

Garlick is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and also a member of the Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine practice group. She also holds a certificate of training in integrative and functional nutrition from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, is a certified LEAP therapist, completed a microbiome restoration masterclass with Jason Hawrelek, has a cannabinoid therapy clinical mastery certification, and completed FODMAP training with Monash University.

The month’s celebration began with a smoothie sale on March 6.

About the Student Association of Nutrition and Dietetics

SAND, which includes 47 undergraduate students at IUP, is supported by the Department of Food and Nutrition. The purpose of SAND is to provide members with professional involvement in food and nutrition activities as they develop their career potential.

The goals of the organization are to increase involvement in food and nutrition activities through educational and community experiences, provide peer mentoring and tutoring, serve as a liaison with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and educate the community with current food and nutrition information, including through National Nutrition Month events.

The Department of Food and Nutrition has tracks in dietetics and nutrition in its bachelor’s degree programs and offers a public health and community nutrition certificate and a nutrition minor. Students can also receive a master’s degree in food and nutrition or a master’s degree in the dietitian-nutritionist program.

In addition to the opportunity to be active with SAND, students can also work with the Sports Performance Nutrition Services program based in the department, which provides IUP and local high school athletes and coaches with personalized and sport-specific nutrition strategies to optimize athletic performance and training.

IUP’s bachelor of science degree in nutrition has been ranked in the top 16 programs in the nation as a “Best Bachelor's Degree” by Study.com.; the online master’s degree in food and nutrition is ranked fifth in the nation by OnlineU and as one of the top graduate programs in the nation—the only program in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø selected for the ranking—by Intelligent.com.