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Cross-Country, Culture, and Community

February 2020

By Jenifer Reader, MHE, RDN, LD
Clinical Assistant Professor

ISU Nutrition & Dietetics students were excited for the opportunity to work with two cross-country athletes for a recent cultural project in their Community Nutrition class. Beth Hickey and Laura Alicke, both international athletes, were guest presenters for the class, sharing their stories of what they experienced when they moved from their home countries to Pocatello so they could attend ISU.

Beth and Laura talked about their favorite foods back home, cultural differences between their home countries and southeast Idaho, and the challenges they experienced with trying to find foods that were similar to what they ate back home. Natalie Christensen, SCORE dietitian, also attended the presentation with the athletes. Natalie commented that this challenge is common for many international athletes, which can result in poor nutritional intake and negatively impact performance.

After the class presentation, Laura and Beth were invited back to work with students on a cultural meal project. With Laura’s help, students prepared some of her favorite German dishes: Schnitzel, carrots and kohlrabi, and cucumber and tomato salad with a lemon basil vinaigrette. Under Beth’s guidance, students prepared some Australian classics: Meat pies, a side of Vegemite, and a glass of Milo to wash it all down. Both meat pies and schnitzel were crowd favorites! Vegemite, on the other hand, was lower on the list of favorites.

The cultural meal project was a great way for students to learn about other cultures, and it was both fun and insightful to see a glimpse into the experiences of an international athlete. Community Nutrition students look forward to future opportunities to collaborate with athletes. Due to the success of the cultural meal project, plans for food demonstrations are underway!