Salisbury University Dietitian Newsletter  |  September 2019 
In This Issue:
The Power of Mindful Eating
What’s New in Dining Services
Nutrition and Ingredient Information Up Front
Dorm Room Eats
The Power of Mindful Eating
Welcome back Gulls! A new semester means busy days and jam-packed schedules, often leaving little room for sit-down meals. Have you ever found yourself scarfing down a sandwich or bag of chips as you sprint across campus to make it to class? Or, are you snacking while studying, when suddenly your snack has disappeared and you don’t remember eating it? These habits can easily lead to overeating or choosing less nutritious foods. Mindfulness is a practice that may help.

There are many benefits to mindful eating. Mindful eating means paying close attention to your feelings of hunger, your emotions and the foods you are eating. It means listening to your body and mind.
Mindful eating can have big impacts on health, like preventing overeating or undereating, helping us choose healthier foods, and leaving us feeling more satisfied after meals.
Here are a few steps adapted from Mindful.org to help us eat more mindfully:
1. FOCUS ON YOUR FOOD
Many of us are accustomed to multitasking, even while eating. How often do you eat while studying, watching TV, walking to class or scrolling through your phone? Eating while distracted prevents us from noticing our hunger and fullness feelings or from fully enjoying our food. The next time you eat, try just eating. Sit at a table away from technology, books and stress, and try to focus on each bit of your meal.
2. SIT AND SLOW DOWN
Our schedules can become so full that we only leave 10 or 15 minutes for a full meal. But did you know that it can take about 20 minutes for our stomachs to tell our brains that we are full? When we eat very quickly, we may overeat because we haven’t given our bodies time to feel full yet. This week, try scheduling in just 20 minutes to sit down and enjoy a break for lunch or dinner. Give your mind and body rest as you nourish yourself!
3. GET TO KNOW YOUR HUNGER
It is important to know the difference between true hunger and simply wanting to eat. Our emotions, like sadness, boredom and frustration, can cause us to feel like eating, even when we may not be hungry. Many times we eat because our minds tell us to, not our bodies. Before reaching for a snack this week, ask yourself if you are truly hu ngry. Many times we eat because our mind tells us to, not our body
4. GET TO KNOW YOUR FOOD
Mindful eating can begin before you take the first bite! Notice the colors, textures, flavors and scents of your snack or meal. Reflect on any memories you might have of that food or its ingredients. Think about the ways that dish will nourish your body. 
Written by:
Bryn Manning
SU Dietetic Intern, Now Registered Dietitian in Memphis, TN
What’s New in Dining Services
This semester, we are offering a wider variety of plant-based choices as more students want fresh foods and sustainability included in their food options.

The Bistro menu has been updated to accommodate this student-driven initiative. As you walk into Bistro, to your left are upscale meats, seafood, new dishes and traditional favorites, grains, vegetables, and desserts that are gluten friendly. To the right are plant-based meals with appeal to all diners. Items served include favorites such as our macaroni and cheese bar, student favorites from Plato’s Plate, plant-based burgers and new items like Chef Johns award-winning Italian pierogis and chili lime baked cod. 

Go to the Bistro for totally tasty eating, including gluten-friendly dining and plant-forward choices. 
Nutrition and Ingredient Information Up Front
Coming in 2020, Dining Services will be providing expanded nutrition and ingredient information easily assessable online so you can make informed choices that meet your personal needs. 

Food labels for Grab n Go items are updated with barcodes for use with food tracking apps. Nutrition information also is available on our website. Check out the Nutrition page.  Hungry Minds nutrition information also is updated and available on the website.

All these changes can make mindful eating a little bit easier! For your personal wellness plan visit University Dietitian Terry Passano in Commons Room 151 in the Link of Nations.
Dorm Room Eats
These dishes are made in the microwave with simple ingredients, many of which have a long shelf life. This means they are ingredients you can have on hand and they won’t go bad quickly. The recipes are quick, easy and economical!
Terry Passano
University Dietitian
Commons 151
410-548-9112 
SU is an Equal Opportunity/AA/Title IX university and provides reasonable accommodation given sufficient notice to the University office or staff sponsoring the event or program. For more information regarding SU’s policies and procedures , please visi t  www.salisbury.edu/equity .