UMass Amherst Dining Services Wins National Award for Most Creative Nutrition Promotion

July 23, 2008

Contact:

Dianne Sutherland 413/545-5379

AMHERST, Mass. – Dining Services at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has been awarded second place for “The Most Creative Nutrition Promotion” from the National Association of College and University Food Services.

Dining Services received the award for its National Nutrition Month Promotion, which took place in March 2008 and introduced a new interactive nutrition Web site at www.umass.edu/diningservices/nutrition to promote healthy eating habits for UMass students and the public. The promotion was coordinated by dietitian Dianne Sutherland, who worked with dietetic interns and undergraduate nutrition majors to show students an analysis of nutrients, ingredients and allergens found in dining commons recipes.

The site’s popularity has continually increased since its introduction during the promotion. It is especially useful for students with special dietary needs, such as food allergies, diabetes and wheat intolerance, but the information can also help all students make healthier food choices.

In addition to launching the Web site, the promotion included weekly nutrition games in each of the dining commons, which were hosted by the Phantom Sheep Comedy Troupe. Each interactive game emphasized the basics of nutrition and has a coordinating brochure available online to reinforce the information. Students who participated in the promotion were eligible to win an iPhone, IPOD Portable System, gym memberships and gift cards donated by local vendors.

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