Your Foods & Nutrition Questions Answered!

As you probably know if you’ve been reading the blog, I am not a Foods & Nutrition (F&N) student. However, I know a lot of you would like to know more about this great program at Brescia!

Enter Alessandra, who is going into her 4th year in F&N at Brescia. She is here to answer your questions! (The picture is of her posing as a Food Stylist.)

We also have some answers from a recent Foods and Nutrition graduate, Zabrina! Thanks, Z. :)

1. What IS Foods and Nutrition?

Foods and Nutrition is an exciting and constantly developing area of study, so it’s tough to explain! F&N is much more than just Canada’s Food Guide. At Brescia you will learn about food processing, macro- and micronutrients, food science, human nutrition throughout the life cycle, foodservice management, food safety practices, communicating effectively in the community, and everything in between.

2. What is first year in Foods and Nutrition like?! Is it really hard? What courses do I take?

The first year of the F&N program at Brescia helps you understand the key topics required for the study of nutritional sciences. Although you may be like me and think, “what am I ever going to need chemistry or business for”, they do come in handy later on in your upper year courses!

• FN1030E – Fundamentals of Human Nutrition (full year course)
• 1290B – Biology and Microorganisms (second term half course)
• 1220 – Introduction to Business (full year course)
• Chemistry (full year course)
• Computer Science (half course – either 1033A/B Multimedia and Communications or 1032A/B Information Systems and Design)
• Elective (full year course – must be taken at Brescia to fulfill residency requirement of having 3.0 courses taken at Brescia. You can choose from psychology, sociology, women’s studies, religious studies, family studies, English, French, Spanish, history, philosophy, political science, anthropology, economics, leadership, and more)

I can’t say what any one person would find to be a “hard course” but I can say from my own experience that it is really important to dedicate time to ALL your courses.

If you are like me and dislike studying chemistry, make a date with your textbook. Dedicate an hour each Tuesday and Thursday to just reviewing chemistry without any distractions (ahem… facebook, twitter, etc.). That way you won’t get behind and may even grow to like the course because you aren’t finding it as hard when you know the basics!

3. Who are your favourite F & N profs?

Alessandra: It’s impossible to pick a favourite F&N professor because they are all so wonderful in their own ways! Seriously, I’m not just saying that. Each professor at Brescia has their own unique teaching style and passion for their subjects. They share their wealth of knowledge with us in creative and interesting ways!

Zabrina: Wow!  There are so many talented foods and nutrition professors.  I really enjoyed Dr. Battram – her passion and enthusiasm is incredibly motivating and empowering.  Dr. Piche was another favourite of mine – always coaching me to be the best I could be.  He would often say “Show me the data!”.  He encouraged a lot of self-learning, which proved to be a positive experience for me.

4. What kind of career can I pursue with a F & N degree?

There are LOTS of different career paths that you can follow with an F&N degree. The most obvious path is Registered Dietitian because after our four years of courses we are prepared to apply for a dietetic internship, which then allows you to write the exam to get RD status. With the RD your possibilities are too endless to list!

Here are a few job titles for people with F&N degrees that I’ve come across: Clinical Dietitian, Community Dietitian, Food Stylist, Nutrition Manager, Freelance Writer (cook books and nutrition), Food Scientist, Researcher, Professor. Of course there are tons of companies that you could work for doing anything from creating new food products to determining nutritional quality of foods.

5. What do YOU want to do with your degree?

Zabrina: Ideally, I’d like to open my own practice or work for a long term care home.

Alessandra:

This is a long story for me- I’ve been changing my mind every year as I learn more!

In first year: I decided to add on the Major in Food Management because I wanted to create my own food related business.

In second year: I thought I’d like to combine my F&N degree with a second degree in Visual Arts because I wanted to do food related marketing and product development.

Now: I really want to get my RD and do an MSc and PhD in Foods and Nutrition.

I plan to complete the Honours Specialization in Foods and Nutrition and use the knowledge I’ve gained from completing extra business and visual arts courses to complete an MSc and PhD in a field that I am passionate about. In the future I hope to have my own business and we’ll see where that takes me!

6. What kind of extracurricular activities are offered at Brescia?

Extracurricular activities are everywhere at Brescia! There are specific opportunities for F&N students and you can also get help finding volunteer placements out in the community.

There are two major student-run organizations you might be interested in: CAFP Student Branch (Canadian Association of Foodservice Professional) and SHEA (Student Human Ecology Association). These two clubs provide volunteer and educational opportunities to their members through becoming part of the executive councils and/or participating in club sponsored events.

We also have NIK (Nutrition Initiatives for Kids) through Student Services at Brescia. Through this program, students get into small groups and create curriculum-based nutrition programming for elementary and secondary school students. It’s really fun and a great opportunity to get out into the community and share your knowledge!

As well we also have the BUCSC (Brescia University College Students’ Council). There are lots of opportunities to get involved and build your leadership skills. Don’t be afraid to attend events or become part of the council. These women are great mentors and you will have the time of your life while acquiring important interdisciplinary skills.

7. When and where should I get my textbooks?

After you have picked all your courses, check on the UWO Book Store website to see if any of your professors have determined the required textbook(s) for their courses. If they have, then see if you can get them at a discounted price either by buying used from the Book Store or finding an upper year student who is willing to sell as soon as possible.  I’ve looked into buying textbooks online, but never seem to find any real discount when you consider shipping charges.

8. Do you have any advice for me?

Zabrina: Yes!  This program requires you to build on your learning.  Hang on to what you learn in your first two years and remember that information, as it will be important in your last year when everything comes together!  Also, if you’re planning to do an internship, marks count.

9. Any neat facts that you have learned?

Zabrina: Tons – but I’ll share one thing.  Do SUGARS cause you to gain weight? Try to answer this before you read my thoughts.  (There is no right answer.)

We always hear people talking about how we should watch our intake of sugar and how we shouldn’t drink sugary drinks because they are full of empty calories. And, while all of this is good advice, the fact is that sugars don’t cause someone to gain weight, calories do!  At the end of the day, it’s all about calories in versus calories out.  Keep in mind that many sugary food items are also high in fat and calories, therefore complicating our answer to the question raised above.

Stay tuned for Alessandra’s Top 10 Tips for F & N Students…

Thanks, Alessandra & Zabrina!

Kate