Many students can be skeptical about the options for eating healthy when living in the dorms and some may have never ventured into cooking at all.

However, since last semester’s success with the Cook Smart, Eat Smart program, University Dining and nutritionist Lisa Eberhart have scheduled a series of cooking and nutrition classes targeted toward students living on campus. Graduate assistants teach the classes, which run throughout the semester.

“It focuses on healthy cooking for students. We want them to better understand their needs. They’re often in a hurry and don’t have full kitchens sometimes to work with or they are on a budget, so that is really what these classes will focus on,” Sarah Beitzel , cooking class teacher and graduate student in extension education.

One of the classes offered provides students with ideas of what utensils to use in the dorm kitchen areas. These classes will be held in the University Honors’ kitchen.

 ”One of the reasons they are in a dorm kitchen is that we really want to focus on the kids who live on campus and who only have limited cooking areas,” Eberhart said.

There will also be classes available that focus on specific types of cuisine.

“The basic cooking class will just be knife skills, using a crock pot–just simple things. Then we are also going to have the specialty cooking classes that focus on Italian, Asian, Mediterranean and Mexican cuisine,” Beitzel said.

There are also classes that teach students how to find the healthiest options in the C-stores and dining halls.

“A lot of students have told me that they have a hard time navigating the C-stores, and…finding healthy food in the C-store…but [this class is] to let them know what they can buy in the C-store, how they can buy some things to put together in your room for a meal, and we are doing the same things in the dining halls…[there are] things that students might not realize that they can put together to make a healthier meal,” Eberhart said.

Lastly, there will be a Nutrition 101 class that will be required prior to any student meeting with Eberhart for nutrition counseling. She hopes this class will answer any basic questions so those with more specific concerns can have more time to speak with her one-on-one.

Students can sign up for the classes via the University Dining website. They are offered multiple times per month and each class has different meeting times assuring, that any student can fit at least one of the classes offered into their schedule. The classes are free with the exception of the specialty cooking class, which costs $5, to cover for food.

Alex Osborne, senior in parks and recreation, participated in Cook Smart, Eat Smart last semester and is currently enrolled in some of the classes offered this spring. As an intermediate cook, he said his motivation for taking the classes was that he could always learn more, and he enjoys cooking.

“My favorite part of the first session was cooking the turkey chili in a crock pot. I’ve made that four times now, and it’s delicious every time…and just coming back, Sarah [is a great teacher],” Osborne said.

While there are no plans to implement classes like this into the core curriculum, Eberhart was interested in possibly pursuing this in the future.

“It’s just a life skill learning to cook. It’s something you need to know,” Eberhart said. “Our whole goal is to make students eat healthier everywhere, and definitely make better choices in the C-store, in the dining halls and when they are cooking on their own.”