Lore’al Perkins, a senior at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS), has packed celery, carrots, broccoli and peppers, in an array of yellow, red and orange, into her glass mason jar.
She is waiting patiently in line for the cucumbers, cranberries, sunflower seeds and spinach. “I think salad in a jar is a cool way to eat vegetables on the run,” said Perkins.
Of the 25 participants, Perkins was one of 11 CHS students from Edith Laktzian’s Life Skills class who attended the Learning Resource Center’s Success and Continuing Knowledge (S.A.C.K.) Lunch and Learn workshop. Nutrition, health and wellness coaches Jen Rowlen, of Glen Carbon, and Julie Gau, of St. Louis, taught the workshop.
“We empower people in the area of nutrition, health and wellness,” said Rowlen. “The idea of putting salad in a jar is a good way to make sure you are eating your vegetables. It’s also an economical way of preserving them longer.”
The health coaches explained the benefits of eating vegetables, especially when they are raw.
“Dark-color vegetables – like plums, blackberries, grapes and blueberries – help with inflammation,” said Gau. “Processed foods, dairy and sugar add to inflammation.”
The Lunch and Learn program at the SIUE East St. Louis Center is supported by the College of Arts and Sciences’ Targeted Funding Initiative.
