The Health Education Resource Center (HERC) taught students how to make healthier versions of dip.

Lindsey Eigsti, the nutrition coordinator and host of the class, said the reason behind the class is to give students a better way to prepare healthy alternatives to their favorite foods.

Healthy Cooking 101 is a series of cooking classes throughout the year featuring different themes, cooking techniques and aspects of proper nutrition, according the HERC’s website.

The programs the HERC hosts combines lecture and hands-on cooking.

The class theme was “Slam Dunk Your Fruit and Veggies” for Tuesday’s class.

The dips recipes included classic hummus dip, kale, spinach and artichoke dip, and a peanut butter dip with honey.

Students made the food themselves and were able try the various recipes they made.

Two students were in attendance for the event and said they attended for a class. Both students were able to take the leftover food with them after the class.

The classes can be helpful to students who are interested in finding healthier eating alternatives in their day-to-day lives.

Weight gain is common among people 18-24. A survey conducted by the National Institute of Health found that on average students gain nearly three pounds during their freshman year of college rather than the “freshman fifteen,” which is a main reason college students seek a healthy lifestyle.

Some reasons students may experience rapid weight gain in college include erratic sleeping and eating patterns, excessive alcohol consumption, decreased activity level, stress eating, skipping breakfast, greater access to energy-dense foods and poor variety or overall diet.

Moderate weight gain between the ages of 18-23 is normal as the body is developing and settling to a natural set point for weight for a person’s adult body.

Restricting intake and dieting during this time can lead to health consequences, such as binge eating behaviors, chronic weight cycling and disordered eating. It is important for young people, especially college students, to find heathy ways to maintain weight goals.

The previous Heathy Cooking 101 was themed “Soup-er Bowl,” and the next class will be on Tuesday, April 23 in the Klehm Hall food lab with the theme “Fresh Fitness.”

Other upcoming health-centered events include Stress and Sleep Management on April 23, Rubber Lovers on April 2, Sleep Like a Panther on April 22, Partner Up with Pizza on April 2,  Healthy Habits: The College Student’s Guide to Good Nutrition on April 9, Myth Busting Alcohol on April 9 and Sex is Like Pizza on April 3.

Karlie Guy can be reached at 581-2812 or at kdguy@eiu.edu.