Members of the Food and Nutrition Club hand out free fruit and educate students on the new food guide pyramid.

MOJO: Students grab free fruit

By: Benjamin R. Schilter

Posted: 11/18/08

As part of a nutrition jamboree, the Sac State Food and Nutrition Club distributed apples, bananas and oranges in the Library Quad on Tuesday.

Club president Dale Bettencourt, senior family and consumer sciences major, said the club's membership has increased over the past year. Each year the club gives out free fruit and tries to get students interested in learning about nutrition.

"I want to get people to talk about it and incorporate it into their lives," Bettencourt said.

Seniors Christel Heinz and Leann Miller told students about the new food guide pyramid. Heinz said the group was trying to promote more students to eat fruit and vegetables. One student asked Miller the difference between the new and old food guide pyramids.

"The old one is different because they're trying to get everyone to eat more grains," she told the student. The new pyramid emphasized a variety of foods.

After picking up a piece of fruit, junior music major Jordan L'Juan said the fruit table was "one of the best ideas there (is) here." He would like to see it grow and expand to get more people interested in nutrition.

"I'm eating a healthy banana right now; what more can I ask for?" L'Juan said.

Ben Schilter can be reached at bschilter@statehornet.com