GW Capital Peers Nutrition Initiative
Capital Peers are peer health educators who work directly with the Division for Student Affairs to provide health promotion and education to the GW student body. Through events, workshops, marketing campaigns and more, Capital Peers serve as educators and role models for GW students related to all things health and wellness. Students who participate in the Capital Peers program are nationally certified peer educators through the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) affiliate, BACCHUS Network.
Each semester, the Capital Peers devote their time and energy to educating students on various health topics. During the 2022-2023 academic year, the Peers chose nutrition and food insecurity at GW as their focus.
56%
of GW students surveyed reported feeling highly or marginally food insecure.
44%
of GW students surveyed felt that the food they bought didn't last or they didn't have money to get more.
41%
of GW students surveyed felt that they couldn't afford to eat balanced meals.
1 in 4
GW students surveyed reduced meal size or skipped meals because they didn't have enough money for food.
32%
of GW students surveyed ate less than they wanted to because there wasn't enough money for food.
1 in 5
GW students surveyed felt hungry but didn't eat because there wasn't enough money for food.
Responses were based on the US Household Food Security Survey Module: Six-Item Short Form (2012) from the USDA Economic Research Service. These questions were asked as a part of the Fall 2021 National College Health Assessment at GW.
"College is all about balancing responsibilities, but for a lot of students, food insecurity adds an unexpected curveball. With tight budgets and outrageous food prices [CVS and Whole Foods], we find ourselves relying on ramen or skipping meals more than we'd like. It's time for a change."
Melissa Owusu-Ansah
B.S. Neuroscience, Class of 2023
Campaign Components
The Capital Peers divided their Nutrition & Food Insecurity campaign into four main categories:
Budgeting, GWorld 101, Food Safety & Cooking, and The Store.
Budgeting
The Sexual Health & Healthy Relationships Task Force sought to find ways to enable students to allocate their funds towards more balanced meals. Using best practices around food usage and storage, the task force assembled three tips that you need to know to make your food last longer.
Freeze Your Bread
To prevent freezer burn, wrap each loaf tightly in two layers of plastic wrap before placing it in a large resealable freezer bag. Press out as much air as possible and stow in the freezer for up to 3 months. For sandwich bread, always slice before freezing. For the best results, it is crucial to freeze bread while it's still fresh.
Use Glass Containers
Plastic containers are not FDA-approved for repeat food storage or microwaving. Upgrading to quality glass food storage containers can ensure food freshness and durability.
Pro Tip: Put your produce in glassware to support its longevity.
Buy Frozen
Contrary to popular belief, frozen fruits and vegetables maintain their nutrients when frozen. The vitamin content is even higher in some frozen foods! Purchasing frozen food removes some of the stress of consuming produce quickly so you can cook on your own time.
GWorld 101
The Social Well-being Task Force decided to focus on GW’s nontraditional dining experience. From having to rely solely on grocery stores and restaurants to transitioning to dining halls and swipe-based meal plans, it can be difficult to figure out where to eat! The Task Force noticed that the current list of GWorld vendors can be hard to navigate, disorganized, and out of date, so they wanted to create a more comprehensive list of GWorld vendors. They created a new centralized spreadsheet of GWorld vendors (which will be updated continuously) that includes information about each vendor’s accessibility, average prices, and allergy accommodations, and more.
View the GWorld 101 Spreadsheet
Recipes, Food Safety, & Cooking
With GW’s unique location and meal plan options, students often find it difficult to balance nutritional needs with their academic, social, and personal lifestyle. The majority of students on campus own a kitchen, but struggle with maintaining a nutrient-dense meal plan that fuels them throughout their time at GW. The Nutrition & Body Image Task Force’s primary goal during the campaign was to uplift the GW student community by connecting them to accessible resources related to cooking, nutrition quality, and food/kitchen safety.
At the beginning of the semester, the Task Force surveyed students to find out the main factors that prevented them from cooking:
#1
"I don't have enough time to cook."
#2
"It takes too much effort to cook."
#3
"My food spoils too quickly."
#4
"I don't know what to cook."
#5
"I don't have a weekly budget."
Throughout the semester, their initiatives and projects were centered around addressing these concerns and providing guidance to boost student morale towards cooking as they incorporate it into their daily lives. You can check out the Capital Peers on Instagram for recipe videos, food safety tips, and more!
The Store
To help combat food insecurity and the mental and physical stress resulting from it, the Stress Management & Emotional Well-being Task Force focused on promoting The GW Store, one of the most important resources for students at GW. The Store is a student-run food pantry that provides resources and support for students living with food insecurity. The Store is open to any and all GW students and all shoppers remain completely anonymous out of respect for their privacy.
"As a fourth-year at GW, I feel like it was (and still is) difficult to feel completely in control of my personal nutrition. During my first year, I was super overwhelmed by the newness of college life. It was really convenient for me just to eat out most nights. This resulted in me having issues managing finances, running out of GWorld quickly, and feeling unhealthy. However, as a senior, I feel that I now have a better grip on how to efficiently use my GWorld and maximize the nutritional value of what I'm consuming. With resources like The Store and GET's Budgeting App as well as new resources like GW's Safeway Saturdays and GW Capital Peers's GWorld 101!, my personal food and nutrition circumstances feel a lot more manageable."
Julia Hyatt
B.S. Public Health, Class of 2023
Follow the GW Capital Peers on social media for even more public health content and real-time updates on the food insecurity campaign!
Follow the Capital Peers on Instagram