Last Saturday I had the opportunity to do the thing I miss most about being home, cooking. Sure I wasn’t cooking in my kitchen but it still felt like a piece of home. When we first arrived, we learned a few cooking techniques like how to cut an onion or make biscuits. Being a somewhat avid cook, I already knew most of the information. After breaking up into our own stations, I went to the omelet station. I made avocado and bacon omelettes which actually turned out very well. House Fellow Emily Gier, who teaches Food for Contemporary Living in the College of Human Ecology, gave me great tips, like not flipping or folding the omelette until you are plating the food. After getting to taste all the amazing and healthy dishes other people made, we reconvened to talk about healthy substitutions and products we, as college students, can use. For instance, I learned that beans are a great source of fiber and protein, and to make them even healthier, you should rinse the can of beans under water to get rid of about 40% of sodium. Simple, cheap substitutions and little techniques can greatly improve the nutritional value of foods one eats. Eating healthy is so important because it give one the energy needed to study and stay active!