Meet Kate Storey! She is a dietician intern at The Sylvia Center in Columbia County. Kate is from Boston, MA. For the past 10 years, she lived and studied while having adventures in Canada and the west coast. She is now back home in the northeast and training to be a dietician. When she is not absorbed learning about food and nutrition science, Kate loves getting out into nature, practicing and teaching yoga, and spending quality time with her orange tabby cat named Cheddar Cheese.
Q & A with Kate
1. How did you become interested in the field of dietetics? Why do you want to be a dietician?
I became aware of how food affects the way our bodies function and feel at about ten years old when I met with a Registered Dietitian. Ever since then nutrition has been a priority in my life and I knew in my early twenties that I wanted to make nutrition my career. I started reading books, taught myself how to cook and learned a lot while working for a nutritionist who owned a natural health food store on the south coast of Massachusetts. A couple of years later I decided to further my knowledge and went back to school to earn my Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and my Master of Science in Nutrition. I am fortunate to currently be in a Dietetic Internship through The Sage Colleges. I want to become a dietitian because I am passionate about health and well-being and believe in the power of nutrition to heal our bodies and to help us lead balanced and productive lives.
2. What do you want to learn at The Sylvia Center?
I am excited to learn more about how TSC and the farm operates. I want to learn more about what is growing on the farm for the current season and when/how the vegetables are harvested. I am also excited to teach children about food!
3. What does food mean to you?
I think our bodies are made to feel good and thrive off of real, nourishing whole foods, as well as physical activity. Food is to be enjoyed, savored and to touch all of our senses. It’s doing so much for us that we don’t realize and that we may take for granted. We owe it to our bodies to give it what it really wants! When we treat ourselves right by making good choices, such as through the foods we eat, we practice self-love and self-respect – important skills for young people to learn now!
4. What message do you want to tell young people about healthy eating?
Try to connect with your food, such as through cooking a small meal for yourself, preparing a snack or chopping vegetables, growing herbs, gardening or apple picking. Learn to pay attention to your food and yourself when you are eating. Be aware of what you’re looking at on your plate and really taste it, take your time. Eating food is so much more than a means to an end. It matters what you put into your body, now and over the long term, so try to be mindful. Your body will thank you later! Food is a very natural thing to be curious about, as we can’t survive without it, so don’t be afraid to make it part of your lifestyle.
5. What is your favorite recipe to make?
I enjoy making Thai dishes (peanut, vegetables, chicken, noodles)at home, or a hearty beef & vegetable stew in the winter months, as well as a really good sandwich or salad any day or time of year!
