NOM’s Mission

Nutrition Outreach and Mentoring is a student organization at Middlebury College that aims to create community and connect people through food and food education. Our student-run group organizes volunteering events and classes with the purpose of both exposing young people to healthy local foods and food practices, and to acquire the independence and knowledge that comes with this life skill. The aims of our initiatives are to establish healthy eating and cooking habits and to raise awareness about nutrition and current food issues among the youth population.

Current Programming

Taste Tests: NOM is partnered with two local elementary schools, Mary Hogan Elementary and Cornwall School (Bingham Memorial). In partnership with the Vermont Department of Health, the Center for Community Engagement, and the food service providers at these schools, we organize lunch-time taste tests in order to generate excitement among elementary students for healthy local fruits, vegetables, and foods — and for the school meals program. Each month, we help prepare food samples, distribute them in the cafeteria, and assess student feedback on the taste tests to provide data for our partners. We use the curriculum provided by the Vermont Harvest of the Month.

Since 2020, NOM has been conducting virtual cooking sessions with families of the Mary Hogan School. We select a recipe that incorporates the Harvest of the Month, purchase the ingredients, assemble kits and have families pick them up from school. We then host Zoom sessions to cook and enjoy the delicious meal!

Cooking Workshops at the Teen Center: Beginning in Fall 2018, NOM is partnering with the Addison Central Teen Center to provide monthly cooking workshops and a snack/meal to the teens. Cooking workshops will be held on the second Friday of every month from 3.30-4.30pm, and at the moment we are limiting sign-ups to 2-3 volunteers per lesson. Lessons/dinners provide an opportunity to cook with the teens, share recipes, and provide mentorship while hanging out in the space.

Partnerships with Student Organizations: In the past, NOM has partnered with Sister-to-Sister, DREAM, and Relay for Life to provide a nutrition aspect to each of these organizations’ regular programming.

If you are a Student Org leader and are interested in partnering with NOM, please reach out to our leadership board at nom@middlebury.edu.