15 May Inside the Fridge welcomes nutrition student Jaime Ruisi

Inside the Fridge welcomes Jaime Ruisi.  Jaime is a student majoring in nutrition at Long Island University– Post, in New York.  She has recently accepted an exciting internship here, at Robinsbite! Jaime’s passions include writing and creating healthy recipes for her friends and family.  When she’s not in the kitchen or in class, you can find her running along a local path to the beach. Follow her on twitter @JaimeRuisi1 or on facebook!

ITF:  Where do you shop for food?

JR:  Trader Joe’s is my usual stop for food shopping.  I also really enjoy going to Pats’ Farm, a quaint store around the corner from my house that sells only the freshest produce.

ITF:  Do you love food shopping or dread it?

JR:  I have a love/hate relationship with food shopping.  It’s always exciting to check out new products on the shelves and pick out a variety of fruits and vegetables that are new in season.  However, it drives me nuts when there are too many people in the store and I can’t take my time evaluating nutrition labels.

ITF:  What is the single most important thing on your mind when you are shopping for food?

JR:  I always try to keep variety in mind while I’m food shopping.  I am a creature of habit and tend to eat the same foods over and over again.  I like to change it up every so often.  This week, I bought something totally out of the box, tempeh.

ITF:  How often do you shop?

JR:  I usually shop twice a week.  I’ll make one large shopping trip at the beginning of the week and then within a day or so, we’re already out of fruit and I’m back at the store!

ITF:  How many do you shop for? Ages? 

JR:  I shop for four people; myself and my twin sister are 22 years old (she’s extremely picky), as well as my mom and dad. My mom tags along so we can plan meals for the week together (aka. since she has the credit card).

ITF:  How many times a week do you eat out? (based on 21 meals/week)

JR:  I eat out maybe once a week with the family.  On Sundays, we all go to this local Italian restaurant, The Galleria.  It’s been a family tradition ever since I can remember.  They have the best fettuccine marinese; whole wheat pasta with mixed vegetables in a savory tomato sauce.

ITF:  Do you believe in leftovers?

JR:  I love leftovers! Everyone’s schedules are always so hectic and you never know who’s going to be home for dinner.  It’s quick and easy to just pop the leftovers in the microwave or create something completely new.

ITF:  What convenience product can you not live without?

JR:  Cannot, cannot, cannot live without Fage greek yogurt cups.  If I’m in a rush, they’re easy to pack for lunch between classes or bring to the beach.  I like to prepare a Ziploc bag of sliced strawberries and walnuts to add a boost of flavor.

ITF:   How have your cooking/shopping habits changed over the last 10 years?

JR:  Since I started studying nutrition, I am much more aware of the foods that I buy and prepare.  Now, as I go food shopping I take the time to evaluate the nutrition labels and find products with the highest nutritive value.  When cooking, I make healthy substitutions in household recipes.

ITF:  What was the last meal you cooked from scratch?

JR:  Just last night, I made grilled chicken topped with eggplant. For a side, I prepared a mashed chickpea and apple topping for sweet potatoes.  The idea came to me completely out of the blue and turned out to be a crowd pleaser.

ITF:  What was the last meal you cooked from convenience products?

JR:  Frozen vegetables mixed with shrimp is the go-to meal in my house.  It takes all of 10 minutes to cook and it’s delicious!

Thank you Jaime!

If you would like to be featured on Inside the Fridge, please email Robinsbite intern Destini Borchardt- Destini@robinplotkin.com