Episode 22: Food Trends Transcript
[00:00:00.610] - Ashley
Alright. Welcome to the show, Zul and Wesley, we are so excited to have you on the podcast. Before we start our conversation today, we want to let our listeners know a little bit about the two of you. Could you each share a little bit about yourselves, what it is you do with the student groups you work with on campus, and maybe what brought you to working with those student groups. Tell us your stories and Zul, if you want to go first, tell us about yourself.
[00:00:35.130] - Zul
All right. Hi, everyone. Thank you for having me here tonight. My name is Zul. I am currently a senior here at the UofA. I'm studying nutrition with a minor in Spanish. A little bit about me. I'm from the Yuma area. I moved to Tucson here for college. I'm involved with SHAC, which is part of cooking on campus. For SHAC, I am the essence co-chair with my other partner, Wesley, which he will introduce himself right now. And then with cooking on campus, I have the chance to be student director for the past two years, which has been pretty fun and lots of learning from this experience. I really wanted to get involved on campus, find a way to help the community and the students. And I found that through cooking. It's pretty fun and it's a good topic when it comes to nutrition and your health. I really enjoy that.
[00:01:38.120] - Ashley
Awesome. Can you tell the students that maybe don't know what SHAC is?
[00:01:42.420] - Zul
Yeah. SHAC stands for the Student Health Advocacy Committee. It's the club, part of the ASUA. At SHAC we focus on different health topics. We have different committees which include the essence which is nutrition. We have outreach. We have the Health and Wellness and Fitness Committee. Each committee sort of focuses on planning different initiatives and plans for the campus in the Tucson community that are within their area. But that's pretty much what we focus on. And I don't know if Wesley wants to add more to our SHAC background.
[00:02:16.500] - Wesley
I guess I can introduce myself first and then dive into some more SHAC. My name is Wesley. I'm a junior here at U of A. My major is actually not particularly related to food or nutrition. I'm majoring in biochemistry and systems engineering. So a little bit ways out there from nutrition.
[00:02:34.670] - Ashley
I don't think I knew that about you.
[00:02:39.800] - Wesley
Yeah. I was really drawn to SHAC, particularly because it has a very holistic view of health. I love that we have four different committees that focus on the four different aspects that are all extremely important to your own personal health. So each of those committees, as we mentioned, very important. I love that we take that approach when we come to talking about health. And then in terms of specifically why I joined the nutrition committee, outside of academics and classes and stuff, I've been a very avid home cook. I love enjoying good food. I feel like in terms of money wise, 80% of my budget goes towards food. I don't spend money on much else. I also love being able to share that passion with the people within our community. If people didn't know, Cooking on Campus is a program that is sponsored by SHAC, where we have a lot of student chefs that are from SHAC. The goal is to provide cooking classes to all students.
[00:03:46.480] - Ashley
Today we're really going to talk about food trends for 2022, which is interesting because they come out before the new year, which is really fun. When I was looking into this topic and writing the article for NutriNews, which is part of Campus Health. It was before the New Year. I was looking at what's going to be new in the culinary food world next year, because even without TikTok being a thing, food trends have always been something. But I think with the addition of social media, it definitely takes on a whole world in itself. So the plan for today: I hope we're going to talk about food trends a little bit. And then at the end, just because this episode is going to come out right at the tail end of January. And it's leading into some of what Wesley is talking about, which is the Cooking on Campus events that we have planned for the semester. I'm hoping at the end we can take some time to let people know how Cooking on campus is changing and how Cooking on Campus is going back to the basics, which might mean someb in-person events, and a little bit of you actually being able to take some food home with you.
[00:04:54.810] - Ashley
So let's get the ball rolling, though, with some questions for our two lovely guests just about Food Trends. So we'll link in the show notes to this Food Trends article that I'm speaking of. But basically I looked at lots of different articles and places across the Internet about what are the hot new things coming out in 2022. I sent this article to Zul and Wesley to check out and see, would these be things you would eat or would these be things that sound like they are trendy and worthy of that word? I'm just going to read the top six food trends and then maybe we can pick a couple to chat about in particular. And maybe none of these surprise anybody, but if they do surprise you, that would be fun to know as well. Number one is alcohol free cocktails, so a mocktail, if you will, or just nonalcoholic. Then we have sustainable food practices. Staying local and regional when it comes to food sustainability.
[00:06:08.310] - Ashley
Preserved ingredients is number three, pickled and preserved items, which I'm a big fan of. Seeds, is number four. And I feel like that's the nod to plant-based nutrition, which was definitely a 2021 trend where we're talking about plant-based stuff. And then number five is potato milk. And I'm trying not to laugh because I don't want to offend anybody and I'm sure it's delicious, but I think it's this alternative to oat milk. The last trend is comfort food, it was number six, which was definitely a food trend in 2021. I think the pandemic and the need for human connection and using food to nourish our souls is here to stay. But of the six, which one should we start with?
[00:06:56.340] - Wesley
I think we could go with preserved ingredients. I have a couple of thoughts on that.
[00:07:02.260] - Ashley
Tell me about what you know and love or don't love about preserved ingredients.
[00:07:08.570] - Wesley
Well, I think coming from an Asian American background, there are a lot of pickled vegetables that I grew up eating, and still continue to enjoy eating. Kimchi being a fantastic top three pickled vegetable ever. I've also started doing a little bit myself, too. I actually had a big tub of pickled cucumbers that were sitting in my fridge this past week that I kind of powered through, so tasty.
[00:07:33.660] - Ashley
Now tell me, do you just put them with salt and vinegar or do you jazz them up in a certain way?
[00:07:39.840] - Wesley
It's fairly simple. It's maybe like four or five ingredients. It's mainly just salt and then you have vinegar and the garlic and some sesame oil. If I'm feeling fancy, I like that. But yeah, nothing crazy.
[00:07:54.170] - Ashley
Now, do you buy kimchi or do you also make your own at home?
[00:07:57.720] - Wesley
I'm buying kimchi for sure. I do not necessarily have the time or skills to make homemade kimchi.
[00:08:06.400] - Ashley
I love pickled vegetables. Yeah, it is almost like preserved ingredients from a pickled standpoint for you, are two trends in one. It's like that comfort- it reminds you of the foods you are familiar with or grew up with, and then also the preserved piece. Which I was reading, and I thought it was interesting. One of the reasons, is these supply chain issues we're having, I think globally, limiting the food system and kind of going back to those older practices of how we keep food longer and how we enjoy, plus that low waste movement. Having less waste when it comes to food. So I thought that was kind of interesting how some of the articles kind of tied in it's because we're getting back to our roots maybe, and we're also having issues accessing food as a country. And so this is kind of a practice that chefs are really trying out.
[00:09:13.230] - Wesley
Yeah. I definitely feel that, like stretching it out. Being someone who's a College student and now living by himself, having a nice little bit of pickled vegetables is always great.
[00:09:24.260] - Ashley
That's very true. The College piece. What about you Zul? Do you have any any relationship with preserved increase?
[00:09:33.710] - Zul
Well, from my personal experience, I don't have much with pickled vegetables, my background is Hispanic. So mostly what I think of, is the pickled onions, which we top on the tacos and all of that, those are like the main pickled vegetables that I do. But for other preserved food items, I'm a very big fan of all the canned and frozen food, especially in College, because when I go grocery shopping for the week and it's Friday and I see the cucumber lettuce are turning soggy and bad, that tends to happen, to most College students, when you're busy with your school and work. Having canned and those frozen vegetables are so easy to have in hand. And I think some people I know there's some questions like, oh, is the nutrition less or is it better to eat it fresh? But it's actually the same nutrition. So I think it's great that you get the nutrition and can have that in your shelf for a few months and nothing will happen to it.
[00:10:42.920] - Ashley
I love that you brought that up, because I do think that's a myth. Right. A very common nutrition myth that they're not going to have as much nutrients. And there's even some vegetables that their nutrients enhance or change when they're preserved. So that's kind of a fun piece of it, too. I had a student one time, it was pre-pandemic, but one of their hobbies was making jam. I do think some of these different techniques can be really fun ways to get creative and have different hobbies. I know is it crocheting or knitting became really popular. And so I just think these getting back to those basics of I made this thing, it took time. It was kind of fun to make, and now I get to enjoy it for like a month.
[00:11:28.830] - Wesley
Invest a few hours, get a big pay off for the next few weeks to come.
[00:11:33.610] - Ashley
Very true. Okay, so preserved ingredients, we like them and some health benefits. Anyone else have a different favorite when they want to start with Zul is there one that caught your eye?
[00:11:49.740] - Zul
Well, when I saw the mocktails, I know you mentioned TikTok and all of that. When I saw that, the first thing I thought about was TikTok, because I've seen many accounts that they have actual alcohol drinks where they teach you how to do it. But there are actually lots of accounts that focus specifically on mocktails. And scrolling through those accounts, I've seen so many different mocktails that I've never thought of from, like, spicy to sweet. And I was just pretty amazed looking at all of that because I didn't even think that was the thing.
[00:12:25.750] - Ashley
I love how folks will do, like simple syrup. Simple syrup, is just equal parts sugar and water. So if anyone doesn't know what simple syrup is. But I love this concept of just infusing syrup with herbs and spices and it being this vehicle to make something as simple as tonic water or, I don't know, any kind of bubble water taste really fancy at the end of the day and also maybe not give you a headache. Yeah. And do you feel like College? I have no idea. I'm a dinosaur. But do you all feel like College students would be interested in this concept of non-alcoholic beverages?
[00:13:03.670] - Zul
Actually, a few semesters ago, when we were in person for Cooking on Campus, we have done some mocktail recipes with different flavors and getting some feedback or expressions from the audience that was cooking with us. They surprisingly liked it because it's something you wouldn't think to do. Like, I wouldn't think to mix Sprite with cranberry juice in my house, but doing it in the class and everyone trying it out, everybody liked it. So I think it's just a matter of trying it.
[00:13:39.300] - Ashley
It is something kind of fun and different. I think that idea of a fun drink doesn't necessarily have to be an alcoholic drink. And we've done some research in the Health and Wellness survey that we do at Campus Health about students think their peers drink a lot more than they actually do. Right. And so there's the actual statistic, which I don't have it offhand, but I'll link to the health and wellness survey in the show notes. But it's actually a lot less like people don't drink every night of the week or even four nights a week. It's much less than that. So I think having some of these alternatives, you still could have drinks and fun glasses and all these fun ingredients without the side effects.
[00:14:18.190] - Wesley
It's a fun process, too. Right. Because a lot of times when you're thinking about cooking, you're like, I'll have some fun food with some friends. But I feel like the drink part sometimes gets neglected, have that opportunity a great time.
[00:14:40.960] - Ashley
Like, using the little shaker if you want to get fancy, fancy tools. Who knows? It could be a whole hobby. And I think you're right. I think beverages sometimes in meals can get neglected. And also, who knows, it could be like complimentary. I know my husband just swears by when he has a Chipotle burrito, it must go with a little can of Coca Cola or some type of soda.
[00:15:05.450] - Wesley
That combo that has to be present.
[00:15:07.270] - Ashley
Yes, the combo. He's like, it has to happen. It just tastes so good together. And I'm like, yeah, I could see that. So maybe some of the dishes, even you make it in your dorm or at home, would be made more fun with something that's bubbly. I love that Sprite and cranberry juice idea. But just like that simple mixing. So we'll have to play around with that.
[00:15:28.740] - Ashley
Let's see, what else do we have here? Okay. So sustainability or seeds, do either of you have any thoughts about sustainability or seeds when it comes to food trends?
[00:15:52.570] - Wesley
I think in terms of the sustainability piece, that's something that I've personally been trying to work on. It is sometimes hard when there's like, oh, I'm used to just cooking with whatever I'm used to. A lot of times I found myself sticking to the same, like, four or five recipes. I know I like this. I know I like this food and cook it, but sometimes it's not necessarily the best idea to cook it all year round, whether that's for economic reasons or whether it's fresh or not. Right.
[00:16:18.220] - Ashley
Right.
[00:16:19.780] - Wesley
It's definitely good to learn how to cook different things with different ingredients. And having something that's in season and fresh is always fantastic.
[00:16:28.610] - Ashley
Yeah. Do you feel that students go to farmers markets, or is sustainable, like finding foods that are local? Do farmers markets come up in discussion?
[00:16:49.190] - Wesley
I feel like for farmers market, that's something. I haven't gone to a farmer's market in quite a while, to be quite honest. But sometimes it is just like knowing about them in the first place, especially, for example, if you're from out of town or out of state, just figuring out where those might be.
[00:17:22.860] - Ashley
Yeah. So I feel like sustainability is a word for me, that I get a little tripped up on, like, how accessible is some of the food that we'd call sustainable? Right. Is that really accessible for folks who are on a budget or who don't have a car or things like that? I think sustainable and practical need to kind of come together sometimes. And the buying and season, like Wesley's saying, is usually less expensive or buying canned and frozen, if that's what's available. So I think that piece is helpful. People aren't bad people for not being able to afford the organic X, Y, or Z food. Absolutely made me think of something else I wanted to ask you all. Oh, I guess this is a side tangent. It's not necessarily a food trend that I wrote in the article or that I was looking at online, but is there any food trends you've seen that aren't on that list that are on TikTok or on social media in any other way? Because I just looked at the culinary and the food systems world. I feel like if we did food trends in the social media world, it would be a different list for me.
[00:18:35.810] - Zul
I haven't seen much. I have seen several videos of overnight oats and upgrading overnight oats by giving them different flavors, like strawberry cheesecake, overnight oats, or Apple cinnamon. So I've seen a lot of those videos, and I think it just ties in with most of our generation. Wesley and my generation are into meal prepping so much right now, so I think that fits perfectly with that. Those are the meals I've seen. I don't know if it's trending, but I've just seen it a couple of times.
[00:19:15.160] - Ashley
Great. Maybe meal planning is trending like you're saying. It just makes your student life easier if you have food ready to go.
[00:19:21.460] - Wesley
Yeah. You save a lot of money, a lot of time on just maybe prepping a couple of batches of food over the weekend. I know I started off doing that last semester. It kind of may or may not have failed quite a bit heading into November, but I started off strong this semester. In terms of preparing food.
[00:19:38.270] - Ashley
August to November is pretty good. That's most of the semester.
[00:19:43.150] - Wesley
Yeah.
[00:19:45.050] - Ashley
What type of meal prep foods do the two of you tend to prepare?
[00:19:49.400] - Wesley
I grew up cooking a lot of Asian dishes with my parents. Sometimes there would just be a big pot with some protein and vegetables in there already and then some carbs just probably either with rice or some noodles or something like that. That way if I don't have a portion already, just wake up in the morning, maybe five minutes, knock it out and you're set.
[00:20:09.130] - Ashley
That's like kind of like component cooking. What about you Zul?
[00:20:18.480] - Zul
For me, I don't really meal prep dinner, but I meal prep most of my breakfast just because the morning I'm not trying to spend 1 hour waking up earlier. Some of the things I've done besides the overnight oats, I've also done smoothie bags, I prepare in a ziplock or something with all the ingredients just to put in the blender and blend. That's something I really like and it saves so much time because although making a smoothie is pretty straightforward and simple, it does take time, putting the banana or whatever together. So having that ready to go, it's just so easy and makes me be less lazy and that way I eat something in the morning.
[00:21:08.980] - Ashley
I love that each of you meal prep a little differently too. I think whatever meal it makes the most sense for folks to prep is key.. If they are finding breakfast makes more sense to meal prep because that's a time of day for them or lunch or dinner or I think it can be individual. And I feel like sometimes people feel like they have to meal prep all three meals a day or it doesn't count or they have to do it every single day. Even having a couple options, I think students will really like some of the kind of examples that you all are giving. Any other thoughts on the top six from the article that I didn't already ask that you wanted to touch on this evening?
[00:21:49.690] - Wesley
I guess I was just very taken aback by the potato milk one. I have just objectively never ever heard of potato milk just being a thing. I know that milk alternatives in general. I think maybe over the past five to ten years have been sprouting up. Whether that's like lactose free milk. Well, I'm lactose intolerant, so I love lactose free milk, but also like other plant based ones from like oat milk to almond milk, all that stuff, soy milk. But I just never heard of potato milk. I'm just very surprised to see that on here.
[00:22:22.650] - Ashley
I mean, from a sustainability standpoint, it is very sustainable. If you think about it, almonds are not sustainable, really. Right. It takes so much water to grow. So I get it. And at the same time, are we drinking mashed potatoes? I don't know. We should kind of put that out there that it is the latest, yes, plant based alternative milk, but you can't actually buy it in the US. It was a British supermarket chain and supposedly there's a couple of brands, but there's one brand, D-U-G. I'm not exactly sure how they are going to pronounce that, but a brand coming it's overseas, but it hasn't made it here yet. You could make it at home. I've heard of people making it, I feel like oat milk is pretty sustainable and oat milk is pretty easy to make. Right. You put oats in a blender with some water and then strain it. You could also just buy it.
[00:23:27.310] - Ashley
And then I think what got me was putting Maple syrup into the potato milk. And that feeling very interesting, right? I'm like, but why not butter and why not sour cream? I can't get my mental self past that. It should be savory and not sweet, I guess. I don't know.
[00:23:55.250] - Zul
Well, I wonder when it comes to the US, if Starbucks or coffee companies are going to start using that. I know the Brown sugar oatmeal coffee at Starbucks is so popular. So maybe if they put potato milk in their menu, people start trying it. But I don't know how to picture the taste. I cannot picture it. I know coconut milk is more sweet. Coconut milk is a different taste. I don't know about potato milk, though.
[00:24:23.760] - Ashley
I know. Maybe that's why we just may need to experiment and try it. Because it's starchy, right? So it's Milky and starchy. Maybe it does taste just like rice milk.
[00:24:43.650] - Wesley
That's very true. I think I grew up drinking rice milk and I got used to that. Kind of like somewhat almost grainy starchy and thicker, thicker texture it has compared to regular milk. But I still love it all the same.
[00:24:56.190] - Ashley
I was just thinking of the way we make horchata, very similar. Maybe that's we have to make that a cooking on campus event. Maybe this is worth a try. I'm glad you brought that up, because I was hoping we would touch on potato milk because it was the one that surprised me the most. To anything else I missed, friends, anything we didn't go on a tangent about.
[00:25:27.410] - Zul
I think we did a good job at covering everything I did. Want to ask, though, for the farmers market thing.
[00:25:33.440] - Ashley
Oh, yeah.
[00:25:34.300] - Zul
I don't know if everyone knows, but I know that those people that have like, EBT or food stamps, that's also an option now in some farmers market. So maybe sometimes if money is the issue with that, that's also not available. So I think that's super awesome.
[00:25:51.600] - Ashley
That is awesome. We'll put that reference in the show notes, too, because I think that'll just be a nice resourcer folks on campus. Before we close out and do our end of podcast questions for each of you, can we learn a little bit more about cooking on campus? We have a February 8th event coming up. So do you, two, want to speak to what we have in store for folks this semester?
[00:26:34.620] - Zul
Yeah. So cooking on campus, we were pretty much all virtual these past semesters because of COVID and everything, but we're now transitioning to some in person classes starting in two weeks. As our first class, which will be a Valentine's themed class, we're going to be doing two recipes, which is a deconstructed sushi and then some chocolate covered oranges. And we're going to have a hybrid option so people can join us from Zoom. We also do it on Instagram Live, and obviously the in person options with some limited spaces. And I'll let Wesley touching it a little bit more.
[00:27:13.970] - Wesley
Yeah. So we're definitely super excited to be back in person and be able to have you guys come down to the food lab and actually experience cooking these recipes and be able to take that food home with you. The way our classes work is we provide all the ingredients, all the equipment that you'll need for the recipes. You just have to sign up online and then show up the day off, and then you'll be able to follow along as our student chefs teach those individual recipes, and then you guys will be able to enjoy the food afterwards. In terms of the modality that's all touched upon, we're looking to have, I think figure four in person classes. All of them will have a kind of Zoom or Instagram Live option where if you want to tune in, you maybe weren't able to get a spot or something. We'll still have that opportunity.
[00:28:04.430] - Zul
And just to quickly add also for the in person, we do have a charge of $10 for that, but we provide everything like Wesley said. So you don't have to bring ingredients, supplies or anything. And you get two meals for $10. So it's a pretty good deal in my opinion. And if you are joining through Zoom/virtually, we also have Campus Pantry working with us so you can get some of the ingredients that our recipes use from them so you don't have to be using your money for that. So just go to Campus Pantry, use your cat card and you can get some ingredients for that.
[00:28:38.650] - Ashley
And we will link to the eventbrite, which is how you are going to be signing up for cooking on campus classes this semester. So you can get your tickets either for the Zoom piece or for the in person piece. We'll link to that in the show Notes and we will also link to Campus entry if you've never been it's on the first floor of the Union and is a great resource on campus and all you need is a check card. So for anyone who has a cash card, that is an option as well. Well, let's wrap up and do some end of podcast questions and maybe we ask all our guests these questions and it's really just a fun kind of way to end it a little rapid fire at the end for folks to learn a little bit more about the two of you when it comes to food and your favorites. So if we'll do the first question, you guys can kind of go back and forth. But if you could only eat three foods ever again, what would they be?
[00:29:29.550] - Wesley
I feel like this is probably one of the toughest questions I'll ever be asked.
[00:29:33.750] - Ashley
It's so hard.
[00:29:34.650] - Wesley
It is so hard to choose.
[00:29:38.030] - Ashley
I don't know.
[00:29:38.520] - Wesley
Am I allowed to choose categories like, I guess narrow it down just a little bit?
[00:29:42.840] - Ashley
Some people have done that. Yes. Some people have. Like one of their foods is like vegetables and that's like the whole. Is that what you mean?
[00:29:51.310] - Wesley
Yeah, a little bit. Because I feel like for me, rice is one thing that I could not live without. Personally, if I don't have rice sometime during the week, I don't know, I go through some withdrawals.
[00:30:03.650] - Ashley
You're not complete.
[00:30:04.840] - Wesley
I am not complete without having some sort of rice. It could be fried rice. It could just be normal plain white rice.
[00:30:26.640] - Zul
While Wesley thinks of two more. I really like elote con vasa, corn in a cup. It's like corn, mayo and tajine. That's like my favorite snack to go, but I just eat it like whenever I can because I don't want to be eating it every week. But it's like my guilty pleasure. So I would love to have that forever.
[00:30:48.870] - Ashley
Are you two going to alternate? Yeah.
[00:30:52.050] - Wesley
Okay. I have pondered enough. I guess my second will definitely probably be like some variation of different noodles soups. I feel like especially like during the winter and cold weather. They're just so comforting. Kind of going back to that comfort food topic, having that's just fantastic and oftentimes can be pretty balanced in terms of a meal too. You can have vegetables and proteins tossed in there and then obviously you have some carbs from your noodles. But I've also been trying to do different noodle alternatives too, in terms of Besides just like wheat noodles or rice noodles. I think I've had maybe like pumpkin or spinach noodles before. Pumpkin sounds good. Those have been fantastic. Yeah. It's another food I probably could not live with. That.
[00:31:33.150] - Ashley
What you got so long?
[00:31:34.450] - Zul
I really like avocado toast with like egg whites on top and some everything. Bagel seasoning.
[00:31:40.560] - Wesley
Oh, no. Avocado toast.
[00:31:44.250] - Zul
I could live with that every morning.
[00:31:47.610] - Ashley
So tasty.
[00:31:49.020] - Zul
I mean, you get your healthy fat, your carb, your protein. It's pretty balanced.
[00:31:54.030] - Ashley
I like all of it. It's great. I want a Lote on the avocado Cook toast a little different than are we on number three. So rice noodles, what's your third one?
[00:32:06.530] - Wesley
My third one. That one's also a tough one. Fried chicken is the last one. I believe for me there is a Taiwanese popcorn chicken recipe that I am absolutely in love with. Kind of going back to comfort foods once again. It's something that I've made quite a few times over quarantine because it's kind of a street food that they have in Taiwan that I really missed a lot from going back there when I was a kid.
[00:32:30.510] - Ashley
Sounds so good.
[00:32:32.430] - Wesley
Delicious.
[00:32:33.590] - Ashley
You get all the flavors and you get that crunch too. You can't lose.
[00:32:37.930] - Wesley
It is quite a time intensive process, though. I think I made it for some friends one time. We had a little gathering once. Like Covet had died down a bit. I think I was fried chicken for maybe like an hour straight that night just to feed everybody. But it was fantastic. Worth every minute.
[00:32:52.210] - Ashley
It's one of those labor of love foods. Lots of cultures have those foods that take a while, but it's such this labor of love because you make a lot of it and it's how you gather. I think that's great. That's a great top three. So you had lots you said another word with it in a cup.
[00:33:15.250] - Zul
It's just got you.
[00:33:17.800] - Ashley
And then you had avocado toasted, egg whites and everything. But the bagel season. I really appreciate how specific that was. And then what's your third one?
[00:33:25.670] - Zul
I think food is just balance and eating what you feel, balancing it out. So my third one has to be French fries. Those are my favorite, too. And they just go well with lots of food. So I would love to keep French fries in my list, for sure.
[00:33:41.280] - Ashley
That's a great one. They do go good with lots of stuff, and you can dip them in things. Good choices. Good choices. Okay. And then. So the second question is breakfast or dinner, if you had to choose.
[00:33:54.250] - Wesley
I feel like this was pretty easy for me personally. Dinner definitely comes first for me. Unfortunately, I do end up skipping on breakfast sometimes, especially during the week. But I'll treat myself to a little brunch that will Cook up on the weekends something. But for me, dinner. Dinner is always a highlight for me.
[00:34:13.130] - Zul
Same for me. I would pick dinner.
[00:34:15.090] - Ashley
Oh, wow. I love it. It's just so surprising to me. Always. Everyone depends. But then they know what it is. They have a very clear like, yes, this there's conviction. Is there a reason dinner for you, or is it just, like the time of day to relax?
[00:34:35.070] - Zul
Well, for sure. I have more time in the afternoon to dedicate time to dinner. And I just feel like there's so many more options to do. And breakfast. I know you can do a lot of things, but when I think breakfast, I'm always thinking about an egg or some smoothie, something like that. So with dinner, I just like the super. So many options.
[00:34:58.470] - Ashley
That's true. Last question also may be challenging. If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would they be? And you don't have to go back and forth. You just tell me all three at one time.
[00:35:11.610] - Wesley
Am I eating dinner with all three of them at the same time?
[00:35:14.520] - Ashley
At the same time?
[00:35:15.550] - Wesley
At the same time.
[00:35:16.910] - Ashley
Yeah. This is your dinner party. This is your ultimate dinner party. And this is great because you both love dinner. So this actually works out really well. I should probably change this question for people who like breakfast, but yeah, dead or alive, three people for me.
[00:35:30.240] - Zul
I don't know if the three people will go well together, but I just like the three people. So I would pick Will Ferrell because I really like his elves movie. That's my favorite movie. So I would like to have a dinner with him. And then I would also like to meet and have a dinner with AOC.
[00:35:52.870] - Wesley
Dinner with AOC would be fantastic. Holy cow.
[00:35:56.470] - Ashley
I like her a lot. Yeah.
[00:35:57.700] - Zul
I think she's so inspiring. And even me, I'm not, like, super into politics and all of that, but just watching some of her videos, I'm like, wow, she knows it inspires me. Passion. Yeah. And lastly, I would pick that funny, just because I love his music. So just to see how that goes with everyone.
[00:36:18.060] - Ashley
First of all, that would be an amazing compilation of humans at a table would be a good time.
[00:36:23.730] - Wesley
That would be crazy. I think for my three, I don't know. I have two people in mind, but the last one I'm kind of up for grabs. I don't know. For me it's not so much, I guess. Funny. I don't know. Two of the people that I really want to have dinner with would be both my paternal and maternal grandfather on both sides. Unfortunately, I didn't have that much time with them before they passed. And it's kind of tough as a second generation immigrant to not get to see your grandparents that much. There are a couple of people that I wish I had a lot of more time with so if I could have dinner with them that would be fantastic. Ask for the last person, I don't know, throw AOC in there too. I would love to have dinner with AOC.
[00:37:06.130] - Ashley
I think your grandparents would like that too. That would be kind of cool. That's so special. I always love the variety and that who we share meals with. It can be fun, it's inspirational and it's like coming home. So thank you for sharing both of those with us. And thank you too for being on the podcast today and sharing all of your knowledge and all of your tips. We were just going to talk about food trends but I just am so lucky that Wesleyans will have all this awesome background that they just dropped some beautiful knowledge today and tips and things and tricks for all of our students. I was going to say student guests, but all of our student listeners. So thank you too for being on the show and yeah, come back any time to talk to us about all things nutrition or cooking on campus.
[00:37:58.810] - Wesley
Yeah. Thank you so much for having us, Ashley. I feel like it'd be interesting to see how these food trends kind of evolved throughout the year. Past two years have been crazy. I think this year is about a bit even crazier.
[00:38:08.480] - Ashley
So we'll see how it goes and yet we always have food to fall back on.
[00:38:13.290] - Wesley
We always have food.
[00:38:14.900] - Zul
Same here. Thanks for having us. It was super fun doing the podcast, having done a podcast so it was a good experience, and I would definitely like to come back and talk about more things. So thank you.
[00:38:27.040] - Ashley
Thank you guys. Alright. Have a good have a good one.